Phil Wilson Punta Chivato (cpm-154)

Surfingringo

Surfingringo

Joined
May 25, 2013
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I finally got one of Phil Wilsons custom fillet knives a few months ago and kids, I am not disappointed! :) I actually spoke with Phil last year and arranged to have a pair of these made. One 6" for my father's birthday and a 7 1/2" for me. I will go on record right now and say that this is the finest knife I have ever owned. The fit and finish was absolutely superb on both. Flawless. I brought the 7 1/2" back to Costa Rica and have been giving it a rigorous workout at the cleaning table. I have been using it now for a few months and thought I would leave a few thoughts and photos here.

Size:
The size has turned out to be about perfect for my work. I have always used a shorter 6" blade because I have always liked the precision I am able to achieve with that length but I have quickly gotten used to the longer blade on this one. If I had a pair of custom fillet knives I would probably own a 6" for more detailed work and a 8 1/2" for certain larger fish and for skinning. Having only one though, I would say the 7 1/2" is about the perfect balance for me. I'm not sure how long the handle is. Is "just right" a measurement?

Ergonomics:
I don't even know where to start. Its really hard to believe, considering how much time I spend cleaning fish, but this is the first quality fillet knife I have ever owned. I have never even owned a decent one, so pretty much everything about working with this knife has been revolutionary for me. The first thing I noticed was the balance. The thinly ground blade and desert ironwood handle give the blade an almost "weightless" feel. Difficult to describe until you hold one but suffice it to say that even at 7 1/2" it is still quite easy to maintain a high degree of accuracy with the tip. The handle is very comfortable and is an absolute work of art. This knife has a large brass finger guard which is a welcome addition since I had been working with a cheap fillet knife with a slick handle and no guard. The guard is relatively vertical too making it very difficult for the hand to slide past it. The handle is relatively thick on this knife, which is not always something I like, but it seems to work perfectly with the balance and use of this knife. It is very obvious when handling and working with this knife that it is the product of much thought, testing and evolution. It is an extremely refined design.

Blade:
I chose to go with cpm-154 for the blade steel. This is a steel that Phil uses on many of his fillet knives. I had used one of his fillets in 154 so I knew what to expect and this one has not disappointed. I have not used this steel other than in two of Phil's knives so I can't say if it is the steel or Phil's HT, but either way, this is probably my favorite stainless steel to date. Edge retention is very impressive in my opinion. I can get through a table full of snapper with an aggressive 600 grit finish and still having a shaving edge when finished. Probably my favorite characteristic of this steel is the amazingly aggressive edge that it takes. This steel simply has a different level of bite than m4 or s30v or s90v when finished on the 600 grit diamond stone. It is a subtle difference but VERY real. This steel comes off the stone with a TON of bite! And it sharpens up so easily. Sharpening is disproportionately easy considering how good the edge retention is...thats always a good thing. Overall, I just find it to be a very well balanced and highly functional steel. Were I to purchase another one of Phil's knives, cpm-154 would be at the top of my list.

Ok, thats about all I have. This knife has been a real dream to work with, especially after I spent way to many years working with really poor tools. I sort of went straight from a Yugo to a Rolls Royce with this one. :)

A little eye candy.
 
Nice one Lance, excellent review. :)
 
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Nice knife and great review. If its not too much trouble, please bring those little jewels with you when you come to LA. I'd love to get a chance to 'coonfinger' them for a little while. LOL
 
Thanks Jim!

Hey Darrin, I figure between having to check it in my luggage and make it through customs I was lucky to make it down here with the knife to begin with, so I definitely won't be bringing this one to the states. Good news is, my Dad has his up there so if I get to make it over your way (which I hope to) i will definitely bring that one by! :)
 
Phil must work some serious voodoo to get CPM-154 up to the level of M4 and S90V!

I'm sure there's a lovely looking knife under all that fish gunk. :D

Always great to see customs getting a serious work-out.
 
Buffalohump said:
Phil must work some serious voodoo to get CPM-154 up to the level of M4 and S90V!

I'm sure there's a lovely looking knife under all that fish gunk. :D

Always great to see customs getting a serious work-out.
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I am not saying that is is the equal of those steels in edge retention, but for me its close enough and I prefer the way it sharpens and the edge that it takes.

FWIW, I've always found one of Phil's fillet knives most beautiful when covered in fish gunk. For me, it is the near perfection of functionality that defines his knives. The fit and finish and aesthetics are part of the package for sure but their inner beauty is less tangible and shines brightest when they are being used. :D

Buffalohump, I know the fish gunk thing is just a joke; it just randomly reminded me of this thought I had meant to include in the original review. :)
 
I think its awesome that you use these guys they way they were intended... kudos! I would have liked to see a full pic of it though - pre-gunk - just because it looks to be a real beauty! What is the handle material you opted for? Canvas micarta or wood? I am curious because I would think that a marine environment would be quite hard on certain materials.

