Thread: Fillet Knife Steel

As some of you know, I make knives. Bout to order steel and gonna add a piece for a fillet knife. Now I primarily use carbon steels, but I know a lot of people prefer stainless. There's only one stainless I feel that is close to cutting and the edge retention of a carbon steel. What do y'all prefer? Main maintenance difference is that you'd need to oil the carbon blade after rinsing comlared to just rinsing a stainless blade.

Since I spend a lot of time exposing my knife to the salt environment, I have to go with stainless. It doesn't take much neglect to start corrosion on a carbon steel blade, and neglect, procrastination and laziness are qualities that I possess in abundance.

I agree with Haywire.

Originally Posted by will46r

Main maintenance difference is that you'd need to oil the carbon blade after rinsing comlared to just rinsing a stainless blade.

Erm.... For some of us, "maintenance" means cleaning it the next time you decide to clean fish, which might be in a couple of weeks this time of year - several days in the summer (I do use lots of bleach).

Stainless is the only thing that survives exposure to me.

All my filet knives are stainless. I really like my rada filet knife. It's been good. It's hard to find a quality filet knife locally where i'm at.

Lol I ordered some stainless.

I use a carbon steel knife down there cutting bait and stuff. I maintain my blades most of the time.

Supplier finally got some AEBL in thin stock, theyve been out for months and its just not economical to grind down a piece of larger stock. AEBL is a Scandivic steel that comes from the razor industry. Lot of carbide for cutting but still corrosion resistant. I'll post pictures, hope to bring one down for my late February trip.

I really like my Morakniv fillet knife, which is stainless. Its steel may be related to what you got.

Mora makes a great knife especially in their price point. Almost a cult following in the knife world. It could be AEBL but no telling without getting a specific answer. Sandvic is a big foundry with a lot of steel formulas.

I have made several filet knives using the good old 440C stainless. It is a low cost stainless that holds an edge good, and properly tempered and hardened, can be any flexability you want.

440c is a great steel with a bad rep. Just not much of a desire to spend the money on a steel I wouldn't use.