Don Canney Leech Lake knives, cont.

[tmg1brandt]

Hi all,

Okay, so I just got my Leech Lake knife in the mail yesterday and cleaned three fish with it, and it was great, I was very impressed (and I'm not easily impressed). Today the blade is much duller than when it arrived, and tonight I cleaned another three walleyes in the size range of 17-19 inches and a couple of northerns. The knife did a very poor job today...by the time I got to the last fish I was about ready to go back to my old $20 fillet knife. Before I spent $100 on this knife I did a lot of research and read that the knife doesn't need to be sharpened very often at all. Today I did sharpen it with the ceramic rod I ordered at the same time, per the sales person's advice, but that didn't seem to help, and tonight I picked up one of those hand held rapala ceramic sharpeners with the cross sticks, and that didn't change anything either. Does anyone know of any reason why I can't sharpen it with an electric sharpener? Do any of you actually use a belt sander on it like I've read about? How do you sharpen your Leech Lake knife? At this point if I can't get it as sharp as it was when it arrived I'll have to send it back for a refund. Does anyone know how they are sharpened before they are sent out? Also, I just took an old knife from my cutlery set and sharpened it with the sharpening rod it came with, and it easily sliced through a tomato, but my new Leech Lake knife couldn't even cut into it.....

Thanks for your input, I appreciate it.

Chad

[delcecchi]

Coould it be that the leech lake knife is harder steel so more difficult to sharpen?

[tmg1brandt]

Hi Del,

I checked into the carbon semi stainless alloy of this knife and that's what I read, but others have said to use just a few light strokes across the ceramic rod to sharpen it and that's all it should need, so I'm clueless. Like I added to my first email, the darn thing wouldn't even cut through a tomato...

Chad

[thatoneguy]

I would take it back to the place you bought it and see what they'll do for you - maybe you just got a rare bad blade. I've had my Leech Lake knife for almost two years - it has filleted a couple hundred walleyes and Lord only knows how many perch - and it's still super sharp.

[tmg1brandt]

Wow, that is just incredible. I can't believe how dull this thing is. That is what I'll do, call them to let them know I'm sending it back and I'll be willing to give another one a try. Thanks a lot for your input.

Chad

[Jim Almquist]

Not sure if you got some bad steel or what. I do not cut through bones with mine and that helps with keeping the edge longer. I use the same ceramic (Rapala)as you to touch up my knife and they work great. Keep running the knife through till you can feel that the edge is straight.

[delcecchi]

If for some reason it was dull, I don't think a few light strokes are going to make it sharp. From what I read, those knives must be heat treated to be pretty hard which would make them tough to sharpen.

They can be sharpened by a pro, or probably with a chef's choice type electric sharpener (don't know if it uses standard bevels). There are other mechanisms, like razors edge in ely sells, or the apex edge. A belt grinder with the right belt and a guy who knows what they are doing, or paper wheels on a bench grinder will also do it.

Since it is brand new, I might send it back. Could have been a bad heat treat or something too.

[Down Deep]

I've had a Leech Lake Knife for about 10 years. I got it from a charter captain in Alaska. It is the knife they use to clean all of their halibut and salmon. Over a season that would be 100's of big fish, maybe more. I like to use it on pike and walleyes, but I think it is too stiff a blade for panfish. I haven't had any dulling issues with it, but I don't cut through bones. I tune it up before and after each use with a good Cutco steele, and I occasionally spend some time running it over my diamond stone. I don't think I'd run it thorough a grinder like a Chefs Choice. They sure have gone up in price. I think I paid $20.00 for it.