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Picture Of The Month



SD2OR with a trophy fall walleye

Topic: Gerber Controller Fillet Knife  (Read 6151 times)

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JasonM

  • Lingcod
  • *****
  • Location: Snohomish
  • Date Registered: Jun 2017
  • Posts: 282
Has anyone had one of these in hand and used it yet? I've been waiting and hoping for one since I saw the introductory video months ago. I happened to check today and see that they're supposedly finally available. A quick Bing/Google search shows that they were also shown at the various northwest outdoor shows That I didn't get to go to. I sure hope it's as good as I'm hoping it will be. Gerber has my money and should have one of the 8" versions headed my way within the next day or two.

https://www.gerbergear.com/Activity/FISH/Controller-8-_31-003340



Trident 13

  • Salmon
  • ******
  • Location: Kent
  • Date Registered: Jul 2016
  • Posts: 791
Nice picture!  Almost cut my finger looking at it. I’m still using the old Norwegian fillet knife my father had a lotta years ago. I would never trust myself with one as nice as this in my kayak for fear of a Davie Jones donation.


Matt M

  • Sturgeon
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  • Location: Tigard
  • Date Registered: Mar 2016
  • Posts: 1236
I felt/held one at the sportsman's show. It definitely did feel nice in hand, unfortunately they didn't give me any fish to fillet though.
-Matt

Old Town Sportsman 120 PDL


JasonM

  • Lingcod
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  • Location: Snohomish
  • Date Registered: Jun 2017
  • Posts: 282
Hopefully I'll be able to get out and get a fish that I can keep soon after I receive the knife. I was looking for a new fillet knife months ago, and saw that one from Berger was coming out soon. I'm a big fan of the Berger knives being great for the price (much better than cheaper knives, much cheaper than knives that are only slightly better), so I bought a cheap Wal-mart fillet knife to get me by until this one came out. I hope it will be good enough to wait this long for. Of course, I'll need to actually get out and fish before I'll know, though. :)


pmmpete

  • Sturgeon
  • *******
  • Location: Missoula, Montana
  • Date Registered: Jul 2013
  • Posts: 1989
I've got a drawer full of fillet knives which I've picked up over the years, but my favorite fillet knife is a Mustad knife which is available for $7.00 at Walmart.  https://www.walmart.com/ip/KVD-Mustad-7-Fillet-Knife-with-Sheath/23704235 .  I like the curvature of the blade, and it sharpens up nicely.


Casey

  • Salmon
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  • Location: Salem Oregon
  • Date Registered: Oct 2015
  • Posts: 516
I’ve used Dexter fillet knives for the last couple years or so and they work ok. I’ve been through a few other off brand fillet knives in the past too. My dad got me a Gerber fillet knife for Christmas , not the model pictured here. It’s a bad ass knife! That thing keeps a great edge for such a long time. I wish I would have gotten a gerber sooner! Filleting fish is sooo much easier with a quality knife... lol


JasonM

  • Lingcod
  • *****
  • Location: Snohomish
  • Date Registered: Jun 2017
  • Posts: 282
I had hoped to be able to give first impressions of the Gerber Controller fillet knife today, as I received the box that it was supposed to be in yesterday.  ???

Unfortunately, the only thing in the box was the cheap sharpener that I added to the order to get to the $50 free shipping level. The fillet knife didn't get included in the box, despite it being listed on the packing list and there being no apparent damage or retaping if someone had opened it before it got to me. I called Gerber and they're shipping another one out, which I should have by Wednesday....


Captain Redbeard

  • Lauren
  • Global Moderator
  • Sturgeon
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  • Location: Portland, OR
  • Date Registered: May 2013
  • Posts: 3290
I’ve used Dexter fillet knives for the last couple years or so and they work ok. I’ve been through a few other off brand fillet knives in the past too. My dad got me a Gerber fillet knife for Christmas , not the model pictured here. It’s a bad ass knife! That thing keeps a great edge for such a long time. I wish I would have gotten a gerber sooner! Filleting fish is sooo much easier with a quality knife... lol

I hesitate to say anything because of the blade snobs that I know are lurking (if it costs less than $100 it's garbage, etc.) but my 2 workhorse fillet knives are an old Cutco (small/flexible) and a newer Dexter (large/rigid). My wife does most of the filleting because I'm terrible at it but it's my job to keep the tools sharp. My BIL sharpens knives so I've got that in my pocket but honestly all I've done with these two is an occasional run through a cheap sharpener and frequent honing before a fillet session. I realize they're not the best knives on the planet but if you keep them sharp they work well. Honestly the Dexter has done better than I expected for what I paid and the no-slip bacteria-un-friendly handle is great.

