At the DJHS archive, we have a kosher butcher knife, known as the chalif, it’s wielded by a shochet; the person that uses the knife to process the animal. The chalif must be handmade and kept exquisitely sharp. There are fewer than 10 kosher knife makers worldwide. The knife can be made of various steel types, and the handle made from a variety of woods and materials, but a kosher knife must be roughly two-thirds the size of the animal’s neck that it is killing. There are different knife sizes for different animals, this knife is about 12 inches long, lending itself to a lamb.

Dallas Jewish Historical Society Collection

 

https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/community/articles/kosher-slaughter-knifemaker