The Shechitah Knife

What Can Be Used for Shechitah

1. Technically, anything that is detached from the ground and sharp can be used for kosher slaughter, as long as it's free of imperfections. A reed membrane would be good if it doesn't have any splinters that would come out. Practically, however, this is exclusively done with a knife.
2. One shouldn't use a scythe or even a double edged knife if one side of it is a scythe. Bediavad if he did it and knows he used the kosher side, it's ok, and if he smoothened out the scythe side then he can use it lechatechilah.

Crafting a Shechitah Knife

Chalef with Blue Bone Handle, image courtesy of Laevi Sussman, JewishKnives.com

Stainless Steel Chalefim in Select Sizes, image courtesy of Laevi Sussman, JewishKnives.com

Sharpening a Shechitah Knife

Sharpening a knife is done by grinding the edge against coarse and then fine whetstones, back and forth, one side and then the other, until the knife is sharp and smooth.

Guides

• Esek Hashechita by Rabbi Dovid Shaffier. See SeforimChatter Review here. (Book)
• Laevi Sussman's Video Guide (Video)
• IBC Experiential Halacha: Basics of Shechita-Knife Sharpening (Audio)
• Guide to Sharpening a Shechita Knife by Rabbi Avraham Moshe (PDF)

Purchasing a Knife

• The Kosher Cut
• JewishKnives.com (Laevi Sussman)
• Lublinsky

Sources

Category	Topics
General Laws of Kashrut	Bishul Akum - Checking for Bugs - Gelatin - Kosher Food without Kosher Supervision - Kosher Food Packaging for Deliveries - Kosher Food Left with a Non-Jew - Koshering a Kitchen - Kashering for Pesach - Kosher in the Workplace - Medications - Pat Palter - Selling Non-Kosher Foods - Serving Guests - Sharp Foods - Shechitah (Kosher Slaughter) - Tevilat Keilim - Tzaar Baalei Chayim - Yashan
Meat and Milk	Dairy Bread - Eating Dairy and Meat at the Same Table - Kosher Cheese - Kosher Milk (Chalav Yisrael) - Milk and Meat in the Kitchen - Non-Dairy Milk - Waiting between Meat and Milk
Principles of Kashrut	Items That Cannot Be Nullified - Transferring Taste - Nullification - Zeh Vzeh Gorem - Trusting Others for Kashrut
Shechitah	Shechitah_(Kosher_Slaughter) - Who_Can_Be_a_Shochet - The_Shechitah_Knife - Modern_Day_Industrial_Shechitah - Glatt Kosher Meat - Kashering Meat