People often want to know the secrets of an expert chef. It’s often hard to determine just what makes the difference between a good and great meal. But many chefs find that it’s all down to the cut of a knife.
In the following article we’ll examine just how to perfectly pair fillet knives for cutting fish. We’ll consider sharpness of edge, protection from corrosion, price and other factors. By the end we’ll know the best fillet knife for cutting fish.
Best Fillet Knives Reviews
Berkley Floating FilletKnife
- 8 in stainless steel blade resists corrosion
Standard size fits most electric knives
Berkley Floating FilletKnife ranks somewhat lower. They’re the less popular option in general. Fishing combines water and the outdoors. While electric knives are primarily useful indoors. But if one is only getting fish from the store then this is a great option. And the host of adapters it ships with can power it from standard car adapters. The variety of adapters are also why it makes the list.
Unlike many fillet knives, it is quite usable on camping trips. To a limited extent, to be sure. But it will still be functional. And it can even switch between six and eight inch blades.
Finally, the grip has been designed with moisture in mind. One shouldn’t have to worry about vibration pushing it out of one’s hand.
- Overall Length: 17 Inches.
- Blade Length: 8 Inches.
- Blade Steel: Stainless Steel.
- Blade Thickness: Detachable.
- Weight: N/A (variable components).
Victorinox Cutlery Fillet Knife
- As its name suggests, the Fibrox Pro Boning Knife is used to easily trim or remove meat and fish from the bone
- The curved, flexible stainless steel blade is ideal for thinner or more delicate cuts of meat such as chicken or fish that are more tender and intricate to bone
- Patented Fibrox handle is textured, slip resistant, and ergonomically designed for balance and comfort, NSF approved
- Expertly crafted in Switzerland since 1884; designed for professionals who use knives all day, every day; lifetime against defects in material and workmanship
- Please NOTE that this item ships with international item number 5. 6613. 15 on the blade and not 47517 or 40517 but is the same 6" Fibrox Pro Boning Knife with flexible blade
Victorinox Cutlery Fillet Knife is an interesting knife due to reputation. It’s usually sold as a kitchen knife. But branding alone shouldn’t determine ranking. It’s in the list of best fillet knives because of performance.
It features an ergonomically designed polypropylene handle. Holding it one will instantly see that despite marketing, it’s not just a kitchen knife. It’s perfectly suited to both indoor and outdoor use.
Additionally, the overall sweep of the blade is low enough to make boning a simple matter. Which also raises utility for outdoor use. Finally, the blade’s overall carbon content keeps it sharp even after a large number of sharpening attempts.
It’s one of the best fillet knives once one gets past the single setting reputation. After one actually tries it the real world use becomes a lot more clear.
- Overall Length: 13 1/4th Inches.
- Blade Length: 7.9 Inches.
- Blade Steel: High Carbon.
- Blade Thickness: 1/16th.
- Weight: 3 Ounces.
Knives of Alaska Steelheader Suregrip
- The Full Tang handle construction is double riveted with a brass lanyard sleeve that makes handle shift impossible
- The handles consists of our black rubberized Sure grip
- The overall length of the knife at 13" is 3" longer than its smaller cousin, the Steel header Fillet
- Double draw heat temper, Cryogenic "Deep Freeze" treatment
- Knives of Alaska provide you with a lifetime warranty and are proudly made in the USA
The Steelheader Suregrip is another knife that ranks lower simply due to specialty use. People usually find themselves surprised by the knife’s small size. This small size is a big benefit under certain conditions though.
It ranks among best fillet knives for precision work. One can almost see it as much of a scalpel as a knife. The small overall size is by design. Again, it’s designed for a small size for the same reasons behind a scalpel’s design.
Combined with etched finger grips it’s perfect for precise work. As one becomes use to the form factor, overall speed is likely to increase as well. This places it among the best fillet knives for quick and precise cuts.
- Overall Length: 10-3/4 Inches.
- Blade Length: 6 Inches.
- Blade Steel: 440C.
- Blade Thickness: 0.05 Inches.
- Weight: 8 Ounces.
Wusthof Classic Fillet Knife
- WÜSTHOF CLASSIC SERIES – 7" Thin Fish Fillet Knife with full tang triple riveted synthetic polypropylene handles that resist fading, discoloration, heat and impact. The WÜSTHOF Classic Series has been our best-selling series for generations
- PRECISION FORGED – WÜSTHOF's Classic Series Knives are forged from a single block of High Carbon Stainless Steel and tempered to 58-degree HRC. The Precision Edge Technology (PEtec) yields a blade that is 20% sharper with twice the edge retention than previous models
- FISH KNIFE – 7" Fillet Knife with Leather Sheath has a very thin flexible blade used for deboning and filleting fish. The long narrow blade enables the knife to move smoothly along the backbone of the fish and easily removes the fish skin
- DURABLE – WÜSTHOF Cutlery is crafted to resist corrosion and dulling. This German made Kitchen Knife set Comes with a limited Lifetime Warranty. WÜSTHOF Classic Series Knives feature a full bolster and finger guard
- CENTURIES OF TRADITION – Family owned for seven generations, WÜSTHOF was founded in Solingen, Germany over 200 years ago. WÜSTHOF’s cutlery carries the Solingen name, a designation reserved for products that meet the strictest quality standards
The Wusthof Classic Fillet Knife showcases quality right from the start. The blade itself has been stamped to showcase an artistic design. And the included sheath is as much a visual showcase as a functional accessory.
