Fillet Knives - Whats the best? Who has customs?

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wave1911

Joined
Nov 13, 2013
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I haven't seen alot around here in terms of fillet knives. Who sells higher end or some nice custom fillet knives? Looking for knives to use for all types of fish from small bass to large tuna and shark. Some of the better ones I've used are the Forschner knives but there has to be something better.
 
I just helped my boss order a fillet from the guys at Red Rock Tools. The maker has posted a few times in the Knifemakers' subforum, that's where I found him. A google search for "Red Rock Tools" will land you on his website. I have a CPM S35VN fillet w/ walnut handle coming in about a week!
 
Phil Wilson makes the best fillet knives on the planet. I have two of them and consider both irreplaceable. You can find him at Seamount Knifeworks.
 
wave1911 said:
I haven't seen alot around here in terms of fillet knives. Who sells higher end or some nice custom fillet knives? Looking for knives to use for all types of fish from small bass to large tuna and shark. Some of the better ones I've used are the Forschner knives but there has to be something better.
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The professional filet knife, approved for restaurant use because of the germ resistant style, is the Victorinox Filet knife. It was very highly rated by Cooks Illustrated, a professional cooks web site. One of these knives in a busy restaurant probably filets more fish in a week than the average fisherman filets in a lifetime. They are great knives, thin and flexible with grippy handly.

http://www.swissknifeshop.com/shop/...rinox-forschner-7-flexible-blade-fillet-knife
 
Buck 17BU7534 Clearwater 6" Fillet Sandvik Knife with Fixed Blade
A17-BU7534.image
 
GatorFlash1 said:
The professional filet knife, approved for restaurant use because of the germ resistant style, is the Victorinox Filet knife. It was very highly rated by Cooks Illustrated, a professional cooks web site. One of these knives in a busy restaurant probably filets more fish in a week than the average fisherman filets in a lifetime. They are great knives, thin and flexible with grippy handly.

http://www.swissknifeshop.com/shop/...rinox-forschner-7-flexible-blade-fillet-knife
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14 years of professional meat cutting in a full slaughter facility using industrial grade victorinox and they are great knives. Still have my old work knives in the drawer and get use 17 years later.

I have never handled the knife he is suggesting but it looks good to me

Used to sell cutco knives when young and the extendable fillet knife they have is actually a really good knife although much pricier.

My best friend who used to work in a salmon processing plant uses it all the time when we are out and likes it too. I like the fact that it can extend out of the handle from the 6in to 9 and the blade can pull right out for cleaning.

We probably rip 30 to 60 salmon each a year with it.

Kabar(who makes cutco) has a new affordable fillet knife that looks good too.
 
Brad "the butcher";13268710 said:
14 years of professional meat cutting in a full slaughter facility using industrial grade victorinox and they are great knives. Still have my old work knives in the drawer and get use 17 years later.

I have never handled the knife he is suggesting but it looks good to me

Used to sell cutco knives when young and the extendable fillet knife they have is actually a really good knife although much pricier.

My best friend who used to work in a salmon processing plant uses it all the time when we are out and likes it too. I like the fact that it can extend out of the handle from the 6in to 9 and the blade can pull right out for cleaning.

We probably rip 30 to 60 salmon each a year with it.

Kabar(who makes cutco) has a new affordable fillet knife that looks good too.
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I have one of those and I recommend it too. They're great knives. The sheath is a little gimmicky but the knife is solid. I believe cutco will sharpen for free for the stone challenged among us. I just got an Edge Pro and reprofiled mine so I should be good to go for the season.

http://www.cutco.com/products/product.jsp?itemGroup=5721#.UxXDxvldVu0
 
I got the Schrade 167UH Uncle Henry Walleye Fillet Knife with leather sheath knowing it was made by Taylor Brands LLC (a US company )manufacturing this knife in China. I presumed the overall quality wouldn't match the same knife made in the USA before Schrade went out of business.

When the Schrade 167UH fillet knife came, I opened the box and was I surprised! The fit, feel & finish were impeccable and the knife came sharp right out of the box. All I had to do was to touch it up to meet my personal speciation for sharpness. The blade heel, front bolster, right and left handle sides (skins) and rivets were finished where I couldn't find a single fault with the way they were fabricated, assembled, and finished. This knife looked as good as any production fillet knife I've seen or owned before. I couldn't give this knife a 5-star rating because I haven't used it for a complete fishing season. I'll update this rating (increase or decrease) after a complete year of use. Taylor Brands LLC priced the new Schrade knife at a very reasonable price and I hope they maintain and additionally improve the quality of their Schrade line of knives. Since now being manufactured in China, they have an uphill battle with the stigma of the Schrade line of knives across the board. So far I’ve been delightfully surprised at their quality. The all leather sheath seems well made and properly fits the knife.

I would recommend the Schrade 167UH Uncle Henry Walleye Fillet knife to anyone interested in a low-cost production fillet knife and I hope Taylor Brands LLC maintains the fine quality of this knife.

1395340680_7067442_20140310_200625.jpg
 
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My favorite factory fillet knife is a Spyderco/Masahiro MBS-26 although I use several Vic's and a MAC as well. My favorite fillet knife period is a Big Chris custom S90V which is the bottom knife (obviously) in the pic.

BigChrisgroup_zps3e22c881.jpg
 
Im a new guy so dont hurt me. If you go ask on a fishing forum, which there is a lot of threads about filet knives, a lot of people will recommend a $10 Dexter Russel. A lot of other ppl like the made in Finland Rapala knives made by Martini. I think Martini actually makes some pretty higher end knives that do look nice. Some do like the bubba blades, but it seems its ppl love the Bubba blades or hate them. Ive been thinking about getting a Wusthof brand to go with the rest of my kitchen knives. The Buck Clearwater really does catch my eye too since its USA made and looks like it has some nice features.
 
Do you want a thin fillet knife or a boning knife with a stiff blade for cleaning fish and cutting the heads off? Fallkniven makes a couple of good boning knives, that are 2.5 mm thick, the F2 and F4 in VG 10. They may not be customs, but you won't wait a year for them, or spend ~$400 either. The F2 blade is about 4 1/2" long, and the F4 is 6" long.
 
mars5l said:
Im a new guy so dont hurt me. If you go ask on a fishing forum, which there is a lot of threads about filet knives, a lot of people will recommend a $10 Dexter Russel. A lot of other ppl like the made in Finland Rapala knives made by Martini. I think Martini actually makes some pretty higher end knives that do look nice. Some do like the bubba blades, but it seems its ppl love the Bubba blades or hate them. Ive been thinking about getting a Wusthof brand to go with the rest of my kitchen knives. The Buck Clearwater really does catch my eye too since its USA made and looks like it has some nice features.
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I think people are better off with one of the commercial grade fillet knives or going custom. :)

Well yeah on the fishing forums most will recommend the cheapest and that's not surprising.
 
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