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fillet knife recommendations

8K views 25 replies 20 participants last post by  malaika 
#1 ·
Looking for a new fillet knife.

Any recommendations? ?


Been using basic Normark or rapala. On the cheap side

Looking for a quality one this season

Thanks float

This post edited by floatstone 11:01 AM 03/16/2011
 
#2 ·
I don't own one, but I've seen the Cutco adjustable blade fillet knife in use by a good friend that can REALLY fillet, and trust me on this, while very, VERY over-priced, its a real honey.

I own all the Dexters, wooden handles, Sani-Safes and the newest two-tone rubber-handled models, and what I've gone to this past season is a "Cutco-like" Kershaw adjustable blade filleter, as nice as it comes in the "popular" price arena. What a sweet knife, that holds its edge like nobody's bidness.

I know it won't be the popular choice on this site, but it is a super knife . . . I highly recommend it!

I also like the cheap as dirt Profishco filleter in the 6" blade - also a very nice alternative to the ubiquitous Dexters. Around the same money too. . .

This post edited by Leprechaun 11:11 AM 03/16/2011
 

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#7 ·
I respectfully disagree. Sort of. The Cutco is a BMW, the Kershaw is a nicely-optioned Maxima and yes, the Dexters are Accords.

I didn't say there was anything wrong with the Dexters, just that after nearly 40 seasons of using Dexter products (I STILL have my 8 and 9" wooden-handled filleters that I used as a part-time mate while I was in college), I find the two knives that I mentioned above to not only do a fine job of cutting fish, but the handles are MUCH more comfortable than ANY Dexter, Sani-Safes included.


Of course, that last point about handle comfort is becoming increasing moot as we transition from being "graciously" allowed to take home a fish or two, to pure catch and release, ala FW bass fishing.
:rolleyes:
 
#8 ·
I also need a good fillet knife, but I really don't know the first thing about them. I checked out some of the suggestions above and I see there quite a few different sizes and I'm not sure what to get. Most of the fish I fillet are sea bass, "NJ keeper" sized fluke and occasionally a striper. Can anyone recommend what sizes are best. I don't mind paying for a good quality knife this year and adding others later.
 
#14 ·
pretty much what everyone else is saying, but I'll add what I like in the Dexter. Wood handle carbon steels.

1377 - 7 inch bass knife. Use it for flounder, cod, blackfish, weakfish and ling as well.
1376N - Narrow 6 inch knife I like to use for Porgy and Seabass. Narrow, shorter blade makes cutting scup quicker, in my opinion.
2333-9 - 9 inch version of the 8 inch fluke knife Tommy mentioned. With fluke over 21 inches, the 9 inch makes it a little easier to do a fluke in 3 cuts. Used to use my 7 inch for this, but the bigger fish require more cuts with it, not as pretty a fillet.

The white handle (stainless) dexters are fine, esp. if you want a knife to keep on the boat with you and not rust too much. They don't get as sharp as quickly as a carbon steel wood handle though, and not what I like using if you gotta cut lots-o-fish. Good for skinning though.

Best knife I ever used was from a Korean friend of mine in Rhode Island. It's a Japanese made fillet knife you can buy at good kitchen stores like Williams and Sonoma. But, it was like 80 bucks. A bit denser and stiffer then we tend to use here, but dang, it was sharp and easy to sharpen to a razor edge. Forgot the name, but too rich for my blood. Japanese do know a thing or two about filleting fish though!
 
#17 ·
i own a cutco, fisherman with extendable blade a bit pricy but worth it weight in gold IMO. Keeps great edge makes filleting fast and easy, i havent met an inshore fish it couldnt cut yet. And it s warrantied for life I broke a blade once messing around seeing how flexible it actually was. Blade snapped came back an stuck me in the joint of my pointer finger8:rolleyes: one of the stupider things i've done) knife was so sharpI dint feel a thing at first wouldn't even have known it was hanging out of my finger had I not seen it. Any way I sent the broken blade back to cutco and they sent me a brand new knife within two weeks no questions asked.
 
#19 ·
floatstone wrote:
Thanks for the continuing great info

I agree with Capt Neil. It was amazing to see the mate on the CQ fillet the cod on the charter. Its a skill that I am working on
Was that me on your trip? I use a 1377 for cutting cod, 1378 for skinning. If I had to work a year with only one knife, it would be the 1378.

Paul
 
#22 ·
CaptPaul wrote:
floatstone wrote:
Thanks for the continuing great info

I agree with Capt Neil. It was amazing to see the mate on the CQ fillet the cod on the charter. Its a skill that I am working on
Was that me on your trip? I use a 1377 for cutting cod, 1378 for skinning. If I had to work a year with only one knife, it would be the 1378.

Paul


Thanks for the info

I was on Cany's cod trip. I can't recall who did the filleting. If I recall Capt. You were in the wheel house. Either way it was interesting seeing a pro filleting fish
 
#23 ·
Just like many said carbon holds a much better edge than stainless, just needs a little TLC (don't we all?). Look up A.G. Russell, they have a huge selection of every kind of knife. Ragweed Forge has knives like Helle from Norway, Finland and other scandinavic countries. Many are somewhat inexpensive and quite cool looking to boot.
 
#24 ·
fishstank wrote:
i own a cutco, fisherman with extendable blade a bit pricy but worth it weight in gold IMO. Keeps great edge makes filleting fast and easy, i havent met an inshore fish it couldnt cut yet. And it s warrantied for life I broke a blade once messing around seeing how flexible it actually was. Blade snapped came back an stuck me in the joint of my pointer finger8:rolleyes: one of the stupider things i've done) knife was so sharpI dint feel a thing at first wouldn't even have known it was hanging out of my finger had I not seen it. Any way I sent the broken blade back to cutco and they sent me a brand new knife within two weeks no questions asked.

I saw the same thing happen to a friend once.
Don't remember what kind of knife it was,but
when that thing snapped and stuck into his thumb
i almost past out......crazy s**t.
 
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