But for all the beauty of the knife. It holds up under pressure. The high quality german steel holds up to long term use with little danger of corrosion. But the traditional design is also one of the larger issues.
It’s older style of design means that it needs sharpening more often than many newer designs. How this knife ranks among the best fillet knives depends on one’s viewpoint. It might rank higher for people who value elegance and tradition. While ranking lower for someone who values utility.
- Overall Length: 11 Inches.
- Blade Length: 7 Inches.
- Blade Steel: X50CrMoV15.
- Blade Thickness: 0.05 Inches.
- Weight: 9.6 Ounces.
Morakniv Fishing Comfort Fillet Knife
- Stainless steel fillet knife with patterned, high-friction handle; available in 3.5-inch or 6.1-inch blade lengths
- 6.1-inch blade is versatile enough for most sizes of fish; slotted plastic sheath is easy to clean and includes two belt clips: belt-loop or clip-on
- Sandvik 12C27 stainless steel is known for its razor sharpness, high hardness, exceptional toughness, and excellent corrosion resistance
- High-friction handle allows users to maintain grip when cleaning fish; does not absorb odors
- Blade thickness: 0.07 inches (1.9 mm); blade length: 6.1 inches (155 mm), total length: 10.6 inches (270 mm), net weight: 3.5 oz. (99g)
The Morakniv Fishing Comfort Fillet Knife should rank among the best for sheer utility. Unlike many of the others, it’s not trying to aim for artistic perfection. The focus on utility is obvious in most design choices.
For example, unlike some of the other knives it doesn’t ship with a leather sheath. Instead it uses a functional, but visually unimpressive, plastic sheath. But if one only cares about utility than this knife has a lot to offer.
The Sandvik blade can hold up under an impressive amount of strain. And one can choose between a three and six inch design. As such it fits both rough and detailed tasks.
Finally, the high friction handle is among the best of the best. It’s specially designed to stick in one’s hand even when used in moist or slipper environments.
- Overall Length: 10.6 Inches.
- Blade Length: 6.1 inches.
- Blade Steel: 12C27.
- Blade Thickness: 0.05 inches.
- Weight: 3.5 Ounces.
Marttini Finish Fillet Knife
- The classical filleting knife has been remodelled both in its appearance and its features.
- The blade is even more flexible than before.
- The handle is from thermally treated Finnish birch. The surface patterns applied to the handle with laser technology make the surface highly textured to ensure a firmer grip of the knife.
- The handle is coated with a protective wax.
- Comes with quality Leather Sheath
The Marttini Finish Fillet Knife is ideal for most uses. But the seven inch blade is especially good when working with larger fish. For example, it’s an ideal choice for people catching fresh trout.
The hand ground blade also matches up quite well with these types of larger fish. It starts out incredibly sharp and can maintain that edge over time. In general one should consider it as a knife to use under harsh conditions.
The notched finger grooves continue that trend. It ensures one can keep a firm grip even when working with larger masses. People can use it both indoors and outdoors. But the size and endurance make it especially well suited to use when camping.
- Overall Length: 12.2 Inches.
- Blade Length: 7 Inches.
- Blade Steel: CPM 12C27.
- Blade Thickness: 0.085 Inches.
- Weight: 3.3 Ounces.
Bark River Kalahari Sportsman
The Bark River Kalahari Sportsman earns top ranking due to overall excellence. Many of the other candidates for best fillet knives show heavily specialization. The Kalahari Sportsman, instead, does almost everything perfectly.
The edge has a high quality convex grind. And it starts sharp enough to hold up against a standard straight razor. But even more remarkably, it maintains that sharpness to an incredible degree. It’s even stamped to highlight the high quality design.
The only minor issue comes from lack of accessories. Higher quality blades like this usually come with a sheath. But while it has a lanyard hole, there’s no actual sheath.
- Overall Length: 11.65 Inches.
- Blade Length: 6.75 Inches.
- Blade Steel: S35VN.
- Blade Thickness: 0.085 Inches.
- Weight: 4.5 Ounces.
Summing Up
In conclusion, one can see that environment often defines the best fillet knives. The needs of someone who only uses a knife in the kitchen requires some traits. While people taking knives out for camping trips brings other needs.
The top rated items tend to perform wonderfully in most situations. But one can help narrow it down for others by sharing real world experiences. Doing so helps others find the best possible knife for their needs.