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Bout to order steel to make myself a dedicated set of pier knives. What do you guys look for? Steel is going to be AEBL, closest stainless you can get to carbon steel cutting edge. I usually use stabilized hardwoods for handles, may go with a "grippy" finished phenolic. Just looking for some design ideas. I kinda know what I don't like about the factory blades I currently use.
IMNSHO---It's hard to beat the Rapala blade design, especially for the small fish that I catch, and the 6" blade readily takes care of fish up to 10-12#, especially kings and Spanish. The blade needs a certain amount of flexibility to navigate bone structure. For bull reds and those few large kings I catch, I like the Dexter-Rusell boning knife which is stiffer but still has the narrow blade. I have more control over a smaller blade than I do over a big blade, and I get more meat on my fillets. A 9" blade would be good if you did a lot of boat fishing and got into lots of big snapper, grouper, smoker kings, wahoo, mahi-mahi and amberjack.
Sounds like a really interesting project that you're undertaking.
I'm primarily a carbon steel, forged blade kinda guy lol as a rule I only make knives I know how to use, so I've bought a several different fillet knives to see what I do an don't like before dropping the time and money on designing, making and testing a new design.
Good plan. Now, come on down and catch a whole bunch of fish so you can practice with your new knives. Heck, I may even let you practice on some of mine, if you think you can handle a chore of that magnitude.Quote:
Originally Posted by will46r
We'll hopefully be back down in a few weeks. Iffen you're there, I'm willing to butcher your fillets just in repayment for the advice you've shared. Now I do mean "butcher", you'll probably be pretty unhappy with the amount of fillets in return for the fish handed over :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Haywire
so i'll go ahead and hijack the thread a bit. i have a bubba blade that i had heard great things about and it really is a good knife. however, i am not a fan of the handle. i'm positive that it is operator error on my part, but the handle seems to get in the way of how i fillet my fish. the guard is too large and doesn't seem like it allows me to process the fish the way my old cheaper rapala does. i suppose i should do the adapting because the knife damn sure can't, but it just bothers me. anyone else feel the same way?
I've 2 of the Bubba Blades a 7" and 9" tapered flex and their pliers, It's the handle that sold me more than anything elseQuote:
Originally Posted by j. gravy
Good hijacking. I hold the base of the knife with my thumb and forefinger; the Rapala handles made me feel comfortable. For my grip on the handle, a big guard is not a help. If you was making it for me.........Like to see it when it's done, tho.
Y'all realize you can reshape those handles using rasps or files? I would recommend getting a 4 in hand from a hardware store and shaping the handles to the way you want. 4 in hand is a file like object with flat and round rasp and file sections.
Being a former chef, I was taught how to properly hold a knife for best control of the blade. That being said, I have gone through a lot of filet knives over the years(more or less because the blades get dull real quick and just don't hold up well). Over the past year though, I have been buying different styles of Cuda Brand knives and have to say I have been very impressed. The handle shape fits perfect to the way I hold the knife and has a rubberized grip that even when my hands are wet, I am able to maintain good grip. They are also made out a very hard stainless steel that holds an edge a long time and makes quick work of sheepshead, snappers, and triggers. I would suggest giving them a look for an idea on what to do with your knives.