Knives Best Sellers: The Butcher Sets, Cooks Knives, Chainmail Gloves and Knife Storage Kiwis Are Buying Now

A good knife is only half the story. Once summer gets going and the chilly bin, the barbecue and the home kill all start working overtime, Kiwis want the whole setup sorted: the right blades, something to protect their hands and somewhere safe to keep it all. We went back through the last 90 days of orders in our Knives range, and these five genuine recent best sellers cover exactly that, from a full butcher's set down to the rack on the wall.

1. Victory Butcher Skinning/Boning Set, Hollow Ground

Our headline pick is the set that serious home butchers and farm workers build their kit around. The 5 piece version gives you two skinning knives (14cm and 15cm), a 15cm sheep skinning knife, a 13cm narrow curved boning knife and a 15cm curved boning knife, all hollow ground and made from high-grade German steel. Step up to the 6 piece and a Flugel 300 fine steel is added. You can choose a canvas wrap or leather wraps, which is why the price runs from the entry set up to the full leather kit. People buy it because it takes the guesswork out: every blade you need for skinning and boning, in one roll, from a New Zealand made brand.

Price: from $226 - Victory Butcher Skinning/Boning Set Hollow Ground. More in Victory knife sets.

2. Victory Wide Cooks Knife 20cm

Not everything in the Knives range lives in the shed. The Victory Wide Cooks Knife is a professional grade 20cm chef's knife that has become a regular in Kiwi kitchens. The German steel blade is hardened to 54-56 RC with a sub-zero quench for better edge retention, there's a finger guard for safety and no gap between handle and blade, so it's easy to keep hygienic. It comes with Victory's lifetime guarantee. It sells to home cooks who want a proper workhorse knife without paying fancy chef-brand prices.

Price: $45 - Victory Wide Cooks Knife 20cm. More in Victory chef and kitchen knives.

3. Victory Stainless Chainmail Glove

If you spend any real time boning out or trimming, this one is worth every cent. The Victory chainmail glove is a flexible stainless steel mesh that sits between the blade and your hand while still letting you feel what you're doing. The stainless mesh is corrosion resistant and stands up to damp, busy work areas where regular cleaning is part of the routine. It comes in sizes from 2XS through to XL, so the whole crew can get a proper fit. It's a steady seller with butchers, processors and anyone doing their own home kill.

Price: $118 - Victory Stainless Chainmail Glove. More in sharpening steels and knife accessories.

4. Victory Magnetic Knife Rack

Knives rattling around in a drawer get blunt fast, and they're a hazard when you reach in. The Victory Magnetic Knife Rack is a 400mm stainless steel strip that mounts on the wall with hidden screws (included) and holds all styles of Victory knives plus your steel. It's a popular add-on with the cooks knife above, and just as handy in the garage or the processing room as it is in the kitchen. Knives aren't included.

Price: $49.99 - Victory Magnetic Knife Rack.

5. White Quad Knife Scabbard SK10/4

For knives that need to come with you, the quad scabbard is the practical answer. It holds four knives: the front section takes blades up to 15cm and the back takes blades up to 25cm. It's made from food grade polypropylene and pulls apart for easy, hygienic cleaning, which is why it turns up in so many butchers' and processors' kits. Knives shown in the photo aren't included.

Price: $35 - White Quad Knife Scabbard SK10/4.

Also popular right now

• Shepherds Steel Knife Sharpener, Ring & Bar ($30): made in Sheffield by Egginton Brothers from high carbon chrome vanadium steel. More in butchers sharpening steels.
• Buck 110 Folding Hunter ($243.97): the classic lockback folder with a Macassar Ebony Dymondwood handle and leather sheath. More in Buck folding knives.
• Victory Clam Knife 9cm ($24.99): from our Victory shellfish knives range.

From the farm to the islands

These orders come from farmers, hunters, home cooks and home butchers right around New Zealand. We also supply knife sets and kitchen knives to customers in the Pacific Islands, where preparing your own fish and meat is part of everyday life. If you're not sure which blade or set suits your job, get in touch and we'll point you in the right direction.

Browse our full range at actionoutdoors.kiwi