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Best filet knife?
Posted: March 17th, 2013, 8:31 pm
by GaryDroze
There must be something better than the halfway decent Rapalas and such that fail me after a few months, even with constant sharpening. I impatiently await your informed advice. I'm frustrated enough to pay a bunch, if the knife is really worth it.
Re: Best filet knife?
Posted: March 17th, 2013, 8:46 pm
by bman
Dexter Russell fillet knives with the white handles.
I have an 8" serrated for the tough bony fish- grouper and reds
and an 8" smooth fillet to take the skin off.
about $25 each.
Re: Best filet knife?
Posted: March 17th, 2013, 8:48 pm
by Salty Gator
Funny you posted this, I just watched the bubba blade video. Looks pretty slick. I use the white handle Dexter Russell knives. A large serrated one for thick skin, bones, and cutting off heads. And 7" curved fillet knife for going around bones and skin. I think the bubba is about $60 and DR's are $20-30.
Re: Best filet knife?
Posted: March 17th, 2013, 8:51 pm
by Gulf Coast
Dexter Russell....I get mine at AMS
Re: Best filet knife?
Posted: March 17th, 2013, 10:34 pm
by CaptReelThyme
As someone who gets paid to use knives for a living as well as clean thousands of pounds of fish & game. I have quite the selection of knives. My two consistent go to's are the Mundial 8" stiff and the 6" curved. To me the dexter russels don't hold up as well nor keep an edge, the handle feels weird in my hand. I have high end filet knives that I have gotten though the years, but use daily, I suggest the Mundial line. They are both under $20 a piece each. The good folks at Big Bend Restaurant Supply carry them and are probably the best price in Tallahassee. Ask for Mary or Theresa and tell them Chef Brian sent you. I am not vested in them, just like to support the local little guys...
Re: Best filet knife?
Posted: March 17th, 2013, 10:35 pm
by bman
That Bubba blade looks sweet...

- bubba.jpg (24.98 KiB) Viewed 3377 times
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00987 ... gbenfis-20
I still lke the Dexter for the price
The 8 inch fillet

- fillet.jpg (22.92 KiB) Viewed 3377 times
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001ST3X06/ref ... DD5MJY7Z4F
and the 8" TIGER EDGE(SERATED) SLICER

- serated.jpg (7.79 KiB) Viewed 3377 times
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0032T ... gbenfis-20
Re: Best filet knife?
Posted: March 18th, 2013, 8:41 am
by HewesMan
I really like the Victorinox filet knives. They are very easy to sharpen and hold a very good edge. I have had mine for around 8+ years if not a lot longer.
Re: Best filet knife?
Posted: March 18th, 2013, 9:26 am
by charlie tuna
For a couple of years i ran a seafood market that supplied all kinds of seafood to restarants and hotels. I had two full time professional fish cutters working for me that we had to hire to keep up with the demand. Our store always bought the best knives on the market and maily stainless steel. The professional fish cutters used carbon steel knives, which i had trouble finding in Florida! I had to order them from The City Fish Market in New York. They were cheap at the time, under $100. for a box of twelve. The idea of carbon steel was that it "wasn't" hard, and was easily sharpened by a few strokes on a stone or steel! Of course, being soft steel, these knives didn't last long. Each fish cutter would go thru a knife in two weeks or less. Their story was, a properly sharpened knife, regardless of it's material will be dulled by hitting bones and cutting boards. So the easier it could be returned to proper sharpness, the sooner they were back cutting fish..
For as much fish as i bring home i use stainless steel.............................
Re: Best filet knife?
Posted: March 18th, 2013, 12:19 pm
by Rhettley
I grew up using the Rapala knives and they are actually decent knives considering. When I started getting to go offshore more often me and my friends quickly switched to the Dexter Russell white handled knives. I keep the large serrated blade, the basic fillet blade, and a 6 inch boner (no snickers, that's actually the name of the blade...) with the curved or swept back style blade. That last one sees as much use in the kitchen or on deer as on fish. I'm not very good with the sharpening stone so I keep one of those little yellow handheld sharpeners you pull the blade through with the carbide cutters on one side and the ceramic V on the other side for a quick touch up.
Re: Best filet knife?
Posted: March 18th, 2013, 8:29 pm
by MarkM
I keep a Dexter Russel serrate and a 10" Dexter straight blade in my truck for cleaning fish at the dock. I have a rod holder cutting board on my boat to cut up bait. I used to keep Dexter Russells in the slot on the board. I lost 2 or 3 and said no more. I bought a 2 pack of Winchester or something filet knives to keep on the board. About twelve dollars for the two. Haven't lost one yet.
Re: Best filet knife?
Posted: March 19th, 2013, 3:33 pm
by Seachaser
I have about 5 Dexters, a couple of Rapalas, a Gerber, and a couple of others. With that said, If I have a bunch of fish, I plug in an electric.
Re: Best filet knife?
Posted: March 19th, 2013, 8:30 pm
by Hit-n-Miss

I love my folding Opinel 15cm blade

Had it for 15 years.
Re: Best filet knife?
Posted: March 19th, 2013, 9:12 pm
by tallykenj
What's the best electric knife?
Re: Best filet knife?
Posted: March 20th, 2013, 6:20 pm
by Rangerpat
The best fillet knife I own is the Fisherman's Solution by CUTCO, comes with an extendable blade 6"-9", the sheath has a built in fish gripper, notched line cutter, sharpening stone and are guaranteed forever; price $85. I have also used it to skin deer and hogs, it holds an excellent edge and is easy to sharpen, you can also buy replacement blades for it. I am NOT a salesman for CUTCO but have been using them for many years; you get what you pay for.
I don't catch (or keep) enough fish to need an electric knife.
