How To Keep Your Fillet Knife Sharp

When you catch that beautiful fish that you are excited to stick on the dinner table that night, you don't want to mess up that beautiful piece of meat when you fillet it just because your knife isn't sharp enough. Here we will talk about how to keep that fillet knife sharp so you will always have the perfect cut of meat.




Getting The Burr

The burr is a wire edge that forms across the blade opposite of what you are sharpening. Your job is not finished until you can see or feel the burr.

The Edge Bevel

Most kitchen knives have a 20-degree edge bevel. For filleting, an edge bevel of 12 to 15 degrees per side provides a clean easy cut and reasonable resistance to dulling. If you don’t cut bone, monofilament or bait with your fillet knife, a 15-degree bevel will be okay for you to use.

Set The Bevel

The easiest way to figure out what angle to set the bevel would be to stack two quarters high. Using this method is not exact, but it gets you pretty close.

To Push or To Pull

We each have those friends who swear by pulling the knife across the stone, and those who swear by pushing. Quite frankly, it doesn't matter. Both ways are just as effective. What does matter, is that the spine moves ahead of the edge. So, just make sure to angle it.

Sharpen

Draw the blade across the stone, sweeping it from heel to tip as you go. Once you have a full-length burr, sharpen to create a burr on the other side. Finish with blade-first strokes, like slicing a sliver from the stone, until the burr disappears.

Now you have the know how to keep that fillet knife just as sharp as when you purchased her. For more tips and pictures to go along, click here.

Now What? How To Spend Your Time During The Off Season

As the weather keeping us indoors and the boats are tucked away for the time being. We are sitting and wondering now what? This time of year may not be a favorite among boaters but there are some things you can do now to make your next boating season a great one.



This time of year is perfect for doing all those little projects on your boat that you never got to over the summer. You know which ones I'm talking about. Upgrading your navigation system, doing those minor repairs to keep your boat running in like new condition, and doing all those checks to make sure that your equipment and all your boating accessories are working properly. Getting these little things, or maybe even a couple of big things, accomplished over the winter will give you more time in the spring to spend on the water.



Maybe you were growing tired of your boat last season. It could have been it was just getting older or your boat wasn't giving you what you were hoping to get out of it. Whatever the reason, this time of year is actually a great time to research and buy a new boat. Take your time to do your research and find the perfect boat for you and your needs. Then during boat show season (Jan-March), you can make your purchase. You will never find a better price on a boat than at a boat show.



If neither of those fit your fancy for the off season, you can always take your boat and head south for the winter. There are places where the boating season never ends and boaters are always welcome. Really, those places do exist. Whatever you choose to do with your off season, we will be there to help you.