Fillet knife recommendations

Oh sure blame it all on me ...   

Sorry guys I have been MIA a bit lately. Took a new job recently in the plant and I no longer sit at computer all day so NWKA time has been greatly reduced, hence that's why I am writting this at 4:50am 
First off the brand of knife is only about 20% of the equation. To illustrate that I bought a 6" fillet knife on clearance at SportCo for $8.00 it filleted lings up to 32" but was a bit short for my liking.
The absolute most important part is that the knife is sharp and you can keep it sharp! The second most important part is that the blade as some flex but not too much. If you can bend the handle 90 degrees to the blade like on the infomercial that knife will suck. It is too flexible and you won't be able to control the tip.
At the plant we use Forsners. They are great knives and run about $35 retail. I think we use the 8" breakers but I'll double check today. Dexter's also work great and are usually less than $30. Kershaw's fillet knives are actually really good for the money.
I like both 6 and 8" knives though for anything larger than a rockfish 8 is really nice and 10" helps with skinning larger fillets.
KEEP YOUR KNIFE SHARP!!!!!
When using cheaper industrial knives know they are made of softer steel and need to be honed often to maintain their edge. Learn to use a honing steel.
I prefer a curved blade as well but the is largely just personal choice.
.... OK off to work today is 30k of sockeye to fillet and about 25k of halibut to head and cheek. If you have any questions ask and I'll be showing everyone some more fillet pointers at ORC see you all there.

If you have any questions ask and I'll be showing everyone some more fillet pointers at ORC see you all there.

You're assuming we're going to catch fish

I believe the brand is "Forschner".

I have two fillet knives, both cheap at Outdoor Emporium.  One is a 6" Gerber and I use it for heavy cutting.  It is curved, does not have much flex, but is good for the spine slice and the initial head cut.  The other is a CRKT Kommer's Big Eddy 9 or 10", hollow-ground and curved with a fair bit of flex.  I really like the CRKT.

I suck as filleter, but am getting better.  Others have said it as well, your equipment is only part of the equation.  As a filleting student the key lesson I've learned is - SHARP.  Really, really SHARP.  Have a steel and perhaps diamond at the table.  Regardless of the equipment, if it is dull you're gonna make a mess of it. 

Kershaw actually makes a great fillet knife at a modest price. Its usually hanging in a plastic package for around 20 dollars at fred meyers or sportsman's warehouse.

Ive had mine for a number of years now. Its done everything from salmon to moose! It holds an edge very well, and I am careful not to abuse it, that being said it doesn't need to be sharpened that often.

When not in field use, it gets used heavily in the kitchen too as its the sharpest knife we own! Wife knows not to put that one in the dishwasher!

When not in field use, it gets used heavily in the kitchen too as its the sharpest knife we own! Wife knows not to put that one in the dishwasher!

Marie consistantly uses my Knives of Alaska Coho fillet knife in the kitchen on fresh pineapple.  It's out of the specified price range that was asked for, but I still love it.

Then again, I have 2 berkley fillet knives ($9) and they work well enough.  With them being so cheap, I just use one of the tungsten carbide sharpeners to keep them sharp.  Sure, it's not good for the blade, but it's a $9 knife.

I use 2 cheap Rapala knives with 7 inch blades and they work well.  I found that keeping them sharp and having a good, flat place to work the two most important things when filleting fish. 

I believe the brand is "Forschner".

I have two fillet knives, both cheap at Outdoor Emporium.  One is a 6" Gerber and I use it for heavy cutting.  It is curved, does not have much flex, but is good for the spine slice and the initial head cut.  The other is a CRKT Kommer's Big Eddy 9 or 10", hollow-ground and curved with a fair bit of flex.  I really like the CRKT.

I suck as fileter, but am getting better.  Others have said it as well, your equipment is only part of the equation.  As a filleting student the key lesson I've learned is - SHARP.  Really, really SHARP.  Have a steel and perhaps diamond at the table.  Regardless of the equipment, if it is dull you're gonna make a mess of it. 

