Best Salmon Fillet Knives 🔪 [TOP 15 FILLET KNIVES - BUYERS GUIDE 2024]
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Our Top Picks
When it comes to fishing, the right fillet knife is an essential tool; it is also an essential kitchen tool. No matter if you are a professional chef, a fisherman, or just like to cook. A bad knife will quadruple your work and ruin your fish if you don’t own the right one. In addition, if you are not careful, you may end up filleting yourself or shredding fish with a lot of bones that no one can eat.
There are thousands of fillet knives in the markets, but some fish require a different kind of knife to fillet properly. For example, there are fillet knives that are good for filleting salmon and those that are better for other saltwater fish. We all understand the levels of problems one endures while filleting big pieces of salmon after a long fishing day. We all love salmon, but without the right fillet knife, preparing this delicious fish may become a nightmare. Getting the best salmon fillet knife is the only solution for this; a good knife will lighten the whole process and also make it faster.
With that being said, let’s take a look at the best salmon fillet knives in the market and what to look for when buying a salmon fillet knife. Without wasting time, the following are the best salmon fillet knives.
Cangshan TC Series 1020472 Swedish 14C28N Steel Forged 7-Inch Fillet Knife
The Cangshan TC Series Fillet Knife is a fusion of functionality and artistry. Forged from Swedish 14C28N steel, it promises exceptional strength, durability, and razor-sharp precision. The 7-inch blade is perfectly balanced for filleting salmon, offering flexibility and control.
This knife also comes with a unique, handcrafted leather sheath, making it a stylish and practical choice for outdoor enthusiasts. The handle is designed for comfort and grip, reducing hand fatigue during extended use. The sleek and modern design makes it a standout addition to any kitchen.
The following are what makes these knives best for salmon
- Swedish 14C28N steel for exceptional strength and sharpness
- 7-inch blade ideal for precise filleting tasks
- Includes a handcrafted leather sheath for storage and transport
- Ergonomically designed handle for comfort and control
- Sleek and modern aesthetic
Shun Cutlery Classic Boning & Fillet Knife
Introducing the Shun Cutlery Classic Boning & Fillet Knife a must have tool, for both boning and filleting tasks especially when working with salmon. This knife boasts a 6 inch blade made from VG MAX steel renowned for its sharpness and ability to hold an edge. Not does the Damascus clad blade enhance its appeal but it also adds strength to the knifes construction.
Designed with user comfort and control in mind this knife features a D shaped handle made from ebony PakkaWood. Its unique shape allows for maneuvering along bones and effortless separation of flesh making it an indispensable tool for fish preparation.
The following are what makes these knives best for salmon
- sharpness provided by the VG MAX steel blade
- Perfect 6 inch blade length, for filleting and boning
- designed D shaped ebony PakkaWood handle ensures a comfortable grip
- Stunning Damascus clad blade adds to its appeal
- Superior edge retention and lasting durability
WÜSTHOF Classic 7" Fillet Knife, Black
The WÜSTHOF Classic 7″ Fillet Knife, in Black is an option when it comes to salmon. Its 7 inch blade is expertly designed for controlled cuts making it ideal for tasks such as filleting and skinning. The blade, made of carbon steel guarantees long lasting sharpness and durability. With its full tang handle thats triple riveted you’ll enjoy an secure grip ensuring both safety and efficiency.
This knifes slim and flexible design allows for to the bone cuts minimizing waste and delivering fillets every time. Moreover the WÜSTHOF Classic Fillet Knife is simple to clean and maintain making it a favorite among chefs well as home cooks.
The following are what makes these knives best for salmon
- The carbon stainless steel blade maintains its sharpness over time
- The full tang handle with rivets provides balance and control
- The 7 inch flexible blade is perfect, for filleting
- It's durable and easy to keep in condition
- Its elegant design features a handle
DALSTRONG Filet knife - Shogun series
This is one of the best fillet blades for salmon. This knife has a 6-inch curved blade, making it perfect for cutting, descaling, trimming, and deboning salmon and other types of fish. Its narrow blade is cleverly designed for filleting. It curved towards the end, gliding through the fish bones, joints, and between the skins with minimal effort.
This fillet knife comes with a military-grade handle for long-lasting and durable. It is also very resistant to cold, heat, and moisture. Its ergonomic handle allows for balanced hand control, comfort, and agility. It has an engraved end cap to avoid grip slip. DALSTRONG Filet knife is forged from high-carbon stainless steel, which helps increase its durability and lifespan and maintains its sharpness for a long time. One good thing about this knife is that you can preserve it in a case that comes with a pin and string bolt device when it is not in use. This helps ensure that your fingers and your investment are protected.
