Best Electric Fillet Knife????

[Dock Boy]

Hello to all, I have always been a straight blade guy, but looking at buying an electric fillet knife. Anyone have any good luck with a specific brand. I'm planning on using this at our resort, so it will get lots of use. Thanks for any help that you might be able to supply me with!!

[stick]

I jumped into this a few years ago and asked the same question. There will be a number of different answers. I was thinking to go cordless, but online reviews and this site feedback swayed me to a corded unit. I went with the Rapala one due to the varous options, and I must admit the name. I am happy with the knife and will run power to my cleaning area, or build the fish cleaning table that I have in my head that includes a battery and hookup.

I am still working at mastering the knife, and when removing the ribs I commonly go back to the manual blade. In time with more practice I'll be comfortable all the way around.

My memory is that a lot of different people are happy with a nyumber of different models. I do think that electric knives are definitely nice when cleaning a lot of fish.

[Dan Brelje]

The group that i usually fish with is hooked on the Storm Unit. It is small but it cuts like a champ. The only disadvantage is when cleaning bigger fish, the blades are not very long.

[PerchPounder]

I've been using the same mister twister for over 8 years without any problems. I would definitely stay away from a battery powered knife unless you take trips where there isn't electricity available.

[mojoputter]

I would not filet a fish without my Rapala cordless filet knife, comes with 2 different size blades, extra battery. There have been a few fish cleaning houses where the floors get a little wet and the last thing I want to be holding is something thats plugged into an outlet. If I don't have it with, then my buddies will be fileting the fish, I can't go back to the old way.

[remington 300]

heres another vote for the rapala cordless, just got my own, after watch my

buddy at LOW fillet 26 walleye/sauger to the guy who was using a regular fillet knives 5 fish. cordless for sure because you dont/wont have power everywere you'll clean fish,and like the previous poster stated you wont want to use a electric while standing on a wet floor, which some fish cleaning houses are.

[jigginjerk]

I have a cordless rapala and not very happy with it. I my opinion it is very slow when the batteries hold a charge, which seem to not happen when I need to use it. The blades are nice, I use them with the cheap Storm AC knife I bought at menards. I would not waste your money on the cordless! If I were to do it again I would buy the AC-DC rapala which runs faster. You can use it on a wet floor using the DC converter that comes with it and not have to worry about electrocution.

[beaver11]

mr twister also..had a cordless and it didn't have the power.

[Jim Almquist]

I have a cordless rapala and not very happy with it. I my opinion it is very slow when the batteries hold a charge, which seem to not happen when I need to use it. The blades are nice, I use them with the cheap Storm AC knife I bought at menards. I would not waste your money on the cordless! If I were to do it again I would buy the AC-DC rapala which runs faster. You can use it on a wet floor using the DC converter that comes with it and not have to worry about electrocution.

Even when mine was fully charged I thought it cut way too slow and the real kicker is now it won't work at all and it has been used maybe 4 times. My cousin used a American Harvester electric knife and it worked great and part of the reason was the longer blade and because it had some flex to it you could skin the fish out without wasting any meat.

[sparkydm]

Another vote for Storm. Had a Mister Twister, it was just fine but the switch went out after only about 20,000 fish or so. The storm is more comfortable to use for me anyway. Better ergonomics.

[DTro]

If you are going to be cleaning a lot of fish, go with the American Angler Saltwater version (no plastic gears).

If you don't clean a lot of fish, the 9.99 special in the small electrics dept of your local retailer will do.

I will never buy a cordless one again...

[welfedted]

Go to garage sales or on HSO-Classifieds and get yourself an old GE electric knife. These knives have the power to cut through any fish, From lakers to sunnies. Seem like they stay sharp forever. I've tried other electrics made for fish cleaning and they don't have the power the GE does. Hope this helps. WFT

[Jim Almquist]

If you are going to be cleaning a lot of fish, go with the American Angler Saltwater version (no plastic gears).

