Fishing knife - stainless or carbon?

[ryann]

Hi guys,

I'm dropping by in Japan for a short while, and thought I'd pick up a portable deba for fishing. This kind of knife is called 'Makiri', and here are some pictures:

http://www.ehamono.com/washiki/makiritoku.html

I'm kind of set on buying one, but can't decide whether to spend ~$40 on a white#2 or ~$100 on a VG10 version.
On one hand I don't want to spend that much on a knife I might barely use - I'm just a casual fisherman. But I also don't want this thing rusting on me after filleting a couple of fish, or simply by being exposed to salty air (even from wiping after every use). Could that happen?

Another point putting me off the VG10 is its sheathed and handled in rosewood, which comes across as kinda fancy - I see this knife taking quite a beating wherever I take it.

Advise me please!

Thanks,

Ryan

 

[chinacats]

Buy two carbons and only take one with you...and some oil.

 

[Nmko]

If it were me... $40 for a deba dedicated to being thrashed and probably getting destroyed after a few trips isn't bad at all.

You're going to feel terrible when that nice shiny rosewood handled deba goes overboard or gets destroyed from salinity...

 

[Nmko]

...and some oil.

lus1:

 

[Ruso]

My personal opinion that it is foolish to buy a carbon knife for water related activities having such big variety of decent stainless. Also $100 for a good working knife is not expensive either - but you might be able to find something similar for cheaper, i.e. less fancy handle.

 

[Sabaki]

I had a carbon knife on my first fishingtrip in saltwater but never since

 

[quantumcloud509]

mmmm carbon ***drooling***

I think, as much as I love wiping off rust spots off my knives, that if...no, WHEN I purchase a nice fishing knife it shall be stainless...I mean...sometimes when fishing you forget to care about things other than fishing. Why kill a knife for no reason? I know the knife on want, I think it belongs to David Chang...its on the back of Lucky Peach #3 5th one down from the left side...anyone know what that knife is? looks like an awesome fishing knife.

 

[Dazedandkasumi]

Old thread resurrected
I'm after a knife for fishing (saltwater on a boat)..
Since I have lots of (Japanese) carbon knives, and lots of synth/jnat -stones I was hoping to find a knife that shares many of the traits of my carbon knives (fairly easy to sharpen)..
Makiri knives seems to fit the bill but I am kind of worried about rust.
Aframes have a sld makiri: http://yhst-27988581933240.stores.y...m-sld-steel-single-bevel-filleting-kn165.html

I have no experience with sld. Is it a suitable metal for saltwater fishing use?
Is it fairly easy to sharpen?
If anyone have any experience with the Massahi makiri (or makiri's in general please comment)..

Thanks!

 

[chefcomesback]

Old thread resurrected
I'm after a knife for fishing (saltwater on a boat)..
Since I have lots of (Japanese) carbon knives, and lots of synth/jnat -stones I was hoping to find a knife that shares many of the traits of my carbon knives (fairly easy to sharpen)..
Makiri knives seems to fit the bill but I am kind of worried about rust.
Aframes have a sld makiri: http://yhst-27988581933240.stores.y...m-sld-steel-single-bevel-filleting-kn165.html

I have no experience with sld. Is it a suitable metal for saltwater fishing use?
Is it fairly easy to sharpen?
If anyone have any experience with the Massahi makiri (or makiri's in general please comment)..

Thanks!

I have used a masahi sld in gyuto , it took nice toothy edge that would fit for cleaning fish . Skd is semi stainless that would also make it easier to maintain compared to carbons in salty and humid environment

 

[daveb]

In my experience with SLD, it sharpens quite well. Yoshikane does a particular good job with it. (I recall Massahi being realated (son?) to the original Yoshikane makers?) And it looks like a cool knife.

That said I use a $30 Dexter Russell stainless filet knife on the boat to gut the fish and make cut bait. I do the butchering back on the beach where I can use a Deba without dropping it overboard and have fresh water for cleaning everything.

 

[Noodle Soup]

It probably isn't of importance here but if you are left handed forget these traditional Japanese fish knives. I have a Watanabe in that pattern and can tell you from experience it is totally useless for a south paw. And I have yet to find one ground for left hand use.

 

[Dazedandkasumi]

In my experience with SLD, it sharpens quite well. Yoshikane does a particular good job with it. (I recall Massahi being realated (son?) to the original Yoshikane makers?) And it looks like a cool knife.

That said I use a $30 Dexter Russell stainless filet knife on the boat to gut the fish and make cut bait. I do the butchering back on the beach where I can use a Deba without dropping it overboard and have fresh water for cleaning everything.

I think Massahi is the nephew of Yoshikane (and had his training with him). The knife sure looks nice. On the other hand using a cheaper random stainless knife for gutting, and a deba on-shore for butchering sounds like the way to go. I think I just got eager for a little while with the idea of a semi-stainless (easy to sharpen) fishing knife.

Thanks for the input guys