Good Fillet Knife

[Al.Wichman]

It seems at least once sometimes twice every year I gotta buy a new fillet knife. I use the Rapala ones but they go dull fairly quick. I cant seem to sharpen them so I buy a new one. What is a good knife that can be shaprpened and used for at least a couple years? Before you say electric, where we do alot of our fishing is backwoods stuff, tent and sleeping baggin' so power isnt an option. I already got one of those that works great, need a field knife.

[bobbymalone]

how does the adjustable blade thing work on those cutco knives? I'm guessing it slides in and out of the handle, but how does it "lock" in place?

[Steve Foss]

Cutcos are great knives. I've used a bunch of different brands, and I don't look with longing at $50 to $150 fillet knives anymore.

I've got a larger Rapala knife than is available any longer that's 30 years old (the 9-inch blade). And I have the standard 7 1/2-inch blade Rapala from about 15 years ago. Both will do any kind of fish cleaning I need done, both sharpen up to razor status with a few drags through the cheap plastic/ceramic hand sharpener, and both have so long since paid for themselves that the only reason I'd buy a fancy dancy new gazillion dollar whiz bang is if I wanted to show off.

[chad austin]

Tried a freinds leech lake knife and I do not like the 2 sided blade on the top. Just ended up cutting myself with it. Joke was at camp they should come with their own box of band aids.

When I bought mine from Don it came with a band aid stuffed in the sheath with the knife.

[iffwalleyes]

Hands down a Leech Lake for manual as mentioned. Electric I like the rapala line.

[Ufatz]

Hey! Quit bad mouthing MY filet knife. I just happen to own a 8" damascus steel,hand forged and hammered WhizBang Supreme and from its solid gold capped ivory carved handle with inlaid diamonds to it's solid silver hilt with inset emerald it is stunning!!

Have not used it on fish in years, but at fishing camp when I bring it out to slice truffles onto the eggs Benedict everyone is mightily impressed.

I've been offered a Kings ransom for it but, after considering how cheaply a two bit kind can be ransomed for these days I turned it down.

PS I also use it to clean my nails.

[pushbutton]

Also have a larger really old hand me down rapala and a newer small one, so i spent 12.99 + tax total for both; the older one is certainly better and holds an edge longer while the panfish knife needs a quick run through about every 5 fish( i am a little anal and pride myself wasting as little meat as possible. Have used nicer/more expensive brands, and as Steve mentioned just can't justify buying an expensive knife. My brother has about 3 bills tied up in knifes and can't clean a fish for carp. Used an electric for the first time this weekend and jury is still out on that; wow was it easy and fast, but did had some waste and just did not have have the feel i was used to.

[bobbymalone]

Used an electric for the first time this weekend and jury is still out on that; wow was it easy and fast, but did had some waste and just did not have have the feel i was used to.

I've never used an electric before. I think if I was on fish house duty and had a two buckets of somebody else's fish to clean I would think about it. But for the number of fish I've got at any one time, I'll stick to doing it by hand.

Call me a purist, but it just seems like a more "real" experience.

[pushbutton]

yep....... can't throw fish back indoctrinated family day at the lake