If you don't clean a lot of fish, the 9.99 special in the small electrics dept of your local retailer will do.

I will never buy a cordless one again...

Dtro Did you find it locally or did you have to order it from the factory ?

I was looking around online and it seems like the only place that has them in stock is the factory.

[JoeB]

I'm with DTRO, started using electric over 25 years ago with a wedding gift {black&decker}, replaced that unit 2 years ago due to a bad switch, $10 at wally world and when used enough, the rib cages come out like no other even on BG & C's.

Joe

[MN Mike]

We've got 3 Rapala Electric knives, 2 are 120v and 1 is a 12v, I wouldn't waste my money on the 12v again, just doesn't have the power of the AC plugin units. I've had some cheaper electric knives, gears eventually stripped out, these Rapalas have outlasted the cheap ones by a long shot.

Mike

[PierBridge]

Rapala AC/DC version with hard travel case and cutting board. A bit spendy but it's nice being able to go off a marine or car battery when AC power isn't available which is often the case when Ice Fishing or in remote area.

Going on 8 years and tons of fish with mine!

The problems with the cordless models are the battery's generally don't last and replacement's are tough to find and very expensive!

[DTro]

Originally Posted By: dtro

If you are going to be cleaning a lot of fish, go with the American Angler Saltwater version (no plastic gears).

If you don't clean a lot of fish, the 9.99 special in the small electrics dept of your local retailer will do.

I will never buy a cordless one again...

Dtro Did you find it locally or did you have to order it from the factory ?

I was looking around online and it seems like the only place that has them in stock is the factory.

I went with a cheap kitchen electric, but Wal-Mart (online) has the AA saltwater knife for $48

[DTro]

I guess that is the 12V version at Walmart, you are right, it is tough to find the 110v version. I found a couple though if you search for "MT3 110 Volt Electric Fillet Knife"

[Cliff Wagenbach]

I have owned both the Rapala and the Mr Twister plug-in knives.

The Rapala was more comfortable to use but it only lasted one season!

I have had the Mr Twister going on 4 years now. I clean hundreds of fish every year with it.

Cliff

[Jim Almquist]

I guess that is the 12V version at Walmart, you are right, it is tough to find the 110v version. I found a couple though if you search for "MT3 110 Volt Electric Fillet Knife"

The one I was looking for was the 12 volt because I always have 12v close to the boat and I could even use one of my Marcum batteries in a pinch.

Walmart online is out of stock but a lot cheaper then ordering direct.

[MuleShack]

I've got a dumb question for you guys...

I just got the Rapala electric knife.

It has 2 sets of blades (one long and one short) and the way it looks they run with 2 blades at a time. I tried it out today trying to cut a tube of semi-frozen hamburger. It worked fine with that.

The question is for actual fish cleaning, do you filet with only one blade or do you do it with both blades in?

[jltimm]

Both blades.

[St_Croix_Banks]

Anyone ever try the Cabela's elec knife?

[Cliff Wagenbach]

You need both blades in for the knife to cut!

Cliff

[CJH]

Wish Rapala would upgrade the batteries on the cordless models. I think they are still nicad aren't they?

[Ed Carlson]

A good 110 model known for its durability is the Black and Decker electric knife, available from Wally World. Many commercial fishing operations use them, and like them.

In the field you can power them of an 12/110 power inverter if you wish.

A good method to sharpen the blades is use the $4.99 Rapala 2 stage sharpener.

First... Separate the two blades and remove them from the unit, and sharpen each by hand....never together and/or under power as that will just saw off the cutting points and ruin the blades.

Slowly draw the serrated blades across the course stage and then a few light strokes across the fine ceramic stage, count the strokes per blade, repeat on the second blade....then reinstall them in the electric knife.

A wool polish wheel does a nice job too to fine them out, if you would happen to have one in the shop or a wool polish wheel on a Dremil tool.