Ahh you are correct but I got you close enough to figure it out. Now for the kicker ..... we don't actually use "Forschner" but instead use "Victorinox" ... and just cause we are on a roll you misspelled filleter .... just saying. 

After a little web searching apparently Victorinox bought out Forschner so they are the same thing now.

Spend some time practicing sharpening you knife. You shouldn't need a stone with you in the field. If you do then you aren't honing your knife often enough.

If you don't like to sharpen knives then check out some of the serrated options. They don't do as clean of work but they stay sharp A LOT longer.

Seeing as how I'm looking for another fillet knife I'd like to resurrect this thread. My question is, how do you guys keep your knives sharp? I shave with a straight razor and have no issue keeping that at a scalpel's edge using a flat sharpening stone and a leather strop. But when it comes to my fillet knives I seem to have to resharpen them at least once if not twice when filleting a chinook. I'm using one of those cheap keychain sharpening tools with ceramic in one side and the carbon blades on the other.
Any recommendations on a good fillet knife sharpening tool?
Thanks!
Paul


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Carbide sharpener is your problem.  But really it's not a problem unless you're using it on an expensive knife.  $7-9 berkely fillet knife + $5 carbide sharpener will result in having to sharpen between fish, but it's simple, cheap, and effective.


For my more valuable knives I like this system:

http://www.cabelas.com/product/GATCO8482-Ultimate-Knife-Sharpening-System/732546.uts?WTz_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products


If I'm at home and sharpening a tool or multiple cheap knives, I use this (a gift from Linglady) 

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Hunting/Knives-Tools/Knife-Sharpeners%7C/pc/104791680/c/104740380/sc/104560380/Work-Sharp-Knife-and-Tool-Sharpener/1218828.uts?WTz_l=SBC%3BMMcat104791680%3Bcat104740380%3Bcat104560380

The key to keeping soft steel knives sharp is honing often with a metal or ceramic steel. The most critical aspect of using a steel properly is to keep the angle consistent on both sides of the knife. The easiest way to do that when you are first learning is to hold the steel vertically but upside down. Look down the length of the steel and draw your knife down the steel in slow light stokes. You don't need speed or pressure. It should only take a few strokes on each side. Most of the guys who hold the steel out in front of them and go really fast are just making noise and hoping to look cool.

Along with the knives, I also recieved a Forschner Sharpening Steel.  I'd never used one of these before and figured it'd end up stashed in a drawer somewhere.....  For grins, I tried it out on a "dead" el cheapo fillet knife.
*BOOM* old cheapo came back to life!
Tired old boneing knife?
*BOOM!* sharper than I'd ever imagined it could be
Kershaw 9"'er? BOOM!
8 Steak Knives?  BOOM, BOOM,  BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!
Chinese pocket knife?  Mexican switchblade? Scalloped bread knife? BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!

My kids have now started making fun of me for my OCD knife sharpening......

-Spot-

My kids have now started making fun of me for my OCD knife sharpening......

-Spot-

And I'm just guessing here but for also sounding a little like a Cajun chef with your use of, wait for it,...... BOOM

Thanks for the advice gents. I have a pretty nice sharpening steel that came with my rather expensive Henckel knife set. It works really well on those knives I wonder what it can do on my fillet knives...


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The key to keeping soft steel knives sharp is honing often with a metal or ceramic steel. The most critical aspect of using a steel properly is to keep the angle consistent on both sides of the knife. The easiest way to do that when you are first learning is to hold the steel vertically but upside down. Look down the length of the steel and draw your knife down the steel in slow light stokes. You don't need speed or pressure. It should only take a few strokes on each side. Most of the guys who hold the steel out in front of them and go really fast are just making noise and hoping to look cool.

Fungunnin, when you're drawing the knife against the sharpening steel, should I be drawing blade first in my stroke or blade away from the stroke? I know different types of blades require different motions for example my straight razors you want to lead with the blade when sharpening them on the flat stone but I don't know the proper technique on a sharpening steel.


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