# Is the filet knife one of the most overlooked shtf knives?



## Fuzzee

Or am I simply losing it and going down a road that leads to undeniable madness, watching sitcoms constantly while, gorging on Cheetos, drooling on myself and scratching my butt with a salad tong? :mrgreen:

It seems to me it's the best at precision cleaning fish and game and cutting meat and vegetables. Other knives are capable but none seem to me to slice as cleaning through food things as well. Some work well enough, but nothing really works as well, especially for cleaning fish. I can filet a fish so close there's barely any meat visible with a good filet knife and fast to boot. My current mainstay is a Knives of Alaska Steeelheader Suregrip. Great knife for the money and razor sharp with an edge that lasts and is easy enough to put back on when it dulls.

]Knives of Alaska: Steelheader Suregrip


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## Arizona Infidel

Yes,no. A fillet knife is important. I've got 2.


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## wesley762

I don't think they are overlooked for a reason, durablity. Yea they are great for cleaning fish but I would not want to try and carve wood with it or use it to hack something or gut and clean a deer. it has it's place but me personaly it's just not a universal knife.


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## PrepConsultant

I have several and they are excellent for what they are for.. Remind me not to eat salad at your house!!


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## rickkyw1720pf

Fuzzee 
You got me to buy this last year and I would think it will do just fine and light fires also, and yes I like a light knife with a thinner blade that is easy to keep sharp. 
[video]http://www.radbag.de/media/catalog/product/cache/6/imagehover/1098x1098/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/l/i/light_my_fire_fireknife_messer_mit_feuerstahl_1.jp g[/video]


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## 1skrewsloose

I have a 6" boning knife packed away, worked in locker plants for years. For me, full blown survival knives are are too bulky for boning, skinning and for the most part are not easily sharpened. jmo.


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## HuntingHawk

Its a specialty tool. If you are going to get alot of fish consistently then it would be good to have. Likewise, if you are going to get alot of large meat a skinning knife is the tool to have.


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## rickkyw1720pf

I went to the history museum a while back and they had gear that the explores like Daniel Boone in the 1700's used. I was surprised that there wasn't the large knives that we usually picture them with. They usually had a small and larger knife with a fairly thin blade. But what struck me was that the handles were very long on the larger knife almost like it was for getting two hands on it.


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## PaulS

I use one of my fillet knives for pealing melons, avocados, apples and such. It's nice to just start at one end and slide the knife along the skin. I have a boning knife too and it has a more rigid blade for a reason. A skinning knife is an entirely different animal all together. Any one who has used a K-bar to skin a dear because they forgot their skinning knife knows why there is such a thing as a skinning knife.


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## sparkyprep

I own several fillet knives, and yes, I would say that they are overlooked by preppers. I never thought of them as a prepper tool, but if SHTF, I would be sure glad to have one.


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## AquaHull

I just have knives, some may be filet's


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## Fuzzee

I didn't mean it as a one an only survival knife folks. It's a tool in a tool kit. One very useful, but not to have alone. It certainly isn't good for bushcraft tasks other than use on game and fish, but one knife to have with others for good reason. I don't pack one knife in my bugout rig and don't recommend anyone to when knives are one of your most important tools. Bugging out though and limiting what you can carry is one thing. You can live without a filet knife if you desire to. There's no reason not to have a good one for the BOL or house. In my BOB I pack my Spyderco Catcherman. It's served me very well for around 2 decades now and will serve me very well for many years to come. It's a very important part of my kit, but doesn't replace all knives and wouldn't be the only knife I'd want if I was only to carry one. That wouldn't be very wise though.


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## PaulS

If I was to take "all the knives I needed" there would only be two and a filet knife wouldn't be among them.


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## Montana Rancher

Fuzzee said:


> Or am I simply losing it and going down a road that leads to undeniable madness, watching sitcoms constantly while, gorging on Cheetos, drooling on myself and scratching my butt with a salad tong? :mrgreen:
> 
> It seems to me it's the best at precision cleaning fish and game and cutting meat and vegetables. Other knives are capable but none seem to me to slice as cleaning through food things as well. Some work well enough, but nothing really works as well, especially for cleaning fish. I can filet a fish so close there's barely any meat visible with a good filet knife and fast to boot. My current mainstay is a Knives of Alaska Steeelheader Suregrip. Great knife for the money and razor sharp with an edge that lasts and is easy enough to put back on when it dulls.
> 
> ]Knives of Alaska: Steelheader Suregrip
> 
> View attachment 3965


Yes they are nice,

No they are not necessary


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## dwight55

Personally, I like mine, . . . easily sharpened, . . . pretty tough, . . . does an excellent job any time I need it.

AND, . . . it slips down into my boot, . . . nobody has a clue it is there, . . . and in a SHTF situation, . . . it'll disembowel ManMountainDean in a heartbeat, . . . or cut his throat from earlobe to earlobe.

I know, . . . ain't supposed to think like that, . . . but them big 22 inch "Hulk" knives the mall ninja warriors all seem to favor, . . . can't stand a chance against a quick, sharp, thin, cutting, slicing blade that the owner is used to.

Second choice is my USMC Kabar.

May God bless,
Dwight


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## inceptor

rickkyw1720pf said:


> Fuzzee
> You got me to buy this last year and I would think it will do just fine


Yeah, me too.

ETA: I almost forgot, MG got to talking about a Gerber Icon. I happen to like Gerber so I got one of those too. I happen to like knives.


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## Beach Kowboy

Being from Chobee, I have caught and cleaned more fish in a year than most people in an entire lifetime. I have also skinned and cleaned many a hog and deer using a filet knife. They are a very much overlooked knife in the grand scheme of things. I have even had people here in the west talk about how a filet knife if not so good. I have skinned many an animal here with a filet knife as well as in the south... They are one of my FAVORITE knives and have many uses!!! Not to mention how cheap they are... Anyone with any sense would have several filet knives in their box if they are smart!!!


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## Oddcaliber

Try using a bowtie knife to filet fish! Not good. Made me dig out my Gerber.


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## Seneca

I have two fillet knives one elcheapo for the kitchen and a folding fillet knife for overnight and weekend fishing trips. I don't think the fillet knife is overlooked by preppers. Rather they are common enough to be treated like a part of the scenery. Always there yet rarely talked about.


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## Prepp(g)er

i think filet knives are great, too. but only for what they were made to do. cutting fish and maybe some game meat. you can't really use them for cutting wood, branches etc. they're much to delicate for that. if you are able to carry huge loads in your bov, why not have one of those, too. i have 2 martinii filet knives from finland. they are great, sharp like a razor blade and are durable. primary shtf knife? imho, no.


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