oyster shuckers

fishlessman

picked up an r murphy new haven elite shucker

question for those that shuck, are they supposed to be more dull than sharp, is sharp dangerous with these

bgebrent

Yes. More dull than sharp. Nice shucker fish!

Photo Egg

Yea, what @bgebrent said. Very cool photo

northGAcock

...yo Fish.....in my experience, sharp will become dull in relatively short order. The force you put in the sweet spot is what gives you the separation / opening. In other words, you are forcing pressure to open something....not really cutting into it.....if that makes sense. Sharp adds a danger, but if you slip (sharp or dull) you can do damage to your self. The sharpness probably only benefits you when you reach under the oyster and severe it from the shell. I see some benefit there....but that is not a legitimate need in my opinion....that is easy regardless. Just my two cents worth.

Bottom line....enjoy those morsels of delight.

fishlessman

bgebrent said:

Yes. More dull than sharp. Nice shucker fish!

explains why i havent cut my self with it   my regular clam knives are sharp one side with a dull tip and backside but i use them for splitting steamer clams. need to get some oysters to try, maybe in a week or two

fishlessman

Photo Egg said:

Yea, what @bgebrent said. Very cool photo

stole the photo from their site

northGAcock

fishlessman said:

Photo Egg said:

Yea, what @bgebrent said. Very cool photo

stole the photo from their site

The saltiness of the liquor prob want benefit the wood handle either over time.

northGAcock

bgebrent said:

Yes. More dull than sharp. Nice shucker fish!

Not working today hugh?

bgebrent

northGAcock said:

bgebrent said:

Yes. More dull than sharp. Nice shucker fish!

Not working today hugh?

Recovering from a procedure. You net working per usual?

northGAcock

bgebrent said:

northGAcock said:

bgebrent said:

Yes. More dull than sharp. Nice shucker fish!

Not working today hugh?

Recovering from a procedure. You net working per usual?

hard at work on boring conference calls.

GrateEggspectations

You a bad mother-shucker!

bgebrent

northGAcock said:

bgebrent said:

northGAcock said:

bgebrent said:

Yes. More dull than sharp. Nice shucker fish!

Not working today hugh?

Recovering from a procedure. You net working per usual?

hard at work on boring conference calls.

Give my best to Pattie and Maddie and the other dog. 

KiterTodd

For that style of opener, thick dull steel is what you want as @northGAcock said.  A quality opener will stay straight for life.  Cheaper ones will begin to twist after their first bushel.

The other style of opener is the long thin narrow version that goes in from the bill end (opposite to the hinge).  Those knives are different since you kind of knock a chip off the front and slide it in.  I find more professional shuckers use those then the hinge openers.  Now that most oysters are farmed in cages and not tossed around in the tide, the shells are more brittle and I find I'm breaking off a lot more shell when I'm hinge opening vs. a solid bay oyster that's been rolling around all it's life.  ...knocking off the weak shell along the way.

I still predominately use the style like you have up there.  Here's the thin version as you have probably also seen;



I know there are a lot of other devices oyster houses use.  I personally like that big hinged arm some restaurants use so that they can plop anyone with very little skill at the oyster cooler to open 'em up.  But that's a lot of hardware to keep around.

fishlessman

this one seems right for some reason

buzd504

Dexter makes a quality oyster knife.

nolaegghead

buzd504 said:

Dexter makes a quality oyster knife.

These are all we use.  

buzd504

nolaegghead said:

buzd504 said:

Dexter makes a quality oyster knife.

These are all we use.  

Yep.  I was using a knock-off brand that looked similar over thanksgiving and I snapped the tip off of it.  Dexter for me all the way.

saluki2007

nolaegghead said:

buzd504 said:

Dexter makes a quality oyster knife.

These are all we use.  

I've got that one too.  It's held up nicely.

nolaegghead

Every restaurant that shucks oysters in town uses those Dexter also...

NorthPilot06

Yup, I've got the Dexter too

MaskedMarvel

I went through a few bushels over the years. Ended up with some wooden handled knife a restaurant in Boston recommended, and the usual goto- the Oxo

https://www.amazon.com/OXO-Grips-Oyster-Knife-Handle/dp/B00004OCLC?psc=1&SubscriptionId=AKIAILSHYYTFIVPWUY6Q&tag=duckduckgo-iphone-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B00004OCLC

Yours looks great! Would love to try one out someday..

