fillet knife - The Firearms Forum

IShootBack · 05-02-2005, 07:10 PM

Here is an easy problem. I need a great fillet knife for fish.

I have discovered saltwater fishing and am now addicted. I went last weekend and caught about 60 fish - stripers, flounder, blue fish, and whiting - all legal size and quantity. My trusty and very old Uncle Henry bone handle knife required several trips to the stone & steel for sharpening - making the cleaning a long, long, tiresome task. In the past, I only had a half-dozen or so to clean.
Must have a flexible blade
at least 6" long
hold a razor edge for long periods of time
fairly easy to sharpen
I'd like to stay around $50 f possible - I may go to $80.

Thanks for you advice.

z537z · 05-03-2005, 01:05 AM

It's hard to find something that'll hold an edge and bend. Typically the sharpest stuff (e.g. M2 steel) is fairly brittle.

Worth checking out is the Cold Steel filet series (3 sizes), though it's not stainless so watch the coating on it. It's Carbon V, which is basically a decent carbon steel that'll hold an edge fairly well.

Buck's filet knife is 420 steel, which will not hold an edge very long, but is easy to sharpen for each catch.

Other companies offer stuff too, mostly more of the same. Henckel's filet knife gets good reviews. I've got a few of my own in the kitchen, they're nice, and sharpen easily when you do need to do it. Fileting should NOT dull up a knife very quick if you hand-wash it soon afterwards, and dry it so it doesn't corrode.

Outside of that, I say try the Cold Steel. I carry one as my EDC (not a filet knife, but same brand) and they turn out a good product.

_z

P.S. Salt water KILLS knives and other metals quick. Wash it right away and you should be fine. If you're doing this on a boat, keep some fresh water around to rinse it off in, then rub it down, rerinse and dry it.

bill k · 05-03-2005, 10:49 AM

I'm not sure how many fish you fillet at a sitting but I've used the rapalla 6" for years. I've gone through three limits of rock fish (45) many times with only a couple of touch ups on the blade. Make sure you have a little sharpning stone with you. I use one of my hook sharpeners. If you notice the blade sarting to grab just touch it up relly quick.
It also works great on bass, flounder and sturgon. Catfish on the other hand is a different story. There skin eats my fillet blade, so I cut through the skin with my hunting knife, then fillet with the other knife.

I rarely fish for catfish only bass and salmon but. Sunday I was out flipping sincos at brush piles and nailed an 8 pound catfish with a rubber bait.
Bill

stash247 · 05-06-2005, 03:35 AM

All the pros down here on the Texas gulf coast seem to agree on the subject of knives, though on little else.
Without exception, they use cheap electric carving knives! Last trip my crew made to Port O'Connor, we boated 41 reds, which were fileted, wrapped, and in the cooler in about 15 minutes.

offeror · 05-09-2005, 03:14 PM

I dislike cleaning fish but do it anyway because I like to fish and don't get to do it very often. Last time we cleaned in a garage to avoid some of the bugs...

It seems to me I recall seeing a Swedish Mora fillet knife in a catalog -- if it exists, I'd highly recommend a Swedish Mora Fillet Knife because I have Moras and they are superior knives for the measly $10 or so you'll pay -- sharp as a razor and strong too.

Maybe some day somebody will show me how to apply an electric carving knife to filleting fish... I can see cleaning one the old fashioned way with the bones in, but getting the skin off with a carving knife strikes me as a puzzle...

rnshooter · 01-07-2006, 04:48 AM

try Cutco...i'm sure you can find them on the web. i used to sell them when in college. they are the best in the world...they use them in the white house. anyway, they make a pretty good fillet knife and it comes with a few extra gadgets in the sheath. let me know what you think.

be safe

Shooter45 · 01-08-2006, 10:52 AM

As a former Charter Capt, I can tell you I've cleaned more fish than the average fisherman. The Rapalla 6" fillet knife is hard to beat and I've used almost all of them. I've also used electric knives but was never really impressed with them. It's easy to mess up a good fillet if you aren't careful.

