Lightweight folding saw and fillet knife ?

Pointshoot777

Pointshoot777

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Hi everyone - - for some reason I'm having problems with my computer doing searches - please pardon me if this has already been answered - - -
I need to get a new folding saw and a new folding fillet knife for use on high country backpack fishing trips. I want something lightweight. - - Since many of the areas where I hike end up pretty dry and they often don't allow campfires, I would likely only use the saw during an emergency. But, I wanted somthing a little more substantial than the saw blade on my SAK. - - Hopefully, the folding fillet knife will get lots of use :) I picked up one off the shelf at a sporting goods store a few years back - I have no idea what brand it was - but it was lost and I need to get another. For mountain trout I'm thinking a blade of maybe 5 or 6 inches.- - - Thought I'd ask you guys what you'd recommend, rather than just grab the first thing I saw on the shelf. I want light, but who knows, someday I may need to rely on these tools. I'd like to get something well built. - - Thanks in advance for any suggestions. Regards, - -
 
for folding saws, look for fiskars, gerber and even lapplander's it you can find any. most folding saw work fairly well, but thos I mentiond stand out.

but I dont know for folding fillet knives, I just use a gerber 6", works really well.
 
I've been looking at a Wenger Century with Wood Saw. I doubt that it's what you're looking for but I think it might fit my needs.
 
I don't know about saws but I have Normark folding fillet knife that I have been using for about the last 15 years and couldn't be happier. Opinel makes a folding fillet knife, I have no personal experience but the opinels seem to get rave reviews. Chris
 
Another vote for the Fiskars/Gerber sliding saw.


For a folding fillet knife, I would suggest a Spyderco Catcherman. The Catcherman is discontinued but you might be able to find one on Ebay.
 
Because you're only planning to use the saw for emergency, I wouldn't worry too much about having the greatest, strongest, most flawlessly functioning folding saw around. After all, if the saw blade were to detach from the handle, its pretty darn easy to rig up a makeshift handle that will work perfectly well for emergency use. The important thing is that the blade works well, and my fairly cheap folding saw from the hardware store goes through tree limbs like they're butter.
 
With regard to fillet knives, I've got one with the brand name 'Zest' on it, but I cant find any info on this company on the net. Its a 7 1/2 inch fixed blade in stainless, made in Japan and came in a nice plastic sheath. It works an absolute treat. Gets razor sharp and holds the edge well (though obviously I'm only cutting soft things like fish and the occasional vegetable with it).

I was wondering if any of you guys have heard of this 'Zest' brand, or have any info on it?
 
I have a pocket chainsaw. It stows in a little tin- no bigger than a mint tin- and I have the "hooks" that allow for the use of improvised grips. A great tool that's not too expensive and really doesn't take up space. I also have a small woodsaw on my SAK, usually a Camper in the woods.

Opinel makes a few fillet type folders- wood handles and stainless blades IIRC. The only major problem with the wood handles is that in the summer/ in humid conditions they tend to swell really bad. At any Wal-Mart, Dicks or other sproting goods store for that matter you should be able to find a Finnish Rapalla Fillet knife. Obviously it's a fixed blade. They make them in 4 and 6" models and only cost about $10.
 
Folding saw: I like the Gerber version. Mine has both the wood and bone saw blades, and they swap out in a snap.

Fillet: I have a Spyderco Catcherman and a folding Rapala. I think Benchmade also makes a folding version. That said, I think you'd be better off with a fixed blade design. More durable and easier to clean. Cleaning fish guts/scales out of a handle/pivot gets old if you don't have a high pressure source (a hose).

My vote? Get a Dexter Russell Sani-Safe with the white sheath. I think I own a dozen or more fillet knives (Dexter-Russell, Schrade, Rapala, Gerber, X-Tools, Spyderco, even Busse), and that one is my absolute favorite. Comes in variety of lengths (6", 7", 8", and 9", though I think only the last three come in a sheath combo). High carbon stainless. Takes and keeps an edge. Good flex and strength. You see Dexter-Russells on commercial fishing boats everywhere you go in the States. Here's one source.

Fillet knives are slender and narrow anyway. They don't take up that much space in a pack, and the Dexter Russell (with polymer handle and polymer sheath) isn't all that heavier than a folding version.
 
Also chiming in with the Fiskars sliding saw, it's probably the lightest ~6" saw around and its really sharp. That and a mora is all you really need, and both are less than half a pound. The only thing to remember is that it's 'japanese style' meaning it only cuts on the pull stroke.
 
This thread got me curious, so I rounded up all my fishing knives.

Fillets.jpg


The 8" Dexter Russell Sani-Safe is fourth from the right. Two folding models are up top (Spyderco Catcherman over the Rapala).

You know, for backwoods carry, the Gerber (second from left) might be good. Made in Finland with good steel, and the sheath has a built in sharpener.

One other that I'd like to try is the Zlatoust (Russian) Fisherman 2. May pick up one at some point.
 
The Benchmade Steigerwalt folding fillet knife I mentioned actually comes in two models.

One has a 5.72" plain blade (Salmon Creek model) and the other has a 7.09" partially serrated blade (Salmon River model).

bm10115.jpg


10110.jpg
 
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