The Rapala Deluxe Falcon Fillet Knife : A Hidden Gem
So you stumbled upon this hidden gem of a knife call the Rapala Deluxe Falcon Fillet Knife. Whether you are looking for your first fillet knife or adding to your collection, for $10 on Amazon, you can reap the benefits this fillet knife has to offer. I purchased the Rapala Deluxe Falcon Fillet Knife over seven years and it is still the best fillet knife in my arsenal.
Overview
- Knife
- Sheath
- Experiences & Techniques
- Conclusion
Crisp, Sharp Point
Deep, Steep Angle on the Blade
Total Length of 11 inches
Very comfortable, easy to grip handle.
The Knife
Key Features
- Crisp, Sharp Point
- Deep, Steep Angle on the Blade
- Stainless Steel
- Durability
- Length
- Grip
- Sanitary
The Blade
The key feature I noticed about this fillet knife when I first opened it was the tip of the knife. It was very sharp and had a very crisp point on it! After looking at the tip of the blade, I found that the sharpness of the knife was fairly good. The blade has a nice, steep angle on it, along with an appropriate thickness that allows it to feel rigid enough to cut through bones but also flex to give you a nice clean cut when following bones or skinning a fillet. The stainless steel blade of the knife measures 6 inches in length with the handle measuring 4.75 to 5 inch in length giving you a total length of 11 inches.
The Handle
The handle has a very comfortable feel to it. My glove size is a large, and the handle fits very nicely in my hand. It has a large finger/slip guard that gives you a nice pivot point when working the knife. There is also a hole at the rear of the handle where you could tie a lanyard through it. The handle material is non absorbent so its easy to clean and sanitize after use.
The Sheath
Key Features
- Sharpener built it
- Belt Loop
- Length
- Sanitary
The Sharpener
The best feature about this sheath for the Rapala Deluxe Falcon fillet knife is that is has a built in sharpener at the tip. With this, you are able to sharpen your knife with ease without the thought of bringing a separate sharpener or having to dig through your bag or vehicle looking for your sharpener with fishy hands! Since the sharpener came with the knife, you know that the sharpener is meant for this knife. It will have the proper angle to match your blade and sharpen it with out taking up too much time or taking away too much of the blade material.
The Sheath Overall
The sheath also has a belt loop that is made out of a synthetic leather like material. The knife fits very well in the sheath and does not fall out if turned upside down. The overall length of the sheath, with the knife inserted, is 12.5 inches. Besides the belt loop, the sheath is made of a nonporous material so it is very easy to clean and sanitize.
Built in sharpener.
Belt loop.
Total Length of 12.5 inches with the knife in the sheath.
Experiences & Techniques
I live in Southern Florida and fish both salt and fresh water. I clean fish that measure from 12 inches with very small, thin bones to fish that measure over 27 inches with bones thicker than my knife. Along with the size of the fish, the armor you have to pierce changes too. So I when ever I go fishing I bring two fillet knives. I bring a fillet knife with a thick, stiff blade called Dexter, and then I bring my Rapala Deluxe Falcon fillet knife.
Techniques
So with my two knives handy, I go to work. I use my Dexter to go through the scales and to go through bones if I have too, and I use my Rapala to cut meat away from the bones and to skin the fillets. When I fillet a fish I do not like to cut bones. If I do not cut through bones, I know that there is no bones in the meat 100%. So I will use the Dexter to take away the scales and to make a purchase point in the shoulder of the fish, above the gill plate. Once that is done, I can use my Rapala to cut along the spine from the head to the tail, angling the tip of the blade toward the tailing leading the knife in that direction without dulling the knife on the scales.
Rib Cage
When I get to the rib cage there two different approaches. Cut through it, or follow it around without cutting through bone. Either way, this is where I dull my knife the most, but I like to go around the rib. So I use my Rapala to follow around the rib cage. If I am cleaning multiple fish where I do not have time on my side, I will use the Dexter and just cut through.
Once the fillet is off the fish, I use the Rapala Deluxe Falcon fillet knife to separate the skin and scales from the fillet. It is able to flex and follow the contour that you need to get that perfect fillet.
Conclusion
For $10 I have not been able to find anything to beat it! I have had my knife for over seven years and it still performs like the first day I bought it. I would recommend this Rapala Deluxe Falcon fillet knife to anyone, beginner or expert. My experience with this knife is only positive. After five years of use, I did happen to break the sharpener off the tip of the sheath after I dropped it but that was my fault. The only other thing is that this is a 6″ fillet knife and may be too small for larger, off shore fish.
If you are considering buying the Rapala Deluxe Falcon Fillet Knife, I recommend purchasing it at Amazon because of the free two day shipping. By purchasing things through any of the links on this website you support JTgatoring.com, keeping the website free of annoying banner ads, and help produce future reviews. Thank you very much for your time!
Pros
- Price
- Quality
- Stainless Steel
- Comes with Sheath
- Sheath has Built -In Sharpener
- Dishwasher Safe
- Easy to Clean & Sanitize
Cons
After five years of use, the tip of the sheath, where the sharpener is, broke off after it was dropped.
