Cleaning and preparing fish is always a cumbersome task especially when there is no proper equipment to do the task. Filleting fish requires more effort and time and can be very messy if the knife used is not the right one. Fish fillet knives are made for this specific task and they come in different sizes and types in order to make filleting an enjoyable task.
There are several companies manufacturing fillet knives and each have two to three varieties. A fillet knife is a slim and has a long thin blade that comes to a very fine point at the edge. They have a rubber graspable handle to allow a firm grip while filleting. The 5” blade is ideal for smaller fish though the standard knife is 7” long. There are some manufacturers offering 9” blades. A step forward with fillet knives are the ones that run on electric power. These
electric fillet knives come in sets that have exchangeable blades which allow flexibility and convenience. As long as the blade is kept sharp and clean then a fish fillet knife will do its work.
The sharpness of the blade allows slicing of fish meat as close to the bone. This is the reason why fillet knives are long and thin with a sharp end. Another use of this type of knife is to clean fish. With the pointed end of the knife a cut from the tail end up to the chest part is easy and clean. The fish head can also be cut using the fish fillet knife.There are knives specific to a type of fish like
salmon for example.
An electric fillet knife will vibrate as it is moved on the fish body. Some have indicators that the filleting is complete. The fact that blades can be changed with an electric fillet knife is beneficial due to the variances of fish sizes.
Fish fillet knives and the blades for the electric ones should always be washed and wiped until it is dry for storage. It is also important to maintain the sharpness of the blades to have consistent fillet thickness and sizes. Storage should be in a dry environment to prevent rust.
