sharpening fillet knife

Yesterday I filleted a few white and had a bear of a time with my dull fillet knife. I recently got a worksharp and a bunch of people on another forum told me it works great to get a fillet knife razor sharp. The worksharp has gotten tons of praise but I have been really disappointed in it. I think it takes a lot of steel off a blade and doesn't get it all that sharp. It got my knife sharp enough to grab the back of my thumb nail but it wasn't sharp enough to zip through a fish. Does anybody have a better way to sharpen a fillet knife? Thanks

My worksharp is great. Sharpens hunting and kitchen knives great. Mine sharpens thin bladed knives better with the black guide , I think it is 20 degree. Can slice paper and my wife's fingers easily when I am through. Good luck.

I beginning to think that some fillet knives just can't be sharpened. I have a Chicago Cutlery that I've had for 20 years, and it will only get what I call "medium sharp" and that's it. I've tried a dozen sharpening tools, and even had other people try, but no-go.

I agree, I have had knives that nothing could sharpen.

I use a workshop every month or so to put a new edge on my Bubba Blade. I love mine, it works very well. I use a diamond steel to keep it sharp the rest of the time. I use the steel every 20-30 fish for about 30 seconds. That being said my 30 seconds on that steel is about 60 hits on each side. Ive used it enough that I am fairly quick at it. I clean about 12,000-14,000 fish per year and I keep my knife sharp enough to shave hair.
Good luck

i have a dexter russel steel and keeps my 6 in rapala fillet knife and my dexter russel knives razor sharp.

I use a Lansky and have no complaints on my fillet knives. I use four knives and when one dulls, get another. I have found that sharpening at a 20º works great. 17º will get sharper, but won't hold the edge any time at all. I also use a ceramic insulator to burnish after sharpening.

Last sharpener you will ever buy

AccuSharp® Knife and Tool Sharpener

http://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/accusharp-knife-and-tool-sharpener/pid-32428?N=86690577

DMT diamond sticks. They are like the ceramic sticks monted in a block but are diamond steel. I have just about every sharpener there is and these are my favorite. Smoky Mountain Knife Works use to carry them. Last time I bought I had to go to DMT to locate a dealer.

I think DMT may have quit making the sticks. The folding ones work jst as well. I have the blue and red but rarely use the red or fine. I liked the sticks because they were faster.

Wow, y'all are fancy.
Just a regular ole sharpening stone and a steady hand.
Then a leather strop.
Just like my ole pocket face razor

once you have an established edge , keep it sharp by re-sharping it before and during the fillet process , JMO .

get one of these and learn how to use it. arkansas stones are all I use and hand sharpen everything, I can outdo my lansky.

I have been using a Spyderco Sharp Maker for many years, worn out a couple of them. I have put edges on knives that other people couldn't get sharp.

I also have a few knives handy so this way when one gets dull, I just grab another one and sharpen them when done processing our catch.

I use the little cheap red one with the two ceramic rods in it. It works wonders and when it wears out I just get another. Keeps my cutco knife razor sharp whether cleaning catfish, crappie, or white bass.

Same here, they come with Rapala fillet knives. I was surprised how well they work, I even use them on the house knives I use for breaking down pork shoulders. Cheap too.

I just use a wet stone, run it across a few times it's good as new

If it's a SS knife you have to pay attention to it like a kid learning to walk.... let it get dull and you have to spend the time to get it back. Real steel knives you can dig a trench out in your back yard and bring the edge back to a razor with minimal time on a stone. Just remember sharpening steels or ceramics are only to realign your blade keeping it sharp longer if it's already dull you need to use stone course enough to take metal off to sharpen.

Another hint clean your sharpening device with a brush and soapwater, when you cross your blade on it metal compacts into it making it less effective. Another tip is don't cut straight down into a cutting surface especially glass plates and don't let your old lady take it outside to cut weeds out of sidewalk cracks.............

Just get a good American angler and go clean , I use a work shop to sharpen after a100 or so

I have a set of Apollo ceramic sticks , they work great.
Lansky makes something similar.
I never let the knife get dull , so it is easy to keep sharp.
Just a few passes before each session and it will shave.




MO

I used to have 1
they were pretty good on knifes, never tried it on a fillet knife

My wife bought me a Berkley electric filet knife from walmart. Best freaking filet knife ever! I was using one that my dad bought from sears in the 1970's. A GE electric. Worked good but the blades were dull and couldn't find replacement blades for a model that old. That new Berkley cuts through spine, ribs whatever you put it up against it cuts it.

+1 on the spyderco sharpmaker. Easy to learn, reproducible results. I have to write "sharp" in red ink on the knives I maintain with the sharp maker so my wife doesn't cut her fingers off with them.

I didnt read everything already posted but I do have some knowledge on the subject.

I work with Levensailor custom knives out of New braunfels. I market their knife sharpening system. Before I knew these guys all my knives were in poor shape. Even the knives I thought were sharp just werent.

Here is what we do to get that edge your looking for.

Start on a coarse wet stone. Raise a burr on one side before moving to the other side to raise a burr.

Once you have raised a burr on each side of the knife now you can move to the fine wet stone. Alternate sides going form hilt to tip always moving the spine away from you and thus rubbing the blade spine first.

After you have a nice fine edge that you would normally be happy with thats when its time to go to the stropping block and some stropping compund. Think barbers sharpning leather strap. You alternate strokes on the strop like the fine wet stone again going hilt to tip.

A fillet knife has a very thin egde unlike rope cutters which have a higher angle. On a filet knife I like about a 15 degree angle and on a rope cutter or EDC or general pourpose knife I like about a 17-20 degree blade.

I dont want this to be a sales post so if your interested in learning more or contacting me for product info please feel free. I guarantee your knife cant get sharper then what we offer. We also offer a $40.00 sharpening service which includes shipping.