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Random Quote: My biggest worry is that when I'm dead, my wife will sell my fishing gear for what I said I paid for it.
My son, who is a professional in the restaurant business, got me a Wusthof for my birthday. It has been a great knife; easy to keep sharp. I use an electric American Angler Metal Transmission with the cool "shark" blades for most fillet work, and the Wusthof to clean things up. I used Gerber fillet knives for years, but the good line was discontinued yearsw ago, and I can't find a replacement.
It sounds like you are cleaning some large fish. I like to use a couple of knives. The best all around knife I use first is the Dexter Russell scalloped knive with a pointed tip (about $24). This knife really gets through some tough stuff quickly and easilly and then I use a more delicate high grade steel filet knife to remove skin and dress the filets., (my family is fish spoiled / no blood line on our table)
Get an empty canvas bag like the ones that you use for storing wood chisels
Buy yourself a half dozen Dexter fillet knives, 3 long and three medium
Get a good sharpener like the one from Cabellas and keep your set of 6 knives extra sharp
When you go to the fish cleaning station after a great day of fishing offshore, you will have only sharp knives and no need to sharpen any during the fish cleaning
PS The lazy chap who went fishing with you and says he can not help because he does not have a knife . . . well that excuse no longer works
PS The wife loves having sharp knives and it is so easy with the electric sharpener
I've have a Browning that I've used for 13 years. It gets small rust spots, but I just rub them off with steel wool to begin the season. I use one of the Accusharp handheld sharpeners before every use and it keeps it SHARP. A lot of other good suggestions above though. I think they basically all work about the same as long as you keep them sharp (sharpen often...easier to keep something sharp vs. sharpening a dull knife).
I've used this knife for 10 or 12 years. Best I've found.
While this knife is excellent for filleting the blade is very delicate. It chips super easily, even on fish bones, and is not very difficult to break. Customer service is stellar as I have been given a new knife every time I send a destroyed blade in.
Like someone said get several moderate priced knives. Don't rely on one knife staying sharp. Also a Dexter serrated is great for cutting through ribs, then use a fillet knife to finish up. Also carry a steel and run it over your knife a few times between fish. Bigger knives offer more control for me.
Also strop your knives after sharpening to get rid of the curl. An old leather belt is fine for that. Use a piece of pool noodle glued in a piece of PVC pipe for a carrier. Do not put them in wet. I use a bench grinder that has a sanding belt on one side, 100 grit to sharpen my knives. Go very lightly. Then strop, hone, strop. About 2 minutes for a dull knife to shave. A sanding flapper wheel in 100 or 120 grit for a bench grinder works well also. Lick the hair on your arm then see if it will shave it off. If not I sharpen some more.
A knife's blade hardness is always a trade off. The harder it is, the longer it will hold an edge but the longer it takes to sharpen it. Using an electric sharpener makes it a lot easier to sharpen a really hard blade.
Notice how big of a knife this guy is using. I clean kingfish the same way.
Don't buy a fillet knife at a tackle shop. Go to a good restaurant supply and buy Dexter Russell knives. They are not expensive but are high quality. Dexter Russell also makes nice 9" and 12" diamond steels. Not expensive and keep a fine edge on your knife. Also buy a nice knife case to keep your good knives good.
__________________
Capt. Lindsay Fuller
June Bug Charters
Beach Haven, NJ
Member - Beach Haven Charter Fishing Association
Life Member - RFA & NRA
Spend money on a very good sharpener and any decent fillet knife becomes a good one. I use them all from Dexters to no names. If the blade is so cheap that it rusts heavily, it gets tossed. Other than that, my knives are dangerously sharp. Make a mistake and it will cost you. Best money I ever spent was on the sharpener.
2nd best money is a cut proof glove! May have saved me a hospital trip a few times. I have 6 or 7 Forschner knives I got off line. Also a great sharpner.....i can put an edge back on it quickly. You will be surprised how much better and faster you can clean large offshore fish with the right knives. I primarily use 2...one to take off the bone and one to take of the skin.
My son, who is a professional in the restaurant business, got me a Wusthof for my birthday. It has been a great knife; easy to keep sharp. I use an electric American Angler Metal Transmission with the cool "shark" blades for most fillet work, and the Wusthof to clean things up. I used Gerber fillet knives for years, but the good line was discontinued yearsw ago, and I can't find a replacement.
The Kershaw knives are pretty close to gerber (Sam Kershaw worked there) Any of the shun series are off the scale sharp.
dexter russell; they are good knives. like everyone else said, the stone is the key. sharpen course and then fine, learn the right angle and you will have sharp knives that lasts.