The following are what makes these knives best for salmon
- The knife is very sharp
- It requires little pressure to cut
- It has a high level of precision with cuts
- It is carefully assembled by Professionals
- The price is reasonable
Rapala 4 Soft Grip Fillet
This is one of the best salmon Fillet knives on the market. It comes with the popular Rapala flexible stainless steel blade and is made with a non-slip handle that weighs just a single pound. It also comes with a carrying case and a sharpener.
The following are some other cool features that make it one of the best knives for filleting salmon.
- The non-slip, soft-grip, and textured handle
- It comes with a black holster that fits on belts
- It also comes with a single-stage sharpener
- The steel blade is flexible for long-lasting, efficiency, and functionality.
Rada Cutlery Fillet Knife
This is another great knife for filleting salmon; the Rada Cutlery knife is high quality, lightweight, and comes with a sturdy leather sheath. Fishermen love this knife because the blade stays sharp for a while and it won’t rust. The total length of the knife is approximately 1.25 inches and the blade alone is 1 inch. This knife has been crafted in such a way that it has greater blade flexibility and perfect sharpness. Consumers love this knife because it is noted as being great for handling wet environments.
The following are what makes these knives best for salmon
- Flexible blade
- Comfortable grip
- Lifetime warranty
- Leather Scabbard
Wusthof Gourmet 11- Inch Salmon Slicer, Hollow Edge
This is a well-balanced and durable knife with high carbon stainless steel. The maker of this knife has maintained the tradition of making the best fillet knife for years. Wusthof Gourmet 11- Inch Salmon Slicer is the best in cutting salmon and other fish. This knife is made from high-carbon stainless steel before being polished. The knife offers hollow edges to lessen friction, allowing faster and easier effort while cutting.
The manufacturer uses the best materials in making this knife. And each blade is precisely tempered which allows it to hold the edge for a lengthy time. It provides excellent balance, comfortability, and maneuverability when holding the knife, which makes it easier to work around the backbone creating a perfect fillet. The handle is made of ABS polymer, which helps it resist heat and impact for maximum durability. This knife is a blend of modern technology and old-hand craftsmanship. It comes with a lifetime warranty, so you can buy this knife with confidence.
The following are what makes these knives best for salmon
- Highly-durable and comfortable handle with a traditional look and feel
- Extremely sharp with an easily maintained blade
- Top of the line quality
Bubba Blade 9 inch Fillet Knife
This knife is designed for fishermen who prefer some flex to a blade. It is perfect for filleting fish of all sizes since it provides the user with easy cutting and total blade control. It will make a great addition to your fishing tackle and kitchen equipment collection. The handle is made of thermoplastic polymer, wrapped in a special synthetic rubber that will remain sticky even wet. Bubba Blade provides impressive grasp protection that allows a complete knife sway. This knife comes with a textured, non-slip handle with thumb and finger pads for better control.
The knife is also equipped with a custom black synthetic sheath and a lanyard hole to keep the knife close when you are fishing. The Titanium bonded stainless steel help the fish slide off the blade easily, which helps make filleting salmon relatively easy. The blade is properly tapered and can cut through fish and meat smoothly. Add Bubba Blade 9-inch Fillet Knife to your collection and have a perfect set for filleting.
The following are what makes these knives best for salmon
- It is a nice looking knife; particularly the black blade that shows its unique characteristics.
- It has a great handle
- It is durable, reliable, and flexible
- It has better control when in motion
Victorinox Cutlery 8-Inch Straight Fillet Fishing Knife
This is another great choice when looking for the best Salmon fillet knife; it is made from ice-tempered steel. The blade is fairly straight and is about eight inches long. This knife also comes with patented Fibrox technology in the handle for slip-resistant and comfortable use.
The following are what makes these knives best for salmon
- It is NSF certified
- It comes with a lifetime warranty against manufacturer defects
- It has a lifetime warranty against producer defects
- The blade length is 8-inches
- The ice-tempered steel help sustain sharpness longer
- The patented Fibrox handles are slip-resistant and ergonomically designed for balance and comfort
12-inch Blade Granton Edge
This knife has a set of similar dimples on both sides of the blade. Not like a jagged edge, which is scalloped along the edges itself, this knife is scalloped along the side and has a straight edge, just like a standard knife. A Granton blade can also be sharpened with a steel or sharp knife. It looks beautiful, which adds to its appeal for home cooks. This knife was found mainly on Santoku knives when they became common with home cooks, but now it is generally available in many kinds of knives, including carving knives, chef edges, and cutting knives.
The following are what makes these knives best for salmon
- It is free of rust and stains, and perfect for domestic and commercial use, or as a gift.
- It comes with a safe, rounded tip, which provides a long, straight edge to maximize the cutting surface and prevent sticking to the knife.
- High carbon stainless steel blade, with the conical ground for a wider breaking point; ice tempered to maintain sharpness.
