A type of cutting utensil that is used to remove the main bone within a cut of meat, such as a ham or a beef roast. A boning knife will typically have a long narrow blade for ease of manipulation around bones. The blade is rigid and proportioned to the size of the bones being removed. Bigger cuts of meat require a larger more rigid blade that will not be too flexible and cause injury if it bends too easily, while smaller meat cuts can be trimmed and boned using a smaller less rigid blade.