What Are Fillet Knives ?

Fillet Knives are distinct due to their long, slim, flexible blade that makes the filleting of meat or fish much easier than with other knives. As well as being a versatile kitchen tool the Fillet Knife is also popular with fishermen or hunters and can be bought with sheath which can usually be attached to a belt.

To expertly fillet a fish it is essential to be able to cleanly slice along the fishes backbone which is where the filleting knives unique blade works its magic. The characteristics of the blade allow you to cut around the bones and the sharp blades makes it easy to produce even slices.

Blades of Fillet Knives

The blade of a typical Fillet Knife measures somewhere between four and nine inches in length. As you would expect longer blades are best suited to dealing with larger fish. For those who wish to purchase a single fillet knife for all round usage then a blade of seven and a half inches should be suitable.

Most Fillet Knife blades are made from stainless steel although it is often difficult to judge the quality of the metal used. It is usually a good idea to buy a fillet knife from a reputable brand that offers product guarantees.

One of the most important attributes of fillet knives is their level of flexibility. As a general rule a blade will have less flex the thicker it is. A short blade should have more flex as it is designed to be used on small fish that will require cutting at more awkward angles. Although longer blades still require a fair amount of flex it is less crucial than in the shorter fillet knives.

Fillet Knives – The Handles

Aside from the blade the handle is also another important thing to consider when purchasing fillet knives. Traditionally wood has been the material of choice for the fillet knife but more recently plastic and rubber have become more popular.

The limitations associated with wooden handle fillet knives include the fact that the handles can get slippery when wet which can lead to lack of control and also wood can absorb fish smells which makes them difficult to clean. Plasic and Rubber handled fillet knives have no problems with absorbing odors and they both provide good traction.

Another point to consider when looking at handles is the grip itself. Try to get a fillet knife with a indentation for the index finger which will provide extra control and leverage when cutting.