Favourite salmon Knife?

5061 Views 21 Replies 15 Participants Last post by NathanielEnzo, 7 mo ago

scoobydope2

Discussion Starter · Dec 20, 2012

Hey guys, well Santa's been bugging me for ideas this year for me ( I guess as we guys get older, the list starts to shorten to "Socks and Underwear", which I'll never say 'no' to, but still...)
One of those things on the list of things that I'd like but never seem to buy for myself, is a GOOD knife for the river. I've probably spent the $15 - $20 about 6 times on shite knives that I eventually need to replace (or lose) so I don't know why I never just buckled down and spent the bills on ONE GOOD knife.

So I'm doin' some recon here.
Ideally it would be a folding blade style. I'm too freaking clumsy on those moss covered rocks to trust myself with a sheathed blade on my belt. Also, I'd hope for the handle to be a good quality rubber: Trying to quickly gill bleed a mucus covered salmon with slippery hands on a metal handle has -- in the past -- resulted in more than just the salmon bleeding out. (side note: there's like NO emergency departments in Chilliwack that I could find. Thank god for superglue)

I'm not talking fillet knife here, I have those. I mean a short bladed tough mofo that can deal with the gilling of a 30 pounder..

you guys must have a favourite, Gerber? Smith and Wesson?... Suggestions?

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Tex

· #2 · Dec 20, 2012

How much do you want to spend, SD2? I won't be able to offer suggestions, but someone else might and that would probably be their first question.

scoobydope2

Discussion Starter · #3 · Dec 20, 2012

well, it's a gift suggestion to others FOR me, so no more than $750.

Seriously though, I think the price range probably falls in the $60 - $120 dollar range.

stone

· #4 · Dec 20, 2012

I have a bunch of Kershaw Speedsafe knives. The one I carry the most is the Compound 1940ST. Got it from Amazon for around $20. It came very sharp out of the box. The CrMOV stainless steel is not the hardest on the market, but it's also easy to sharpen. It holds an edge well enough.

For a fillet knife, I like my Cutco Fisherman's Solution. I've had this over ten years, and still haven't found one better. I sent it back a couple of years ago because I nicked the edge on a few places. $5 later, and I had a brand new one in the mail.

Reactions: 1

STLHDR

· #5 · Dec 20, 2012

Get a good sharpener for what ever knife you decide on as that's more important I think. Mine is like an fresh razor blade at all times, a sharp knife is a safe knife...

Fishaholic

· #6 · Dec 21, 2012

I think Dexter russel knifes retail around the 30 mark.

If your mainstay was salt I would recommend the 8 inch wide for salmon/cod, 8 inch narrow for halis.

If you are mostly fresh I would go with the 7 inch.. It really depends on your style of cutting but I would stay away from the 7 inch flexibles.

Look like....

The black handle ones have a nicer grip material (softer) but just doing the odd salmon you wouldn't notice a difference

I was over a million pounds when I stopped fish cutting.

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Kuma

· #7 · Dec 21, 2012

I also went through a pile of them but I find my relatively cheap Buck has exactly the right flexibility, stays sharp, and has a great grippy handle. It's also holding the not gone missing record of close to 10 years now....

sage2106lb

· #8 · Dec 21, 2012

X2 on the Buck. :thumbup:

BigfishMike

· #9 · Dec 21, 2012 (Edited)

2

"THAT'S not a noif! THIS is a noif!
Mick Dundee

Knife Bowie knife Blade Dagger Hunting knife

Actually, parents got us a fantastic set of Wusthof Classics, and their fillet knife is unmatched.
A little pricey for me---about $100 for this one, but holds it's edge, has a great flex and feel.
You could shave with this baby. Hell, Driller could shave with it.

WELL worth the cost.

Knife Blade Kitchen knife Cutting tool Hunting knife

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Reactions: 1

gmachine19

· #10 · Dec 21, 2012

Buck 110!!! Seriously, I've had one for a while now and they don't seem to go dull. Its a nice classic too. And the factory edge is hair shaving sharp. And its only around $60

moro

· #11 · Dec 22, 2012

T've had a buck 110 for about 15 years and have used it for cleaning fish on the river many times. A great knife for the money.

Flyfishin Magician

· #12 · Dec 22, 2012 (Edited)

I've got a Sog Flash 1 folding knife. Maybe not a "salmon knife" per se, but it is an awesome tool. Razor sharp (I cut myself a few times while cleaning my fish!), small/protable, and very reliable. Plus, deploying the knife with the "Sog assist" is quite addictive. If you want a bigger knife, try the Sog Flash 2 or the Sog Aegis.

Reactions: 1

Flyfishin Magician

· #13 · Dec 22, 2012

Check out Sog here:

http://www.sogknives.com/

gmachine19

· #14 · Dec 23, 2012

Don't get a SOG. Next thing you know, you'll have 6 of them! :cheers:

scoobydope2

Discussion Starter · #15 · Dec 24, 2012

gmachine19 said:
Don't get a SOG. Next thing you know, you'll have 6 of them! :cheers:

Ha! That's exactly what I was just thinking after seeing the video. That really looks like it's the dealio for me. The only thing, is it legal?
I seem to remember switchblades being outlawed in Canada, and this sweet little number looks a little switch-bladey. Love the looks of it though, and the handle shape is dead on for what I'd need with slimy, cold hands during steelie season here.
Thanks a lot for all your comments, guys, been a huge help!

Flyfishin Magician

· #16 · Dec 24, 2012

Good question about the legality of the knife. AFAIK, these knives are legal. They're readily available from local (Canadian) suppliers. Also, you have to physically initiate the movement of the blade to execute the SOG assist. It's not like you can press a button or flip a switch. The SOGs are classified as "assisted opening" knives, as opposed to "automatic opening" or "switchblades".

As for the quality of the tool, it's outstanding. I use my Flash 1 for everything from opening letters and breaking up boxes, to cleaning fish. I have no problem cleaning big springs with this little knife - it cuts through like butter. However, I have to be extremely careful as it is very easy to cut myself with this knife. I've actually got two of them. I have the basic version (with Zytel handle) for "field use", and a nicer aluminum handled version for "EDC" use.

Below is a pretty good video review of this knife:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeJxY7YFBTA

Good luck and have fun!

stone

· #17 · Dec 25, 2012

Yup...plenty of assisted opening knives that are legal in Canada, like FM's SOG, Gerber's FAST, and my Kershaw Speedsafe. If you find good deals in the US (there's plenty on Amazon, for example), I've ordered them to my box in Sumas and declared them coming up and there's never been any issues with them with CBSA.

gmachine19

· #18 · Dec 25, 2012

Buy them from http://www.warriorsandwonders.com/. They based in Vancouver and always have a great price. Plus, they don't sell anything illegal here in Canada like butterflies and switches.

As far as legality, they are allowed to be in your person, any size, as long as you have a justifiable legal use for them. Like work, fishing, camping, etc. I carry a pocket knife almost everyday for work. I've pulled them out in front of customers before to cut up boxes, twines, and no one has said anything yet. I even talked to a cop once with a knife on my hand while I was sturgeon fishing and they don't seem to mind. But leave them at home if you go to bars or you really don't have a use for them.:cheers:

Samnjoe

· #19 · Jan 3, 2013

I am assuming you are looking for a fillet knife.
I have a Caribou Custom 8".
Great professional grade knife made in the lower mainland.
They have a web site.

zap brannigan

· #20 · Jan 3, 2013

kershaw junkyard dog 2, best folder good grip and takes a great edge always have one on me

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