Commercial Fishing knives

[Pete1977]

Does anyone or has anyone on the forums done any commercial fishing? If so, what kind of knifes did you use.

Where I am (Gloucester/Rockport) the knife that sees the most widespread use on the boats is the Dexter Russell 1375 high carbon 5 inch boning knife, or as we call them, rippers. These boning knives come in 5, 6, 7, and 8 inch lengths, and have plain wood handles and somewhat stiff high carbon steel blades that take a razor edge easily, and hold it for a reasonable amount of time. They sell for for between 10 and 15 dollars each depending on the size. Sheaths are available for them but they are kind of crappy.


Another knife seen often on the fishing vessels around here are victorinox paring style knives with red or black handles, and scalloped serrations on the blades. They sell for around 5 to 10 dollars, and there are sheaths available for these as well, including a new kydex style sheath designed to be worn inverted on the strap of the oilskin pants.

Depending on the style of fishing the knives used will differ. Party boats and charter boats usually use the knives for cutting bait and filetting fish. Pocket knives are prevalent among the crews of these vessels, but usually are swiss army style, or buck knives, and are used about as often as pliers for cutting line etc.

Personally, on the boat I work on, I carry a Buck 110 for most of the cutting chores that arise, and although I carry it in a belt sheath, when I am on the boat, it is kept in the lobster tray, or on top of the tank. Opening it with gloves on is fairly easy.

Inside my oilskins, I carry a spyderco endura, and if the bait needs cutting before putting into the bag, I keep a Dexter 1378 High carbon boning knife, in one of the trays.

anyone else have experience in this racket and wants to share, please do.

peter

 

[jackknife]

I grew up on the Chesapeake Bay here in Maryland, and there is still alot of watermen in my family. I worked summers on my uncles crab boat all through high school.

You don't see many expencive knives down there. Russell-Dexter used to be very popular, but they have been loosing out to Forschner over the last ten years or so. Forschner boning knives, and the paring knives like you mentioned are very popular as bait and line knives. Cheap in price, effective on the job is what matters. Some of the oldtimers like my granddad swore by Old Hickory butcher knives. He always kept some in a white plastic bucket on deck for the hands.

As far as pocket knives go, small stainless steel is in. Some sak's, some small Buck plastic handle types. If it costs more than 10-15 dollars it's considered a luxury item. With crabbing in the summer and oystering in the winter, its a hard living, and there is not alot of extra money around.

 

[Pete1977]

Knives being a hobby of mine, I am willing to spend the money, but you are right. Fishing is a job where there either is or isn't money, and the lower priced knives are the ones you see on the work boats.

 

[silenthunterstudios]

Just pleasure boating and fishing on the Chesapeake, but my Mora has kept a razor edge. The handle is rotting away sitting in my tacklebox, but other than that it is pretty good. The Buck Diamondback looks like it would be good for on the boat, small size, cheap etc. I have two Rapalas, only used them for cutting bait, but they worked well. Last but not least, Spyderco is developing a fixed blade Salt H1.