I have had mixed results with Gerber products, ranging from "definitely a waste of money" to "wow this is pretty great". My perception, however, is that they're always improving things, which is why I continue to try their stuff. Sounds like the fillet knives are a good find.


INSAYN

  • ORC_Safety
  • Sturgeon
  • *
  • **RIP...Ron, Ro, AMB, Stephen**
  • Location: Forest Grove, OR
  • Date Registered: Aug 2008
  • Posts: 5411
I never really had a "good" filet knife for many years. The blades were crap and never held an edge past two fish. I think the best I had was a Stren/Remington filet knife (still have).

Then Fungunnin came along and I was able to score a pair of retired Victorinox knives from him. They came sharpened and held an edge for several years and through a ton of rockfish and lings.  Once I got a Wicked Edge sharpening system "holy crap" it made them crazy sharp, and have held the same crazy edge for two seasons now. Not even going touch them up this season.

Dexter Russell knives are a really good solid knife that hold their edge well, and I had plans to get one or two prior to the Victorinox knives.
 

"If I was ever stranded on a beach with only hand lotion...You're the guy I'd want with me!"   Polyangler, 2/27/15


onefish

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  • Location: Bend & Pacific City
  • Date Registered: Oct 2011
  • Posts: 378
+1 on that Victorinox knife that Fungunnin recommended.  I’ve never had a knife hold an edge like that for so long.  I think mine was about $27 through Amazon.  8” curved breaking knife
“Out of the water I am nothing” Duke Kahanamoku


Tinker

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  • Date Registered: May 2013
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Fungunnin got me, too.  I still have filet knives that I like a lot, but that curved Victorinox made them feel like butter knives.  I think that at $27 or so, it's the most expensive filleting knife I've ever owned, and it's worth every penny.
I expected the worst, but it was worse than I expected...


JasonM

  • Lingcod
  • *****
  • Location: Snohomish
  • Date Registered: Jun 2017
  • Posts: 282
Just an update on this knife since I've had the opportunity to use it a few times now. It is holding an edge very well, and the handle design is by far the best that I've ever used for control (as you'd expect from the name) even with wet/bloody hands. The cleaning station at the Slayride event was sloped a lot more than I'm accustomed to and the fish were bigger than I usually get, so I wasn't able to keep my right hand as my "dry hand" like I try to do. Even when wet and bloody/slimy, the Controller fillet knife was very easy to grip and control. Now I just need to catch a lot more bigger fish so I get better at using the knife.  ;D


Spot

  • Administrator
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  • Location: Hillsboro
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+1 on the Victorinox!  Bill gave me one at an ORC and it performed beautifully, for years, before it needed a touch-up.

-Mark-
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.  --Mark Twain

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bb2fish

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  • Location: Oregon
  • Date Registered: Feb 2013
  • Posts: 1499
Sure wish I could put a decent edge on a knife.  I had the "Wicked Edge" guys sharpen my dexter at the Sportsman Show and it was a completely different knife with a sharp edge on it.
I just picked up a Victorinox recently - supposedly out of the package they are sharp, and I "needed" one for filleting kokanee. Merry Thanksgiving to ME.  I'm going to continue to practice on the knife sharpening and honing since I think that skill is nearly as important as cutting the fish.  Sure is fun to practice.


craig

  • Sturgeon
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  • Location: Tualatin, OR
  • Date Registered: Jul 2008
  • Posts: 3814
Get a Worksharp.  They will put an amazing edge on even the cheapest blade.  I put such a fine edge on a cheap $5 berkley bait knife that when I was cutting the zip ties off my crab pot it unexpectedly met such little resistance in the zip ties that it quickly cut through the ties and the flesh ion my finger - right to the bone. It was amazing!  I stand by the results of their product...on the beach applying pressure to the finger while elevating it over my head for 45 minutes.