With the Rapalla, I can remove the fillet and read a newspaper thru the bones. Takes a little practice but clean enough fish and you have practiced. JMHO

blackhawkkid308 · 01-31-2006, 03:20 PM

schrade has a nice filet knife for about $40.00

polishshooter · 02-05-2006, 10:37 AM

One of the few old Case knifes I still have is my 25 or 30 year old SS Case XX fillet knife that I won from a drunk ex-bro' in law who used to work at Case, after he didn't have the cash to pay up after his 3 ladies didn't beat my boat

Even though it's pretty obvious the designer was a HUNTER and not a fisherman (Who ELSE would put a "gut spoon" on the end of a FILLET knife...by definition, if you FILLET, you don't even SEE the guts usually...) it's a darn good knife, flexible, holds an edge well, and is easy to sharpen with stone or steel, and is just DANDY for boning and cutting up venison too.....(even though about halfway through a string of channel cats last year I AGAIN pondered grinding off that damn "spoon..."

)

corniceman · 02-10-2006, 04:20 PM

I'll agree with the cutco fillet knife. Best knife I ever used, and I fish more than I shower!

inplanotx · 02-10-2006, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by corniceman

I'll agree with the cutco fillet knife. Best knife I ever used, and I fish more than I shower!

Now that is something I never thought about! I believe I've filleted more fish than I've had showers, but I would hope the opposite were not true!

polishshooter · 02-12-2006, 08:11 PM

But do you save time and fillet fish In the shower?

Just wondering...

05-02-2005, 07:10 PM	#1
IShootBack Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Virginia Posts: 2,309	fillet knife Here is an easy problem. I need a great fillet knife for fish. I have discovered saltwater fishing and am now addicted. I went last weekend and caught about 60 fish - stripers, flounder, blue fish, and whiting - all legal size and quantity. My trusty and very old Uncle Henry bone handle knife required several trips to the stone & steel for sharpening - making the cleaning a long, long, tiresome task. In the past, I only had a half-dozen or so to clean. Must have a flexible blade at least 6" long hold a razor edge for long periods of time fairly easy to sharpen I'd like to stay around $50 f possible - I may go to $80. Thanks for you advice. __________________ "The Lord is a warrior, the Lord is his name." Exodus15:3 --> Last edited by IShootBack; 01-19-2013 at 06:40 AM..

05-03-2005, 01:05 AM	#2
z537z Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Maine, love it or get the heck out Posts: 598	Re: fillet knife It's hard to find something that'll hold an edge and bend. Typically the sharpest stuff (e.g. M2 steel) is fairly brittle. Worth checking out is the Cold Steel filet series (3 sizes), though it's not stainless so watch the coating on it. It's Carbon V, which is basically a decent carbon steel that'll hold an edge fairly well. Buck's filet knife is 420 steel, which will not hold an edge very long, but is easy to sharpen for each catch. Other companies offer stuff too, mostly more of the same. Henckel's filet knife gets good reviews. I've got a few of my own in the kitchen, they're nice, and sharpen easily when you do need to do it. Fileting should NOT dull up a knife very quick if you hand-wash it soon afterwards, and dry it so it doesn't corrode. Outside of that, I say try the Cold Steel. I carry one as my EDC (not a filet knife, but same brand) and they turn out a good product. _z P.S. Salt water KILLS knives and other metals quick. Wash it right away and you should be fine. If you're doing this on a boat, keep some fresh water around to rinse it off in, then rub it down, rerinse and dry it. __________________ "The distance between insanity and genius is measured only by success." my pics Last edited by z537z; 05-03-2005 at 01:07 AM..

