Knives used for sports or occupation are properly selected and diligently maintained. A set of good knives always deserves a great sharpener. Fishing knives are used for various reasons: cleaning, scaling, gutting and filleting the day’s catch. Fishing knives vary in types depending upon the purpose for which they are used. The most common are the fillet knives that are used for scaling, gutting, and filleting.
A pocketknife is also used for multipurpose activities. Some utility and chef’s knives can also be used. However, the majority of fishermen and fishing enthusiasts trust fillet knives because it is a multi-functional tool that is specifically made for fishing.
The following are few of the best fishing knife sharpeners:
Fillet knives are usually thinner and longer than standard knives to enable it to thoroughly slice and debone a fish. Some fillet knives are serrated, others are built with pointed or curved tips. To be able to achieve the best cut for any catch, a well-picked knife always deserves the best fishing knife sharpener.
1. Rapala 2-stage sharpener ($)
The ceramic sticks in these two-stage sharpeners are great for honing and polishing blades. The coarse sharpener is intended to align the blade’s edge without the mess of creating a burr. Instead, this stage sharpens any nicks on the blade to set the edge properly. The fine sharpener on its opposite edge is responsible for creating the polished edge, neat and refined blades. On either side of the sharpener is a finger groove that is meant for convenience and to prevent the sharpener from slipping off. The best way to use this sharpener is to set it on a sturdy surface to avoid accidental nicking of the fingers during sharpening.
2. Smith’s 50327 Deluxe Knife and Hook Sharpener ($)
Smith’s Deluxe Knife Sharpener is specifically designed for fishing activities. It can sharpen a knife with its crossed carbide blades for sharpening and a ceramic slot for honing the edge. To put a good edge on a fishing knife, the carbide slot is used. After the initial sharpening, the knife is then pulled in the ceramic slot to keep the edges in its optimum sharpness. This sharpener also features several hook sharpening grooves for different sizes of hooks and a built-in cutter to trim into the line.
3. DMT FFHWF Diafold Hook and Knife Diamond Whetstone ($$)
This portable and double-sided diamond stone knife sharpeners are great for fillet knives. The micronized diamond on its surface cuts faster into the metal to set the knives’ true edges. This hook and knife whetstone have two surfaces: the coarse and the fine surface. The coarse surface has interrupted abrasives or those that have holes in its surface to prevent the accumulation of metal filings during sharpening. The position of the abrasives enables it to cut quickly into the metal to speed up the work. The continuous surface of the fine side is responsible for honing the edge for a neater and cleaner edge. A depressed portion on the edge has a groove for sharpening the edge of a fishing hook.
4. Accusharp 010 Knife Sharpener ($)
Pull-through type sharpeners like this Accusharp 010 bring convenience and security in sharpening. It has an ergonomic handle that protects the hand while sharpening to prevent unwanted accidents. Accusharp has tungsten carbide abrasives that bring out the sharpness of fillet knives in just one pull. It can reliably sharpen fillet and other garden tools and most of the kitchen knives, even those with serrated edges. This sharpener is rust proof that preserves its useful life. It can also be easily cleaned with soap and water.
5. Lansky Quadsharp Carbide/Ceramic Multi-Angle Knife Sharpener ($+)
Knives differ in their blade’s angle. Standard knives usually have angle blade at 20°. Fillet knives are made thinner at 18° per side to be able to cut thinly into the fish. Most of the manual, pull-through or electric sharpeners are configured for standard and common knives. With this, it cannot properly sharpen the fillet knife on its factory edge. Lansky’s Quadsharp has carbide slots with four designated pre-set angle to sharpen knives to its factory edge. It features 17°, 20°, 25°, and 30° angles. The 17° angle can be used to sharpen fillet, paring, slicing, and other thin angle blades. This also has a built-in ceramic bench stone that is used for honing fillet knives or sharpening serrated ones.
6. Work Sharp WSKTS Knife and Tool Sharpener ($$)
When it comes to exact factory angle sharpening, Work Sharp sharpeners are excellent knife and tool sharpeners. It provides precise and durable industrial quality sharpness for all types of knives even with varying blade angles. It has abrasive belts ranging from coarse, medium and fine to suit the knife’s needs. This versatile tool is paramount of knife and tool sharpeners.
7. Chef’s Choice Model 130 Professional Knife Sharpening Station ($$$$+)
Not all electric sharpeners are designed for knives that have deviated from the normal range of blade angles. Electric sharpeners can provide quick and precise sharpening. Very few are designed to cater the need of a fishing knife sharpener until Chef’s Choice 130. It has three different stages of sharpening that has varying functions for customizing edges. Fine-edged knives like fillet and paring are sharpened using Stages 1 and 3 only for honing and polishing. Its diamond abrasives give an excellent cutting edge, while the ceramic abrasives thoroughly polished the edge for neater and sharper blades.
8. KME Knife Sharpener Complete 4 Ceramic Stone Set ($$)
Sharpening stones are the most versatile knife sharpeners because it can be used on almost all types of knives without compromising its quality. The abrasives in stones are adequate in resetting edges, but subtle enough not to deface the blade. This ceramic stones of KME provide ultimate sharpening without damaging the thin and dangerously curved edges of most fishing knives.
9. Wamery Knife Sharpener and Scissors Sharpening System ($+)
This manual sharpener from Wamery is also considered for its versatility in accommodating different types of knives and scissors with its four stage sharpening. Not only does it sharpen fillet and paring knives, it can also be used for most chef’s and kitchen knives and the thicker blades of cleavers, carving knives, and even ceramic knives. Its first Stage of sharpening is designed solely for scissors. The knife sharpening stages have coarse, fine and ceramic stages of sharpening.
10. Smith’s 50625 JIFF-Knife Sharpener and Fishing Tool ($$)
V-type sharpeners are the easiest and more efficient when sharpening fishing knives. The tips of fishing knives are usually dangerously thin and curved. When forged through an aggressive sharpener, it may become damaged or end up a rounded tip. Smith’s V-slot pull-through sharpener has replaceable crossed carbide blades for fishing knife sharpening. It also has hook sharpening grooves, a tape measure, a weighing scale, and a writing pen making this a compact knife sharpener for fishing activities.
All blades dull out with time. The best fishing knife sharpeners are those that are also built to cater the needs of the fishermen. Some sharpeners are designed with added extras like hook sharpening and are portable enough for outdoor activities.