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Main Boards => Hunting Knives and Crafters => Topic started by: bbassi on April 22, 2008, 12:02:00 PM

Title: why no fillet knives?
Post by: bbassi on April 22, 2008, 12:02:00 PM

First let me say I am no knife maker and am in awe of the skills I see on this board. I'm really glad Terry and crew decided to give you guys your own board to show off your wares. I do have a question though. Is there a reason I have never seen a fillet knife here? I use them all the time when processing my own game for de-boning and such, but all of the ones commercially available are so plain. Are they more difficult to make? If you've made some I sure would like to see them.

Title: Re: why no fillet knives?
Post by: Jeremy on April 22, 2008, 12:12:00 PM

I think there have been some boning knives posted at one point or another.  I've put together a few fillet knives, but they've been stainless blades that I purchased.  A fillet knife, IMO is one of the few places that a stainless blade (the right stainless anyway) is acceptable.  A knife banging around a tacklebox, constantly getting hit by water, or surf and spray, is he** on a blade.
  Texas fillet (http://home.earthlink.net/imagelib/sitebuilder/misc/show_image.html?linkedwidth=actual&linkpath=http://home.earthlink.net/~jsteflik1306/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/paul2.jpg&target=tlx_new)  
  trout fillet (http://home.earthlink.net/imagelib/sitebuilder/misc/show_image.html?linkedwidth=actual&linkpath=http://home.earthlink.net/~jsteflik1306/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/fillet1.jpg&target=tlx_new)

Title: Re: why no fillet knives?
Post by: Jeremy on April 22, 2008, 12:12:00 PM

Oh, besides, this forum is about hunting knives  ;)

Title: Re: why no fillet knives?
Post by: jgbennett6 on April 22, 2008, 12:43:00 PM

I've got a scandinavian fillet knife right now that i'm finishing up with brass finger guard and lacewood handle... a fillet knife is amout all i use to break down a deer

Title: Re: why no fillet knives?
Post by: Bill Kissner on April 22, 2008, 04:27:00 PM

I am one of those that uses 4inch filet knives to bone out animals. I have to keep resharpening them as bone will dull them pretty quick. A well known knife maker told me that filet knives were made of much softer material so as to be able to bend when fileting. That makes sense since they dull pretty quick.

Title: Re: why no fillet knives?
Post by: OconeeDan on April 22, 2008, 04:30:00 PM

Well...since you asked...since I used an electric filet knife, I have no desire to use a real filet knife.  :bigsmyl:  
Jeremy, I like carbon blades, damascus blades, and stainless as well.  Don't they all have their place, strengths and weaknesses?
SORRY, maybe that should be an entire different thread/topic!
Dan

Title: Re: why no fillet knives?
Post by: pintail_drake2004 on April 22, 2008, 05:17:00 PM

My great uncle use to make them out of cross-cut saws. The steel was soft enough to flex but hard enough to hold a decent edge. As a matter of fact, an old issue of Fur-Fish-Game explained how to "make your own fillet knives" from different steel sources varying from cross-cuts to sheet metal.

Title: Re: why no fillet knives?
Post by: dave hiltz on April 22, 2008, 05:36:00 PM

I just finished a fillet knife and I will post a pic soon.

Title: Re: why no fillet knives?
Post by: Lewis Brookshire III on April 22, 2008, 05:52:00 PM

Here is one I made a long time ago that I didnt intend to be a fillet knife but it turned out looking like one.

 (http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n217/reviveourhomes/Knives/Dscn2694.jpg)

Title: Re: why no fillet knives?
Post by: Bobby Urban on April 22, 2008, 08:17:00 PM

I made one for the knie swap last year with osage handle slabs.

Title: Re: why no fillet knives?
Post by: pintail_drake2004 on April 23, 2008, 09:45:00 PM

anyone got any more pix?