# filleting knives and sharpeners



## keza (Mar 6, 2007)

I have one good filleting knife but it is quite bending and i was thinking of getting another that was a touch sturdier.
What is the best brand of filleting knife, is there a holy grail ?

And what about a good sharpener ? The ones i have either do nothing or give the knife a serrated edge 

what cha recon


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## Astro (Nov 27, 2006)

i have a kershaw 7 step filleting knife...you can extend the blade for those BIG fillets and use an accusharp knife sharpener.

the accusharp is the best knife sharpener i have had....and i have had stones, bench top and electric sharpeners

HTH


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## Brownie (Aug 15, 2007)

I have always stuck with victrinox or Swibo Knives for filleting my fish (when I catch some)

I have used these since the days when I used to be a deckie on fishing charter boats and filleting was a large part of the job.









I have currently one of each and the Victrinox has been with me for some 15+ years and started out as a wide blade and has been worn and sharpened to a thin blade but still holds an excellent edge.Blade length is about 15cm and covers any size fish needing filleting

A decent wet stone and a Steel is what I use to keep the edge, Just remember that a steel is for straightening the edge more than sharpening it.

Depending how you want your edge, a new knife will need plenty of work on the angle of the edge once it looses its initial sharpness.

A good test of sharpness was to be able to shave the hair on your forearm with one stroke of the blade.
Suffice to say I don't keep them that sharp now days.

I still keep a separate knife for chopping bait etc.
And a flatter and longer bladed knife for skinning fish (If I get a decent feed)


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## Peril (Sep 5, 2005)

Filleting knife should be flexible. I have a kershaw


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## Guest (May 14, 2008)

I really like the Cold Steel fillet knives. Made of carbon V steel, which even the Japanese admit comes precariously close to the quality of steel they were using in samurai swords. Very easy to sharpen, and has a powder coating that exceeds rust-proof standards by about 500% Over the $50 mark, but less than the $100 mark. Works for me. 









I've seen astro's knife and sharpener and I like them both to- Kershaw make good knives and use good steel in most of their blades. The accusharp sharpener astro mentions is great. If you prefer a stone style, get a diamond sharpener. If you want a superbly honed edge, get a ceramic sharpener to compliment the diamond one... or just get the ceramics and never let the knife get too blunt before honing.


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## simond11 (Aug 29, 2005)

Dexter Russell 8" filleting knife.....awesome :shock: 
Cheers

Simon
Prowler 15


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## abitfishy (Sep 24, 2006)

On the subject of knives (sorry to half hijack), how would customs react if one attempted to import a couple of fishing knives in a shipment from Basspro or similar?


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## Guest (May 14, 2008)

Abitfishy, that should be fine. So long as the knife isn't an illegal style (butterfly, flick, etc) then you should have no issues at all.


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## Slim (Mar 4, 2008)

At the processors that i used to run we only used F-Dick knives, F-Dick Steels and victrinox salmon slices for both atlantic salmon and skinning the fish.


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## Peril (Sep 5, 2005)

For sharpening knives, forget the gadgets. Learn how to hone with a stone and strop and keen with a steel (the older the better). Your knives will love you for it


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## keza (Mar 6, 2007)

Peril said:


> For sharpening knives, forget the gadgets. Learn how to hone with a stone and strop and keen with a steel (the older the better). Your knives will love you for it


seen any good instructional website on this ?
I do find the gadgets rip the blade apart and it is hard to get a smooth edge back


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## Peril (Sep 5, 2005)

keza said:


> Peril said:
> 
> 
> > For sharpening knives, forget the gadgets. Learn how to hone with a stone and strop and keen with a steel (the older the better). Your knives will love you for it
> ...


I haven't, but do have an old cookbook with the good oil on using a steel. Will scan it for you. PM me a reminder if I haven't done this by the weekend


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## bazzoo (Oct 17, 2006)

Peril said:


> keza said:
> 
> 
> > Peril said:
> ...