- The knife is carved from cold rolled steel.
Mercer Culinary Millennia Fillet Knife
This knife is made from premium quality Japanese steel; it is easy to maintain and sharpen quickly. It is designed in such a way that you can cut and make fillets of medium to large size salmon; this will only take a few strokes. Its exceptional quality and unique design make this knife the best choice for salmon enthusiasts.
The following are what makes these knives best for salmon
- It comes with a thin blade that does its work efficiently
- The steel is of premium quality
- The knife is sharp and flexible
Wusthof 4546-7 Classic IKON Salmon Slicer
This is definitely a knife of choice; this is the best tool you’ll need when preparing smoked salmon. An ideal fillet knife size for large salmon, this super slim blade is designed to remove the skin from delicate fish like salmon. Even though it is made for filleting salmon, this knife is also useful for cutting roast beef. The forward partial bolster is made such that it enables you to sharpen the entire length of the blade. And the bolster also curved inwards to give your fingers more control while holding the knife by the blade.
Wusthof 4546-7 Classic is made from high-carbon stainless steel that is very sharp for perfect cuts. It is very long, thin, and flexible, which allows you to get very tinny slices of delicate fish. This is one of the longest among other knives which is why it is very useful for filleting salmon.
The following are what makes these knives best for salmon
- Its handle is contoured for a better grip
- It is tapered for sharpness
- It has the best cutting angle
Dexter-Russell S133-8C
This is another great salmon fillet knife with a straight blade of about eight inches long. The blade is made of high carbon steel and an easy to clean, slip-resistant polypropylene handle that can withstand both high and low temperatures and give you everything you need to fillet hundreds of salmon fish.
The following are what makes these knives best for salmon
- Durable and high carbon steel
- Non-slip polypropylene handle
- It is NSF certified
- Non-slip handle that ensures safe handling
- Impenetrable, hygienic grip-to-blade seal
Cutco Classic Black Handle Salmon Knife
This knife is handmade in the USA with incredibly lightweight that making it easier to use. It is a multipurpose knife and the blade is so sharp that you can get the best salmon fillet. It comes with a stainless steel blade that is adjustable from 6 to 9 inches. The sheath comes with a hook sharpening stone and a built-in line cutter.
The following are what makes these knives best for salmon
- The blade is very sharp and long
- The knife is handmade
- The steel used in its manufacture is of high quality
- There is greater durability
- The steel is made up of high carbon
Kershaw Clearwater 9-in Fillet Knife
This knife is perfect for filleting bigger fish; it has strong and flexible blades that make it difficult for the fish’s weight and motion to break the knife while you are filleting it. Kershaw has made this knife with a curved blade that is flexible sharp, tough, and resistant to corrosion or rust so that it is not easy to break or bend. The curved blade allows you to cut it freely along the fish backbone to create a clean fillet cut.
Kershaw knives made most of the reliable knives available in the market. Their knives are known to be very sharp and are made with the most advanced technology. Their Knives have won several important awards over the years and are a trusted brand among fishermen and other knife users around the world.
The following are what makes these knives best for salmon
- The steel is highly corrosive resistant, which is very important when working around water.
- The handle is strong and contoured for filleting comfort
- The neon highlights in the handle make it easier to spot in the marine environment, while it is still excellent with the basic black handle.
- The handle provides a good grip and it's smooth but the firm texture makes the work of filleting even with big fish less fatiguing.
American Angler PRO Electric Fillet Knife
Having an electric fillet knife is the best way to go if you have a lot of tough salmon fish to clean. This fillet knife comes with an 8-inch titanium-coated stainless steel blade that is good for cutting through tough scales and bones. It is versatile because it comes with up to 5 different sharp blades for you to handle any kind of fish.
The following are what makes these knives best for salmon
- It comes with a two-year warranty
- There are up to 5 blades, all made of stainless steel
- The lifespan of this knife is 4 times greater than the standard electric knives
Rapala Presentation Fillet Knife
If you are looking for an affordable salmon fillet knife that is versatile enough to do more than fillet and will last you for years, then Rapala Presentation Fillet Knife is the right choice for the job. This knife is lightweight and weighs just 4.8 ounces. The manufacturers of this knife have followed ergonomic principles that provide users with ease of use.
The following are what makes these knives best for salmon
- The blade is tapered
- The knife is flexible and reliable
- It has excellent value
- Great corrosion resistance
- Comfortable non-slip handle
- It is very sharp
Outdoor Edge Fish & Bone - Folding Fillet Knife
This knife is made of stainless steel and has a 5-inch blade. It is a handmade knife and the design is great. The Outdoor Edge knife is one of the best folding knives in the market for filleting salmon. Consumers love this knife; many note that the grip feels strong even in wet or humid conditions.