05-03-2005, 10:49 AM	#3
bill k Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 47	Re: fillet knife I'm not sure how many fish you fillet at a sitting but I've used the rapalla 6" for years. I've gone through three limits of rock fish (45) many times with only a couple of touch ups on the blade. Make sure you have a little sharpning stone with you. I use one of my hook sharpeners. If you notice the blade sarting to grab just touch it up relly quick. It also works great on bass, flounder and sturgon. Catfish on the other hand is a different story. There skin eats my fillet blade, so I cut through the skin with my hunting knife, then fillet with the other knife. I rarely fish for catfish only bass and salmon but. Sunday I was out flipping sincos at brush piles and nailed an 8 pound catfish with a rubber bait. Bill __________________ 8th TFW The Wolf Pack

05-06-2005, 03:35 AM	#4
stash247 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Central Texas Posts: 2,815	Re: fillet knife All the pros down here on the Texas gulf coast seem to agree on the subject of knives, though on little else. Without exception, they use cheap electric carving knives! Last trip my crew made to Port O'Connor, we boated 41 reds, which were fileted, wrapped, and in the cooler in about 15 minutes. __________________ Don't start no s**t and there won't be none, Terry

05-09-2005, 03:14 PM	#5
offeror Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: NE Indiana Posts: 586	Re: fillet knife I dislike cleaning fish but do it anyway because I like to fish and don't get to do it very often. Last time we cleaned in a garage to avoid some of the bugs... It seems to me I recall seeing a Swedish Mora fillet knife in a catalog -- if it exists, I'd highly recommend a Swedish Mora Fillet Knife because I have Moras and they are superior knives for the measly $10 or so you'll pay -- sharp as a razor and strong too. Maybe some day somebody will show me how to apply an electric carving knife to filleting fish... I can see cleaning one the old fashioned way with the bones in, but getting the skin off with a carving knife strikes me as a puzzle... __________________ The Second Amendment does not exist to protect the gun rights you like. It exists to protect the gun rights you hate.

01-07-2006, 04:48 AM	#6
rnshooter V.I.P. Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: New Orleans Posts: 79	Re: fillet knife try Cutco...i'm sure you can find them on the web. i used to sell them when in college. they are the best in the world...they use them in the white house. anyway, they make a pretty good fillet knife and it comes with a few extra gadgets in the sheath. let me know what you think. be safe __________________ rnshooter

01-08-2006, 10:52 AM	#7
Shooter45 Administrator Join Date: Feb 2001 Contributor Posts: 8,790	Re: fillet knife As a former Charter Capt, I can tell you I've cleaned more fish than the average fisherman. The Rapalla 6" fillet knife is hard to beat and I've used almost all of them. I've also used electric knives but was never really impressed with them. It's easy to mess up a good fillet if you aren't careful. With the Rapalla, I can remove the fillet and read a newspaper thru the bones. Takes a little practice but clean enough fish and you have practiced. JMHO

01-31-2006, 03:20 PM	#8
blackhawkkid308 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: pensacola florida Posts: 871	Re: fillet knife schrade has a nice filet knife for about $40.00 __________________ 9-11-01 lest we forget AMEN

02-05-2006, 10:37 AM	#9
polishshooter Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Indiana Contributor Posts: 7,879	Re: fillet knife One of the few old Case knifes I still have is my 25 or 30 year old SS Case XX fillet knife that I won from a drunk ex-bro' in law who used to work at Case, after he didn't have the cash to pay up after his 3 ladies didn't beat my boat Even though it's pretty obvious the designer was a HUNTER and not a fisherman (Who ELSE would put a "gut spoon" on the end of a FILLET knife...by definition, if you FILLET, you don't even SEE the guts usually...) it's a darn good knife, flexible, holds an edge well, and is easy to sharpen with stone or steel, and is just DANDY for boning and cutting up venison too.....(even though about halfway through a string of channel cats last year I AGAIN pondered grinding off that damn "spoon..." ) __________________ The problems we face today are there because the people who work for a living are outnumbered by those who vote for a living. Last edited by polishshooter; 02-05-2006 at 10:42 AM..

02-10-2006, 04:20 PM	#10
corniceman Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 15	Re: fillet knife I'll agree with the cutco fillet knife. Best knife I ever used, and I fish more than I shower!

02-12-2006, 08:11 PM	#12
polishshooter Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Indiana Contributor Posts: 7,879	Re: fillet knife But do you save time and fillet fish In the shower? Just wondering... __________________ The problems we face today are there because the people who work for a living are outnumbered by those who vote for a living.