Dave , with rergard to the use of the steel , this is something i have wanted to learn properly for some time , i have a rapale steel and a silstar , the silstar seems to be coarser and sharpens better , i wonder if you have advice on the correct use , could you let me have a copy , tar mate


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## Biggera Yakker (Jan 25, 2007)

I'd like to learn how to sharpen better too, could you please send it to me as well Dave.


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## L3GACY (Sep 2, 2007)

I use a stone and a steel. There are no alternatives in my eyes, anything elctrical just tears shreds off you knife, I'm sure a lot of the fancier handheld ones do too. I learnt how to do it properly from an asian chef that can't speak english. Damn was he fast for an old man wearing glasses!


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## Brownie (Aug 15, 2007)

Youtube has several clips on knife sharpening and Steel use

I typed in knife sharpening and got this one and a few others


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## Peril (Sep 5, 2005)

*KEEPING CARVING KNIVES SHARP*
*Grinding* Carving knives should be ground at regular intervals. Many profession­als use an oilstone, which they lubricate with water and rub with soap on the surface, before sharpening. The blade is held at an angle of 20° to the stone and passed along its entire length. Turn it over and repeat, using only a gentle pressure. Continue until a uniform sharpness is apparent.

_Use of the steel_
*Honing* A knife should always be `steeled' before use. Properly used, a steel will hone a blade to the stage where it is ready for a process called `stropping' or `truing'.
Hold the blade and steel tip to tip, with elbows out and the thumb holding the knife at an angle of 15° to the steel.
Turn the wrists inwards and bring both elbows in, ensuring that the blade travels the length of the steel. Reverse the procedure by raising the elbows and turning wrists outwards. Note that only one side of the blade has been in contact with the steel.
Move the blade over the tip of the steel and hone the opposite edge. Repeat on both sides a few times.
Hold the steel horizontally (in the left hand if right-handed). Place the heel of the knife at the tip of the steel, holding the blade at an angle of 15° to the steel.
*Stropping* Hold the steel horizontally (in the left hand if right-handed). Place the heel of the knife at the tip of the steel, holding the blade at an angle of 15° to the steel.
Keeping the steel in its horizontal position, the right wrist is turned in, swinging the blade down so the entire blade length passes lightly over the steel.
The knife is then brought up to the starting position again and the action repeated, but this time on the opposite side of the steel. At least half a dozen strops, without undue pressure on each side of the blade, will `true' the cutting edge and make the knife ready for carving.


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## bazzoo (Oct 17, 2006)

Thanks Dave


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## liquor box (Jun 4, 2007)

keza said:


> Peril said:
> 
> 
> > For sharpening knives, forget the gadgets. Learn how to hone with a stone and strop and keen with a steel (the older the better). Your knives will love you for it
> ...


I use knives all day at work and am quite handy at sharpening, but do admit to every few months getting my local butcher to give them a sharpen.

If you find a gourmet butcher that sells knives they will recommend a good one to start with, but as long as you keep friendly with them and every time you visit mention the great knife you bought, they will probably sharpen it for you.

I use a steel at home and work, but get them to do the "grinding" job from time to time.

On another point about sharpening, if you buy a steel, dont let anyone else use it on your knife! You will develop a pattern of your own and if someone else tries to use it they can actually make it blunter than when they start by ruining the patterns.


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## slider65 (Feb 9, 2007)

If you want to lean how to shapen with a stone and how to use the steel properly, have a chat to you local butcher. maybe offer him a carton for some lessons. It can also be handy as their old boning knife make the best filleting knife. I still have all the knives from my father as he was a butcher and i always give them a touch up on the stone and steel. And the only way to have a knife is sharp enough to shave the hair off your arm, Talk to any butcher and they will tell you that a blunt knife is dangerous and that goes for filleting fish also.

Another tip it when learning to use a stone go and buy a cheap knife to lean and practice with before you try it with the good knives because it won't matter if you muck it up the first few times


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