fish-miester Posted June 25, 2009 Report Share Posted June 25, 2009 Hello fellow fisher guys and gals "misplaced" my family filette knife.. worked wonders (while it lasted) and now im in need of a new one.. are the rapala knives from canadian tire any good? work buying ? or are they all "basicly equal" as long as there sharp? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitespinnerbait Posted June 25, 2009 Report Share Posted June 25, 2009 I picked one up last month on sale ... Works real good IMHO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonny Posted June 25, 2009 Report Share Posted June 25, 2009 I've found Rapala and Normark knives to be fine. While you're at it, pick up a "Speedy Sharp" sharpener - works really well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish4Eyes Posted June 25, 2009 Report Share Posted June 25, 2009 The knife is very good. Although I find if I could take it back I would of bought the 9" that they sell instead of the 7". I think it would be easier to fillet pickeral with a longer blade. Might just come down to personal preference though, your call! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozaibak1 Posted June 25, 2009 Report Share Posted June 25, 2009 It's good, I've had my Rapala from CT for several years now and it's still working well. Get a decent sharpener and you'll be fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paully Posted June 25, 2009 Report Share Posted June 25, 2009 works just as good as any! as long as your not expecting the best knife in the world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonny Posted June 25, 2009 Report Share Posted June 25, 2009 The knife is very good. Although I find if I could take it back I would of bought the 9" that they sell instead of the 7". I think it would be easier to fillet pickeral with a longer blade. Might just come down to personal preference though, your call! I bought a 9" Old Timer (Schrade) with a green rubber handle --- it felt really good in the hand. The first time I cut myself with it, I thought I was careless, the second time, same thing. I used my regular 7" Rapalas and Normarks in between and had no problem. Tried the Old Timer again... same thing. The 9" blade was just too long for me to handle properly, it seems. I gave the knife to my brother. Your experience might differ from mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pike slayer Posted June 25, 2009 Report Share Posted June 25, 2009 i have the one with the black rubber handle and i have the natural wood handle rapala fillet knives from crappy. i'm not a fan of the rubber handle one, the metal end of the handle where the blade begins is annoying and rubs on the table and is tough to skin fish. i really like the wooden handled one and i suggest that one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camillj Posted June 25, 2009 Report Share Posted June 25, 2009 Ive Always used a rapala knife... and probably always will ... its tradition .... they stay sharp .. and they work .... my most recent one is about 10 yrs old ... and only replaced it because the last one got lost Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CLofchik Posted June 26, 2009 Report Share Posted June 26, 2009 Like all things Normark/Rapala the quality on them has really gone down hill recently. I've got a 6" & 10" that have to be pushing 20 years old and still work & feel great. Bought a new one to gift and comparing them side by side it's really apparent how cheap they've gotten. Now I did pick up a Browning on sale at BPS in the spring, and wow this thing works awesome. The steel could be better, but that's comparing them to higher end knives, and the handle is shaped perfectly to keep a grip. For $15 you can't find a better fillet knife, smokes anything Normark. http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/s...__SearchResults Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greencoachdog Posted June 26, 2009 Report Share Posted June 26, 2009 When talking fillet knives, I prefer Gerber steel!!!... but Rapala ain't bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozaibak1 Posted June 26, 2009 Report Share Posted June 26, 2009 When talking fillet knives, I prefer Gerber steel!!!... but Rapala ain't bad. Gerber... my favorite brand of knives! I've got a bunch of fold'em pocket knives from Gerber I used to use on fish, but those were pocket knives, I'll look for a Gerber fillet knife at BPS, wouldn't mind comparing it to the Rapala... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dabluz Posted June 26, 2009 Report Share Posted June 26, 2009 (edited) I've got at least 10 knives that I fillet with. 2 of them are old Rapalas...one with a 6 or 7 inch blade and the other with a 9 or 10 inch blade. I also have one that costs about 1 dollar and a couple of others that I have found over the years and I have used filet knives belonging to other people. I have even fileted walleye with a 3 inch Swiss pocket knife, a Russel boat knife and a folding Opinel knife. All worked fine. I don't even notice much difference in any of the knives except the fact that a more flexible blade does remove the skin from a filet a bit easier. The trick is for the knife to be very very sharp. When I get home, I cut off the heads and cut the skin on my walleyes with a 9 inch butcher knife and then use the filet knife for the delicate work. Thus, I don't have to sharpen the filet knife so often. I remove the extra row of fine bones from walleye and brook trout. Not many people even notice these fine bones unless the fish is very large (over 5 lbs). Yes, the small Rapala knife does make removing the cheeks on walleye and pike a bit easier. I do believe that a better quality blade will keep it's edge longer but with a sharpener like the Speedy Sharp makes sharpening a breeze. Edited June 26, 2009 by Dabluz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish4Eyes Posted June 26, 2009 Report Share Posted June 26, 2009 I bought a 9" Old Timer (Schrade) with a green rubber handle --- it felt really good in the hand. The first time I cut myself with it, I thought I was careless, the second time, same thing. I used my regular 7" Rapalas and Normarks in between and had no problem. Tried the Old Timer again... same thing. The 9" blade was just too long for me to handle properly, it seems. I gave the knife to my brother. Your experience might differ from mine. Really eh? I have yet to use a 9", but my 7" just seems too short when i'm filleting even 13-15" pickeral. Maybe I will borrow somebody elses to try before I make the purchase. Thanks for the heads