Steel for Fish

[Vamais]

Hi all,
I've found (in my use) that for cutting up and prepping fish I catch (mostly bass), a knife with a very sharp tip is required. What are your recommendations for a Spyderco steel that has high initial edge retention, that will not be damaged by cutting through fish skin and tough spines? Let's leave stainlessness out of the conversation for now, and just look at edge retention.

[skeeg11]

If you're talking about filet knives, IMHO technique is at least as important as steel when it comes to preserving the life expectancy or your edge. Fish flesh is not the problem. Coarse scales and heavy rib bones do most of the damage. Whenever possible avoid cutting large scales from the outside in. I poke a hole and cut from beneath the skin outwards. In other words, outline the initial cuts. I use a serrated hawkbil with a blunted tip for this purpose. When it comes to heavy rib bones, I use shears. Bypass pruners will also do nicely. Of course, if you are accomplished with a blade, filleting around the rib cage works well and is less fuss. Nowhere does it say that you must only use one knife to filet a fish. I use a dedicated knife for outlining and another for skinning fillets. I actually prefer a less than razor sharp knife for skinning. Less chance for filleting the skin membrane and leaving bits of endoderm on an otherwise pristine filet.

[Danke]

Catcherman sprint run coming soon in LC200N.

[skeeg11]

Hi all,
I've found (in my use) that for cutting up and prepping fish I catch (mostly bass), a knife with a very sharp tip is required. What are your recommendations for a Spyderco steel that has high initial edge retention, that will not be damaged by cutting through fish skin and tough spines? Let's leave stainlessness out of the conversation for now, and just look at edge retention.

Our lot seems to lust after that Phil Wilson/Spyderco collaboration filet knife with superior edge retention just because we're knife knutz. If you were to take a poll amongst professional deck hands and first mates, the story might be much different. Wood handled Dexter 1095 fillet blades along with a sharpening steel and/or diamond honing rod might be the predominant tools of the trade with easy to sharpen being key rather than edge retention.

[aicolainen]

Even though I fish quite regularly, I don't typically catch a lot and whenever I do, the size is not much to brag about. So this might put me in a totally different category as far as tools of choice and expectations toward them goes.

Corrosion is a real struggle for me, so I've given up on non stainless for fishing.
I've been very happy with LC200N, edge holding is sufficient and the toughness is much appreciated. Things happen in the outdoors and both bones and stones have found their way into my cutting path.

I typically carry my N5 salt for fishing. I find the blade shape works well in many different tasks and it carries very easily. I also have more fishing oriented Spydercos, like the Siren and Waterway, but they see less use than the N5.

I was very happy to see the Catcherman in the latest reveal, and I really hope I'll be able to get one or two of those.
I've also been waiting what feels like forever on a Swick 6. I've never tried a wharnie for fishing, but I have high hopes that it will be a useful addition to my kit.
As you can see I'm knee deep into that LC200 stuff. Partly because it's the chosen steel for the knife models I've wanted, but I wouldn't have kept buying it if it didn't perform.

One more thing... Scissors. On the few occasions that I catch a bunch of trouts, a pair of Fiskars scissors will outperform any of my knives for batch processing.

[JD Spydo]

Catcherman sprint run coming soon in LC200N.

I still love my old 2011 Green handled, Sprint Run of the Catcherman. It has an LC200N blade which is OK for a fillet knife. However I really want to see the Catcherman made in full SE like they did with the older AUS-8 Catcherman models. My full SE, AUS-8 Catcherman is to this day one of my most used Spyderco knives of all time.

If they make this newer Catcherman in Full SE I'll get two of them for sure.

[JoviAl]

LC200N or similar would be my vote - you can get them hellaciously sharp, it just doesn’t last especially long. S90V also takes a wicked edge in my experience.

[SaltyCaribbeanDfly]

This until the Catcherman comes out

[vivi]

just an fyi those are easy to find for $15-20. if you're paying $50 for a DR you're most likely getting ripped off.

[standy99]

This until the Catcherman comes out

As a butcher for over 20 years I used many knives until I got to Dexter Russel…

For a butchers knife or a fillet knife, these are up there with the best. High Carbon steel that sharpens a dream (soft steel) and keeps a great edge all day with a quick few strokes on a honing steel.

The Junction would be my choice in a Spyderco knife.

[aicolainen]

The Junction would be my choice in a Spyderco knife.

I've wanted one since I first became aware of it. That was only after its discontinuation, unfortunately.
I won't pay scalper money for one, it's only a knife after all, but if one pops up at a reasonable price, it'll instantly jump to the top of my priority list

[SaltyCaribbeanDfly]

just an fyi those are easy to find for $15-20. if you're paying $50 for a DR you're most likely getting ripped off.

Holy cow Vivi, I just looked that model up and you ain’t kiddin’… saw em’ on Amazon for half what I paid and if they’re authentic that’s a steal!!!

[vivi]

just an fyi those are easy to find for $15-20. if you're paying $50 for a DR you're most likely getting ripped off.

Holy cow Vivi, I just looked that model up and you ain’t kiddin’… saw em’ on Amazon for half what I paid and if they’re authentic that’s a steal!!!

DR are solid knives but they're firmly in the budget category. Buying retail you can get most of their models under $20 besides really large or lower volume niche models. Buying through restaurant supply distributors they're extremely cheap.

For what they cost they're very nice no nonsense work knives. Like standy I've got nothing but good things to say about them.

[RazorSharp86]

On any given week, I’ll spend about 4-5 days fishing. I’m in a kayak or a boat in the ocean at least 2-3 out of those days.
I use the Spyderco Siren and Waterway nearly exclusively.
If you have good filleting technique, you’ll do just fine with these two knives.
I have many mainstream fillet knives, as well - anything from Dexter, Bubba, Rapalla, Mustad and others. They all work very well for filleting, and I reach out for them when catching large fish - when I don’t feel like messing around with a smaller blade (like the Waterway’s or Siren’s).

That Catcherman in Lc200N looks sweet, and I’ll probably try it out, too. I only dislike the plastic pocket clip.

I know I’ve been beating the drum in this i. Multiple posts, but I would LOVE to have a Waterway and Siren in Magnacut with Orange, Green or Yellow G10!

[arty]

S35V and XHP hold an edge very well on fishing knives. VG10 will need to be resharpened more often, but is worth a look. I like S35V for edge holding and resistance to corrosion. These are commends about steel, but a rubber grip on a handle is helpful when dealing with a slippery blood-coated fish.

[JD Spydo]

Another Fillet knife I got to use years ago was made by "Knives Of Alaska". For a non-Spyderco blade that was a nice fillet knife all the way around.

As much as I liked the folder concept of the Catcherman I wouldn't be opposed to a fixed blade version of the same overall design. But the full SE version is awesome. If they do another Sprint Run of the Catcherman please make it available in full SE regardless of which blade steel they use.