Wüsthof Poultry Shears: Everything You Need to Know

Wüsthof makes kitchen shears and poultry shears at the same level of quality as their knife range, using German stainless steel with the same build standards. If you're looking for a reliable pair of poultry shears from a trusted brand, here's what the Wüsthof options actually offer and how to choose the right pair.

Why Poultry Shears Are Different From Regular Kitchen Shears

Poultry shears have to do more than regular kitchen scissors. Breaking down a whole chicken involves cutting through cartilage, small bones (like the ribs and the backbone), and skin. Regular kitchen shears lack the jaw strength and blade geometry to do this reliably.

Dedicated poultry shears are: - Built with stronger springs and higher-leverage pivot points - Made from heavier-gauge steel that handles bone contact without flexing - Often designed to disassemble completely for thorough cleaning, since they'll be in contact with raw poultry

Wüsthof's poultry shears check all these boxes.

Wüsthof Kitchen Shears and Poultry Shears: The Options

Wüsthof's shear lineup includes several models with different designs for different uses.

Wüsthof Come-Apart Kitchen Shears (Take-Apart)

The most recommended general-purpose option. These separate into two pieces for thorough cleaning, which is the standard recommendation for any shears used on raw poultry. The pivot point pulls apart with a simple motion, and both halves can be washed separately.

Steel: Wüsthof's standard German stainless. Blade edges: Micro-serrated on one blade for grip on slippery materials. Spring action: A spring between the handles keeps them open for easier one-handed use. Bone notch: A small notch near the pivot for cracking small bones and lobster shells.

These are excellent for poultry work, herb cutting, pizza portioning, and general kitchen tasks.

Wüsthof Super Shears

A heavier-duty version designed specifically for poultry and harder cutting tasks. The blades are stouter and the leverage is increased compared to the standard kitchen shears. The Super Shears are the choice if your primary use is spatchcocking chickens or breaking down whole birds regularly.

Also come apart for cleaning.

Wüsthof Spring Action Shears

The spring action keeps the blades open between cuts, which reduces hand fatigue during repetitive cutting. Better for herb work, pizza, and general tasks than specifically for poultry.

How Wüsthof Shears Compare to Competitors

Wüsthof vs. Zwilling Kitchen Shears

Zwilling includes shears in many of their knife block sets, and their standalone Twin L shears are a direct competitor. Both use German stainless steel, both come apart for cleaning, and both have the bone notch.

The practical difference is minimal. Both brands' shears cut poultry reliably and last for years. If you have a Wüsthof knife set, buying matching Wüsthof shears makes sense. Same for Zwilling.

Wüsthof vs. OXO Kitchen Scissors

OXO makes kitchen scissors that are more ergonomic-focused, with soft-grip handles and a lever-based opening mechanism that reduces hand strain. For users with grip strength issues, OXO shears are more comfortable. For raw cutting power on poultry, Wüsthof's heavier steel edges it out.

Wüsthof vs. Kai/Shun Shears

Shun makes kitchen shears in their same Japanese steel tradition. The Shun shears are excellent but more expensive. For Japanese-knife households, Shun shears make sense. For German-knife households, there's no compelling reason to mix.

For broader kitchen tool comparisons, the Best Kitchen Knives guide includes shears in the context of full set recommendations.

How to Use Poultry Shears Effectively

Spatchcocking (butterflying) a chicken: Place the bird breast-side down. Use the shears to cut along both sides of the backbone and remove it entirely. Flip the bird and flatten it. The Wüsthof shears handle this in under 2 minutes on a fresh chicken.

Breaking down a whole chicken into parts: After removing the backbone, shears cut cleanly through the cartilage between breast and thigh, through rib sections, and through the joint between thigh and drumstick. For the larger thigh-drumstick joint, you may need a knife for a clean cut through bone.

Trimming excess fat and skin: Shears are actually more precise than a knife for removing overhanging skin or fat deposits that you'd otherwise need a paring knife and board to handle.

Cutting through small bones: The bone notch near the pivot handles small chicken ribs and wing joints. For anything larger (ham bone, beef shank), use a cleaver, not kitchen shears.

Maintenance

Disassemble after every poultry use: Raw poultry juices work into the pivot area and dry. Disassemble, wash both halves thoroughly with hot soapy water, and dry before reassembling.

Dry before storage: Leaving wet shears assembled traps moisture in the pivot, which accelerates corrosion even on stainless steel.

Oil the pivot: Occasionally add a drop of food-safe mineral oil to the pivot after cleaning. This keeps the action smooth and prevents oxidation at the contact point.

Sharpen when needed: Wüsthof shears are not as easy to sharpen as flat knife blades, but the micro-serrated lower blade maintains cutting ability for years. When the upper smooth blade dulls, a flat sharpening stone run along the flat inner face (the face that opens toward you when the shears are open) restores the edge without affecting the angle.

Hand wash only: Even dishwasher-safe shears benefit from hand washing. The pivot and spring components degrade faster with dishwasher heat and detergent.

FAQ

Are Wüsthof kitchen shears worth the price? At $30-60 for a quality pair, yes. Wüsthof shears last decades and handle poultry work that budget shears struggle with. The come-apart design is the must-have feature for poultry use.

Can Wüsthof shears cut through bone? Small bones (chicken ribs, wing joints) yes. Large bones (turkey drumstick joint, beef bones) no. For large bones, use a cleaver or have a butcher prepare the cut.

What's the difference between the standard Come-Apart shears and the Super Shears? The Super Shears have stouter blades and more leverage for heavier cutting tasks. For regular poultry work, the standard Come-Apart shears are sufficient. The Super Shears are for cooks who break down large birds frequently or cut through thicker materials.

How do you sharpen Wüsthof shears? The smooth upper blade can be sharpened by running a fine whetstone or diamond rod along the flat inner face. The micro-serrated lower blade doesn't need sharpening. When both blades are dull, professional sharpening services handle them.

Bottom Line

Wüsthof poultry shears deliver the same German quality as their knife range applied to a tool that home cooks undervalue. A good pair of kitchen shears makes spatchcocking, chicken breakdown, herb cutting, and pizza portioning faster and cleaner. The Come-Apart design is the non-negotiable feature for sanitary use with raw poultry. Buy once, maintain properly, and they'll outlast most other tools in your kitchen. See Top Kitchen Knives for full recommendations on building out your knife collection.