Sea2Ski

+1 on the dexter.

fishlessman

i think my clam knives are dexter russells, most of my fillet knives are.   r murphy is a very similar company, both local to me.  needed to add a murphy to the collection. added the bar knife as well

Carolina Q

I didn't realize Dexter Russell was in Southbridge. That's only 35 miles from here! 

KiterTodd

MaskedMarvel said:

I went through a few bushels over the years. Ended up with some wooden handled knife a restaurant in Boston recommended, and the usual goto- the Oxo..

I have to tell you, the OXO knives are sh*t.  I bet those wooden handled ones you have look a lot better after several bushels.
We have a lot of knives that we put out for parties and such when I get a bushel of oysters.  All the OXO knives are twisted at the tips.

I would NOT recommend these.  Any of those industrial looking knives with the solid plastic molded handles are much better, and probably cheaper.

In addition to the ones people already posted, this Carolina Oyster Knife is very good.  Have several of these and they look brand new after many oyster events.

northGAcock

No dispute of the above mentioned.....just another resource for oyster and other seafood knives.  https://charlestonshuckerco.com/shop/

fishlessman

northGAcock said:

No dispute of the above mentioned.....just another resource for oyster and other seafood knives.  https://charlestonshuckerco.com/shop/

this link brings up a different question, shrimp shucker, i cant see anyone using that to fill up one of those big boilers that nola and sgh posted, it would take days or weeks

nolaegghead

My buddy made this shucker for me...

northGAcock

fishlessman said:

northGAcock said:

No dispute of the above mentioned.....just another resource for oyster and other seafood knives.  https://charlestonshuckerco.com/shop/

this link brings up a different question, shrimp shucker, i cant see anyone using that to fill up one of those big boilers that nola and sgh posted, it would take days or weeks

That is used for cutting the heads off when you purchase directly off of the Shrimp Boats. As for  devein-ing the shrimp, that is really not practical for mass consumption. Peeling is easy after cooking so no real need there. This knife would be used for peeling and devein-ing shrimp for cooking shell off. Most folks will devein shrimp for salads. (editorial comment.....shrimp salad is one of my favorites. That would be cooked shrimp cut into half inch pieces, Dukes mayo, celery, chopped boiled eggs, a shot of mustard and fresh lemon juice. Sprinkle a little ol Bay on top and server over a fresh garden mator). Oh my. Sorry i digressed. 

To your comment regarding mass quantities.......i have seen processors (people) that can peel and devein a large shrimp in 2 seconds or less. Its and art.....

GrillSgt

We often serve our shrimp salad over a corncake as our dinner. 

fishlessman

northGAcock said:

fishlessman said:

northGAcock said:

No dispute of the above mentioned.....just another resource for oyster and other seafood knives.  https://charlestonshuckerco.com/shop/

this link brings up a different question, shrimp shucker, i cant see anyone using that to fill up one of those big boilers that nola and sgh posted, it would take days or weeks

That is used for cutting the heads off when you purchase directly off of the Shrimp Boats. As for  devein-ing the shrimp, that is really not practical for mass consumption. Peeling is easy after cooking so no real need there. This knife would be used for peeling and devein-ing shrimp for cooking shell off. Most folks will devein shrimp for salads. (editorial comment.....shrimp salad is one of my favorites. That would be cooked shrimp cut into half inch pieces, Dukes mayo, celery, chopped boiled eggs, a shot of mustard and fresh lemon juice. Sprinkle a little ol Bay on top and server over a fresh garden mator. Oh my. Sorry i digressed. 

To your comment regarding mass quantities.......i have seen processors (people) that can peel and devein a large shrimp in 2 seconds or less. Its and art.....

ive seen people use those on maine shrimp, if you ever seen a maine shrimp they are tiny tiny but extremely tasty, maybe a 200 count size   i would only deveine the really large ones and im not a fan of that size shrimp anyways. maine shrimping is closed for another year, must be ten years now its been cancelled