Dexter 8" fillet knife

I'm changing my review to 5 stars because after a year of being annoyed by the handle not being fitted well to the blade, I emailed DR with some pictures and they are replacing my knife for me. This is hands down the best filet knife I've used though and I have a few both traditional/american and Japanese. It just gets really sharp and gets around bones and stuff really well. I wish it was 6" to be honest because I do more trout and stuff but depending on what you filet this is the knife and it's not bad for trout, just have to get used to working with a longer blade on smaller fish. It is NOT stainless. It will rust if you don't take care of it. My suggestion is if you don't get one with the handle snug to the blade with gaps, you exchange it for another because (like me) water can get between the handle and rust and you cant combat that. If it's a good fit, keep the knife dry and oiled after use, and maybe consider working some chapstick or something into the edge where the blade meets the handle so that water cant get in there. If you take care of it, it will be the sharpest best filet knife you've used. You might consider forcing a patina on it with vinegar or whatever if it's your first carbon steel knife, you might need to sharpen it afterwards. I prefer the natural superior patina that develops naturally but having one forced on from the get go will save you some hassle if you're not experience with non stainless knives. Anyway... you cant go wrong with DR knives. They are great. I'm happier now that customer support was helpful and I have a knife with a better fitted handle. If you're on the fence and you decide to get a stainless knife, a rapala would be my choice. Particularly if you want a smaller blade, but for the non stainless really sharp factor this is the jam

My daily use knife for seafood and cleaning beef. Edge retention is so-so, but sharpens up nicely.

This carbon steel fillet knife is a bargain. I find carbon steel knives to be much easier to get and keep sharp than stainless steel. I have one carbon-steel butcher knife that was a wedding gift. It is still a great knife after 36 years! I'm expecting this knife to last as long (if I do). This blade is slightly more stiff than some, but still more than flexible enough. I expect it to be a great knife. For those who complain about rust... carbon steel doesn't have anything that protects against rust. You must keep it clean and dry after using. I always wipe with a tiny bit of vegetable oil or bacon grease after washing. One thing that seems to help (for me) is to put a patina on the blade when I get it. That surface seems to inhibit rust slightly. To create a patina, I first wash the knife with hot soapy water and dry completely. Then I spray each side of the knife with some 20% horticultural vinegar I have (organic weed killer). Other forms of mild acid would work too. Once the vinegar dries, I wash and dry again. This time I add a little oil to a paper towel and wipe a very light coat over the knife. The second photo shows the difference between the patina and a stainless knife. If you look closely, you can see the shine of the freshly refreshed edge.

Many years ago, I worked on fishing boats and the Dexter Fillet Knife was an essential tool for making my livelihood. When I moved away for grad school, my parents through that knife away because it was rusty. How sad! High carbon steel knives will rust and this knife is/was no exception. I recently replaced that knife and I was thoroughly delighted to discover that Dexter still makes the same wonderful knife. This knife is flexible and it's easy to get a razor sharp edge on it; much easier than getting a sharp edge on any stainless steel blade. It really is a pleasure to use. High carbon steel will rust/tarnish, so after washing, I usually rub it with a little vegetable oil. Any discoloration has absolutely no functional consequences, and I recommend this knife to anyone who wants a superior quality fillet knife.

Great knife easy to sharpen

Most of the guides that I have fish with over 60 years use this knife or a very similar one (or the longer version) and a somewhat coarse stone. They sharpen often. The carbon steel blade rusts but it also sharpens easily and is hard enough but also flexes the right amount. The wood grip works better than fish slime covered plastic, but in the end fish slime always wins.

I know this brand, have other knives by them some quite old, got from grandparents years ago. They last, stay sharp longer than cheaper knives and those that say they never need sharpening, good lick with that, but will need to be sharpened and that is quite easy to do if you have a sharpener.

I learned about Dexter-Russel knives a few years ago. Ones I've bought so far are sharp on arrival, hold an edge well, easy to resharpen and very cost-effective cutlery. I already have, and love, the white-plastic-handle version of this knife. This wooden-handle version looks like it will become a favorite at my fish cleaning station. Just wish I could have bought it with a sheath.

These knives are great for filleting .

Great product for use on fish or meat.