Today is National Oyster Day! If you're posting on social media, be sure to tag #NationalOysterDay.
When it comes to oysters, it's no surprise that the most common question is how to shuck them. That brings us to oyster knives. There are several styles of oyster knife, with the New Haven Style being the most common / popular, but there are lots of options with features that make them better suited to different oyster sizes, opening location (hinge vs. side), and, as you can tell by their names, oysters from different regions. Today is a a great day to share with your customers the various styles and their benefits, or to feature the style that you've selected for your store!
The New Haven Style
New Haven Style Oyster Knife
The New Haven is characterized by a short, wide blade with an upturned, pointed tip, which is designed to open oysters from the hinge. It's beginner friendly but also beloved by many expert shuckers. An added benefit of this curved tip style, the only knife in the list to have one, is that the blade can easily follow the contour of the shell to cut the muscle that attaches the oyster to its shell.
Providence Style
Providence Style Oyster Knife
Like the New Haven, the Providence style oyster knife has a short, wide blade with a pointed tip, but unlike the New Haven the blade is totally straight with no curve in the tip. These straight bladed knives are designed to open oysters from the side.
Duxbury Style
Duxbury Style Oyster Knife
The Duxbury looks like a short Providence knife, with a similar straight blade and pointed tip. This style is popular for small oysters, speed shucking (!) and is more common in commercial applications than home.
Boston Style
The Boston Style oyster knife can be identified by its long thin blade and rounded tip which is used to open large oysters from the side. Commonly this style has a ball shaped handle, but not always.
Galveston Style
Galveston Style Oyster Knife
The Galveston looks a cross between the Providence and the Boston. The blade is long like the Boston, but wide like the Providence, and is suited to larger oysters. The tip is rounded, meaning that this blade is also for opening oysters from the side.
New York
New York Style Oyster Knife
Lastly we have the New York oyster knife, which looks like an even longer Boston knife. The blade is very long and thin, perfect for opening large oysters from the side.
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