Smok'n Bat'r
Well-Known Member
What is the best edge angle (the angle the knife is held at or the vertical angle to one of the knife edges) for a filleting knife?
knife sharpening
- Thread starter Smok'n Bat'r
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Bucketsoff
Well-Known Member
Edge angle is always a trade off between durability and sharpness. A wider angle protects deterioration of the edge against harder obstacles like bone. A thinner, razor like edge is sharper but tends to dull quicker. In a perfect world, I would have two knives set up, one for filleting and one for skinning. For one knife, if you don't plan on cutting bones, 15 degrees is a good point. If you like to slip the whole side off of a perch and then fillet out the ribs, go thicker, like 25 degrees.
Bassassin
Well-Known Member
Yes @Bucketsoff always 2 knives, one durable, stiff and sharp for cutting through ribs and the second flexible razor sharp for the fillet and removing the ribcage. I may even use an electric with a serrated edge to slice through the rib cage for the bigger Walleye, pike and perch, then remove and peel off the ribcage and filleting the skin.
There's always a trade off for steel, softer metallurgical compounds provide a razor sharp edge i.e. high carbon but it doesn't hold that edge and visa versa for low carbon higher molybnium cold rolls. I believe to answer your specific question the metallurgy of the steel is more important than finding the perfect angle which really isn't exact when hand sharpening. A butchers stick when used properly and often when cutting any meat is important to keep the steel honed when using any smooth surface blade. A good wheel with angle settings is a must to tune in the edge, then a polishing oil stone and butchers stick with a fine grid pattern to get the sharpest possible blade.
It is a real art if done by a pro. I know a guy that has thousands invested on imported stones from Japan and China. Those knives could cut a rock.
There's always a trade off for steel, softer metallurgical compounds provide a razor sharp edge i.e. high carbon but it doesn't hold that edge and visa versa for low carbon higher molybnium cold rolls. I believe to answer your specific question the metallurgy of the steel is more important than finding the perfect angle which really isn't exact when hand sharpening. A butchers stick when used properly and often when cutting any meat is important to keep the steel honed when using any smooth surface blade. A good wheel with angle settings is a must to tune in the edge, then a polishing oil stone and butchers stick with a fine grid pattern to get the sharpest possible blade.
It is a real art if done by a pro. I know a guy that has thousands invested on imported stones from Japan and China. Those knives could cut a rock.
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Agree with Bucketsoff and WhatsthePoint. A razor sharp knife is useless for skinning and if you use it for cutting through bones it won't stay sharp very long. Having different knives and sharpening them to suit the end use makes sense.