Knives Best Sellers: The Skinners, Boning Sets, Saws and Steels Kiwis Are Buying Now

Late spring is when a lot of Kiwis start thinking about filling the freezer, whether that's home kill on the farm, a deer from the back blocks or a good feed of snapper off the boat. So we went back through the last 90 days of orders in our Knives range to see what people are actually buying to process their meat and fish. These five genuine recent best sellers cover the whole job: a classic Buck skinner, a complete boning set, a proper butcher's saw, a diamond steel to keep the edge and a flexible filleting knife for the catch.

1. Buck 113 Ranger Skinner

Our headline pick this round is a fixed blade from Buck. The 113 Ranger Skinner was first created as a limited edition model, combining Buck's well-known Ranger with the classic Vanguard. It's smaller and more streamlined, with a 7.9cm 420HC steel skinning blade, a Macassar Ebony Dymondwood handle and a black leather sheath. Hunters buy it because it's compact enough to carry all day but still has a proper skinning blade for dressing out game in the field.

Price: $249 - Buck 113 Ranger Skinner. More in Buck knives.

2. Victorinox Boning Set with Leather Sheath & Ring Steel

This was the top-selling item in the whole Knives range over the last 90 days, and it's easy to see why. You get a wide, curved Victorinox Fibrox boning knife, a natural leather sheath to carry it in and a 190mm sharpening steel, so everything you need for boning out is in one package. Farmers and hunters buy it as a ready-to-go kit that lives on the belt or in the ute.

Price: $95 - Victorinox boning set with leather sheath & ring steel. More in Victorinox knives.

3. Buffalo Butchers Saw, Stainless Steel

A knife won't get through bone, and that's where this saw comes in. Made in England, it's a bow saw of the style meat processing professionals use, with a stainless steel frame, a comfortable polypropylene handle and a butcher's quick-release handle. It's built for cutting through tough cuts of beef, lamb and pork, which makes it a regular buy for anyone doing their own home kill.

Price: $72.99 - Buffalo butchers saw stainless steel. More saws and cleavers in chefs & butchers tools.

4. Grinder Diamond Grit Oval Butchers Steel 300mm

Processing a whole beast or a chilly bin of fish dulls an edge quickly, so a good steel is never far from the bench. This one is diamond-electroplated for fast, efficient sharpening, and its oval profile makes it easier to get a more accurate finish. At 300mm it will handle everything from pocket knives to professional forged knives, and it's popular with hunters, butchers, chefs, fishers and home cooks alike.

Price: $59.99 - Grinder butchers steel diamond grit oval 300mm. More in sharpening steels.

5. Victory Flex Narrow Filleting Knife 20cm

For the fishing side of the freezer, this Victory filleting knife is a general-purpose fillet blade with extra flex, which makes it easier to skin fish once the fillet is off. It's made in New Zealand by Victory Knives, who've been making knives here since 1927, and it's a simple, affordable upgrade for anyone still filleting with an old kitchen knife.

Price: $45 - Flex narrow filleting knife 20cm. See the full Victory fish knife range.

Also popular right now

• Victory SuperFlex Narrow Curved Boning Knife 13cm ($39.99): NZ-made from German stainless steel, in our Victory butchers knives range.
• Victory Leather Boning Sheath S1 ($43): fits a boning knife up to 17cm.
• Victory Magnetic Knife Rack ($49.99): a 400mm stainless steel wall rack that keeps knives off the bench and out of the drawers.

From the farm to the islands

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

Browse our full range at actionoutdoors.kiwi