Fishing Victoria Forum

Lightningx wrote:The one I have has to be looked after very carefully. After every use it needs to be wiped dry even the handle of the knife and then the blade needs to be wrapped in dry paper.

image.jpg

That looks fancy as man... For some reason I keep getting images of the Japanese chef in the Simpson's...

Anything from Japan is quality

Lightningx, you must be right handed. Nice looking blade and you obviously do look after it.

skronkman wrote:Lightningx, you must be right handed. Nice looking blade and you obviously do look after it.

Yes mate I don't use it that often because it's only used for filleting big fish.
I took the paper off the blade obviously so you could see it then put it back on.

Swibo. Check out everten.com

Thanks for all the advice guys. I am taking it all on board, and will definitely investigate everything thats been said. To address a couple of points that have come up;

- I intend this knife to be ONLY used for filleting fish. I mainly catch whiting, but do catch a lot of flatties, and a few gummies, and normally a dozen or so 4-5kg snapper a year, so thats what it will be used for mostly.
- I intend for this knife to be a prized possesion, and treated as such. It will be hand washed, and dried, then packed into its sheath and box after every use. Under no circumstance will this knife ever find its way onto the boat.
- I totally agree that learning to sharpen and care for your knife is more important than the particular knife you have. To be honest, this is part of owning a good knife that appeals to me, and the art of sharpening and careing for it is something I am looking forward to. I will be investing in the proper tools to do this also.
- I see this kind of tool in a similar light to using a higher end reel. There isnt a need for me to be using a stradic ci4+ over a Sienna, but I do. It doesnt catch me more fish, but its bloody nice to use.

Nice find Basti, some decent prices their when you add in the free shipping. F.D!ck, Victronox, Dexter, Wusthof, all good brands.

If you want to look after it then this will hold an edge and is made in the USA. It's high carbon steel, so it will rust. Dexter Russell is reputable brand too.

http://www.everten.com.au/dexter-russel ... knife.html
Only $30 with free shipping if you sign up to their newsletter.

Im about to buy one of these I think (or maybe the 8")
http://www.everten.com.au/dexter-russel ... -23cm.html

i've got a swibo 16cm knife that i love. Only i use it and it gets washed and put away. three years old and i will need to sharpen it before the next use but it gets used infrequently. its got a decent flex in the blade which makes getting fillets off the bone easier. don't get one with too much flex though as i've heard that skinning the fillet can be easier with a stiffer blade. also have a 20cm dexter russel which hasn't been used yet as i have stopped targeting/keeping bigger fish recently.

For the application you don't want a super high HRC steel. As the edge will chop when making contact with bones.

A softer knife around 50-55HRC will be tougher and less prone to chipping.

Swimbo victorinox ect is well suited.

I've got a Victorinox knife and it's bloody good. Haven't used it on a fish yet but I cut up some chicken and it felt like I was cutting soft butter or something. Amazingly sharp. I just need to learn how to sharpen it properly and take care of it.

Just an update on this, I got the Kanatsuke Yanagiba, and it is a serious piece of kit. I have tried to fillet whiting etc with it, but it is just too sharp for me. I cut one fish in half before I realised what was happening, coupled with no flex at all it is not forgiving in the slightest and you need to be laser precise.

I have picked up a decent filleting knife (similar to a swibo - which I will probably get at some stage too) and I am really enjoying it for filleting.

Having said that, I have also picked up a good set of japanese waterstones, that will get even the cheapest knives to a razors edge, so I highly recommend a set of those. Seriously though, for sashimi, tartare, carpacchio, etc, a high quality high carbon steel knife is amazing, its a whole nother level of sharp.

A word of warning though, if you love cooking, once you open the high quality knife rabbit hole, it is a very slippery slope, and I am currently looking at my next knife to add to the collection ( I bought another today) and at $300-400+ a pop it is not a cheap hobby. But hey, neither is fishing.