up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish4Eyes Posted June 26, 2009 Report Share Posted June 26, 2009 (edited) On the wish list for the future will be a Zwilling J.A. Henckels fillet knife. Only thing I dislike is that they don't come in a case like the rapala knives. Im pretty sure they are all lifetime warranty too. We have Zwilling knives in the home that are almost 20 years old and still being used. This site actually sells them for half the price compared to what I saw in the mall. http://www.unicahome.com/p47431/j-a-hencke...a-henckels.html Edited June 26, 2009 by Fish4Eyes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danbouck Posted June 26, 2009 Report Share Posted June 26, 2009 I've always used a Rapala. Work great, stay sharp and are cheap to buy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonny Posted June 26, 2009 Report Share Posted June 26, 2009 Sorry, talkin' through my hat earlier. The Rapalas and Normarks I have are 6". I find those are plenty long for filleting even large pike. I was digging through some old knives and found an "Uncle Buck" 7" that I had forgotten about. It has a bone handle (simulated, I think). I remember now that this knife was too long for me as well --- I would catch my fingers with the tip when filleting. So it's been residing at the bottom of a drawer for years! Nice knife, so I'm toying with the idea of cutting off an inch and re-shaping a new point. I wonder if that can be done with any success? It's no samurai sword, so maybe it would work. The mention of Henckels not having a sheath --- don't throw away any old Normark or Rapala cases. I have a Normark that nestles quite happily in a Rapala case, and I have a boning knife that fits an old cut-back Normark case. You might find that a Henckel will fit a case from another knife. Filleting knives come and go. I've found a couple at campsites, launches, etc. where people have forgotten them. I've probably left the odd one behind myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanD Posted June 26, 2009 Report Share Posted June 26, 2009 I have one of the Old Timer 9” knife and I think it’s been one of the best knives I’ve used. Like what Jocko said the rubber handle fits my hand very comfortable and it’s not slippery. Even with the rubber handle, the blade is sensitive enough that you can feel every bone as the tip of the knife runs over them. The steel that the blade is made of could be a little harder; because it does loose its edge, if you’re rough with it. A few passes of the knife over a steel and the edge comes right back. I only have to actually sharpen it a couple of times a year and I use the Lansky sharpener to do that. As for cutting myself; well I’m famous for it; give me a butter knife and I’ll find a way to draw blood. A friend of mine is a butcher and he gave me one of those stainless steel gloves; now it's just the bystanders that have to watch out. LOL The other thing about using the butcher’s glove is that no matter how slimy that pike is you can keep a good hold of it and not shoot it across the cleaning shack; as it squirts out of your hand. Dan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish4Eyes Posted June 26, 2009 Report Share Posted June 26, 2009 Jocko: Im still not picturing how you manage to cut yourself. When filleting pickeral, the only time I risk cutting myself is when I go to cut out the rib bone, as the blade is facing me, the rest of the time the blade and the tip of the knife is always away from me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonny Posted June 26, 2009 Report Share Posted June 26, 2009 Jocko: Im still not picturing how you manage to cut yourself. When filleting pickeral, the only time I risk cutting myself is when I go to cut out the rib bone, as the blade is facing me, the rest of the time the blade and the tip of the knife is always away from me. I have a hard time remembering how exactly. Just that the tip ends up sometimes being where I don't expect it to be. Filleting with a 6" has become second nature I guess. I can use a longer knife and not cut myself if I'm careful, but dollars to donuts if I'm doing a number of fish I'll forget and I'll catch my fingers somewhere. Like I said, maybe it's just me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigugli Posted June 26, 2009 Report Share Posted June 26, 2009 On the wish list for the future will be a Zwilling J.A. Henckels fillet knife. Only thing I dislike is that they don't come in a case like the rapala knives. Im pretty sure they are all lifetime warranty too. We have Zwilling knives in the home that are almost 20 years old and still being used. This site actually sells them for half the price compared to what I saw in the mall. http://www.unicahome.com/p47431/j-a-hencke...a-henckels.html The Henckel filleting knife does not have the flexibility in the blade I would want for the task. Beyond that they are fine blades. Fish4Eyes Posted Today, 09:42 AM Jocko: Im still not picturing how you manage to cut yourself. When filleting pickeral, the only time I risk cutting myself is when I go to cut out the rib bone, as the blade is facing me, the rest of the time the blade and the tip of the knife is always away from me. I always manage to catch a finger tip once or twice a year. Usually when I'm working on the annual fall perch catch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonny Posted June 26, 2009 Report Share Posted June 26, 2009 The Henckel filleting knife does not have the flexibility in the blade I would want for the task. Beyond that they are fine blades. That flexibility is really important when skinning fillets. Other than that, you could practically use a hunting knife to fillet a fish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Headhunter Posted June 26, 2009 Report Share Posted June 26, 2009 Length of blade really doesn't bother me, until it's time to skin. I prefer a long blade when skinning, ensure that there is always more blade then fillet. I have three Rap knives, like them all. HH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish4Eyes Posted June 26, 2009 Report Share Posted June 26, 2009 very good point guys, weird why they wouldn't design it so it has a flexible blade Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raf Posted June 26, 2009 Report Share Posted June 26, 2009 I only have to actually sharpen it a couple of times a year and I use the Lansky sharpener to do that. Dan. Where did you pick up the Lansky products Dan? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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