Hello all! I got these in a box lot yesterday. Pretty sure they are poultry shears but not 100% sure. I also see a alot of similar, but not this exact one. Anyone know an age or value on this piece?
This excellent pair of chef's poultry/game sheers were made in Solingen, Germany by legendary maker Wusthof and were sold in this country in the 1940's-50's. But don't be fooled by its beauty; it's as tough as any pair ever made and will readily hack a chicken into its 8 respective parts (9 if you count the tail!). McNugget's weren't always available. Back in the day when you bought a whole chicken, you needed a tool in the kitchen with a thick sturdy blade to hack it apart.While the butcher had his cleaver, this was not always welcomed in the modern kitchen, so a sturdy pair of steel scissors was developed that could chomp thru bone with it'd notched blade... and saw thru joints with it's serrated front edge, while slicing thru flesh with it's thick sharp heavy blades. I still have my Mom's......just for the memories... The shears were also brought to the table , when birds were served whole. any questions ? Oh, & I've now seen the OP's model referred to as 80's vintage...so I may have been off with my dating !
They're used to cut through the rib bones to separate from the breast "bone" (which is mostly cartilege) and the spine. Very handy when butterflying or cutting up the whole chicken into "parts."