The following are what makes these knives best for salmon
- It is slim and of lightweight
- The knife is of high quality
- It is flexible
- It has a compact size that gives it better portability
- The knife is razor-sharp
How to choose the best salmon fillet knife - Buying Guide
There are thousands of knives to choose from and choosing the best salmon fillet knives can be a bit difficult. Whether you are a kitchen adventurer, a professional chef, or a fisherman, having the right fillet knife for the job makes transforming your catch into delicious table food very easy. Therefore, before making a decision, you should look for some unique qualities that will help you choose the best fillet knife for salmon. The following are things to take into consideration when buying salmon fillet knives.
The Blade size: The blade is one of the most important things to look out for when choosing fillet knives. Always look for a knife with a thin but durable blade with a sharp edge and the right length. The right amount of flex is important as well. The right knife of such blade is usually around 6 to 11 inches long, and its suitability for filleting and deboning fish can be attributed to its long versatile nature.
The Blade material: When buying a fillet knife, always go for high-carbon stainless steel forged knife with hidden tang construction. Knives of such build are very durable. The right fillet knife for salmon should be very sharp and armed with a perfect edge that makes filleting easier. The material should be strong enough to help the blade tip penetrate through the bones easily.
The Knife Handle: The knife handle also plays an important role in achieving clean cuts without using excessive force. Choose an ergonomic handle that fits comfortably in your hand and gives you full control of the blade while maintaining a firm grip on the knife, even when the knife handle or your hand is covered with fish slime, water, or blood. A comfortable handle reduces fatigue and strain during prolonged cleaning sessions, and also guarantees safety.
The Knife Sheath: This is another important consideration when buying salmon fillet knife. It protects the blade and the people around it during storage and when transporting the knife. The Sheaths are available in various materials, including nylon, leather, and plastic. Plastic is an excellent choice for durability. So look for knife sheaths with adequate ventilation and drain ports.
Flexibility: When buying a fillet knife, look for a knife that has versatile blades to make the cutting easier. The flexibility of a knife depends on its thickness, and a heavier blade will be less flexible and longer, while knives with a lesser blade length are usually more flexible. Short-length fish require additional flexibility, as they need to be cut at tougher angles. Bigger fish require stronger blades with extra thickness.
In conclusion, the salmon fillet knife can do the job easily and efficiently without problems. So, if you want to get good results every time you fillet salmon or other fish, you will get the best tool for the job. With thousands of other splendid knives on the market, the above-listed salmon fillet knives are my best choices because of their unique qualities and brand creativity.
Salmon Fillet Knives FAQ
What is a salmon knife for?
A salmon knife is used to fillet the big fish into smaller parts that can be cooked. The knife blade is slim and flexible, which allows you to run it through the whole length of the fish.
What is the best knife to fillet salmon?
Our best choice when it comes to fillet knives for salmon fish is the 9-inch Kershaw fillet knife, this knife is made from premium stainless steel.
What is the best size for a salmon fillet knife?
For larger fish like salmon, you will require a longer blade knife to perfectly cut the fillets with a neat edge. Fillet knives are usually 7-12 inches long, and for larger fish like salmon, a 9-12 inch long blade is perfect.
What is the Best Handle for a Fillet Knife?
The best handle provides proper grip and comfort when used, make sure you look for a fillet knife with an ergonomic handle that will be comfortable in your hand and give you the needed power to control the blade with a firm grip. A comfortable and firm grip not only provides user safety but also reduces unnecessary strain when filleting meats.
What is the best steel for a fillet knife?
When buying a fillet knife for the first time, it’s a good idea to go for high carbon stainless steel. It is durable, easy to sharpen, and inexpensive too. Because these knives are often wet, added chromium in the stainless steel blades makes it possible for the knives to resist rust. And because they are used to prepare fish for eating, the resistance keeps the blade smooth and easy to clean.
What is the best way to store my knife?
A fillet knife can be a useful addition to your kitchen. As such, it is worth taking care of, it is good to avoid throwing it into a messy drawer or leaving the blade down in a knife block because these actions could dull the blade. Keep the knife in a magnetic knife holder separate from other kitchen utensils.
Can a stainless steel fillet knife rust?
The truth is that any stainless steel knife can rust under some conditions, but it is more resistant to corrosion than alloy steel or ordinary carbon. The best way to prevent rust is to wipe it down with an oily rag every time you use it.
How do I sharpen a fillet knife?
There are different ways to sharpen a fillet knife depending on where you are. But the important thing is that you should not forget to also sharpen the knife tip. The best method is to slide the tip against the sharpener first and then work backward toward the base instead of running the blade along with the sharpener from base to end.
Who needs a fillet knife?
Although fillet knives can be used for just about anything, they work perfectly well with fish fillets. If you fillet fish frequently, this knife gives you the control and flexibility you need to do the job well.