I also think Phil's heat treat has a heck of a lot to do with the performance of the CPM-154. This is the 'voodoo' I referred to... personally I would have opted for S90V but that's just me. Love that steel! However, with a long thin blade, some extra carbon may well be a smart move.

I enjoyed looking at your fishing pics.... I'm curious, have you ever had an encounter with a Great White or similar large shark while fishing from your kayak? I saw a TV programme once about a guy who had a GW trail and nudge him for some time because he got careless with blood leaking into the water from his kayak.
 
Buffalohump said:
I think its awesome that you use these guys they way they were intended... kudos! I would have liked to see a full pic of it though - pre-gunk - just because it looks to be a real beauty! What is the handle material you opted for? Canvas micarta or wood? I am curious because I would think that a marine environment would be quite hard on certain materials.

I also think Phil's heat treat has a heck of a lot to do with the performance of the CPM-154. This is the 'voodoo' I referred to... personally I would have opted for S90V but that's just me. Love that steel! However, with a long thin blade, some extra carbon may well be a smart move.

I enjoyed looking at your fishing pics.... I'm curious, have you ever had an encounter with a Great White or similar large shark while fishing from your kayak? I saw a TV programme once about a guy who had a GW trail and nudge him for some time because he got careless with blood leaking into the water from his kayak.
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The handle on the fillet (and the Punta Gringo) is desert ironwood. Haven't had any issues at all but the coming years will tell the story on that. I have other wood handled knives that have done fine so I don't expect to have any issues.

Never had a shark trail me (that I was aware of). I hooked one once on a live bonito and he came up and thrashed around on the surface for awhile well after he had cut my line. Probably was pissed about the hook stuck in his teeth. About a 10-12 footer...lots of tail...I'd guess a thresher. Have dolphins swim alongside me all the time and often find myself surrounded by a pod of humpbacks. I've been within a couple of feet of those guys on the surface and they are pretty impressive.
 
Nice review and thanks for sharing Lance! I don't do a whole lot of fishing but find myself filleting fish for friends or family. I would like to get one of Phil's fillet knives to have for the occasional filleting but it would be used as a boning knife very often. I like the steel and agree that it takes a nice crisp toothy edge. I made a kitchen knife for my mom in this steel at 62 rc and I just got it back for sharpening. I'm enjoying it right now until she returns to get it.
 
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Surfingringo said:
The handle on the fillet (and the Punta Gringo) is desert ironwood. Haven't had any issues at all but the coming years will tell the story on that. I have other wood handled knives that have done fine so I don't expect to have any issues.

Never had a shark trail me (that I was aware of). I hooked one once on a live bonito and he came up and thrashed around on the surface for awhile well after he had cut my line. Probably was pissed about the hook stuck in his teeth. About a 10-12 footer...lots of tail...I'd guess a thresher. Have dolphins swim alongside me all the time and often find myself surrounded by a pod of humpbacks. I've been within a couple of feet of those guys on the surface and they are pretty impressive.
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Awesome! :thumbup:
 
Surfingringo said:
Thanks Jim!

Hey Darrin, I figure between having to check it in my luggage and make it through customs I was lucky to make it down here with the knife to begin with, so I definitely won't be bringing this one to the states. Good news is, my Dad has his up there so if I get to make it over your way (which I hope to) i will definitely bring that one by! :)
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I kind of figured it would be too much of a headache. No worries though, we can still kill a little time talking knives if you have any time to spare.
 
Just wanted to update this thread. This fillet knife has seen nothing but use for the last 3 months. The snapper bite has been absolutely off the hook here!! I am more impressed than ever with the design too. I have cleaned hundreds of snapper, including some large ones, and this is the most efficient fillet design I have ever used.

Believe it or not I am a big ole softy and I often wish I didn't have to kill these big beautiful critters to eat them but that's not the way it works so I do what I've gotta do. One thing I can control though is how clean I get them. When one of these fish gives their life over, the least I can do is not waste it. I HATE leaving a sloppy carcass with lots of meat on it. Feels wasteful and even disrespectful. Well this knife has helped me be very respectful! haha. Here's a nice one i cleaned just a few hours ago.




 
That is one nice snapper Lance. You didn't even leave enough meat on the bones to make a decent soup stock. LOL
 
Darrin Sanders said:
That is one nice snapper Lance. You didn't even leave enough meat on the bones to make a decent soup stock. LOL
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Hey Darrin, that pic of the knife is an old one of a Corvina carcass that I posted just to make the point. I wish I had taken a photo of the snapper carcass today. At the risk of sounding like a braggart, it was a thing of beauty. I'll give the credit to the knife. :)

Man, sorry I missed you on my Louisiana trip. Things were crazy busy there trying to help my Dad with some business stuff and I didn't even make it to Tioga. Next time maybe.
 
SBaker34 said:
I'm not sure if that's really a fish or if it was a prehistoric sea monster.
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Sigh, don't encourage me Baker. It doesn't take much to get me posting gratuitous fishing pictures. :rolleyes: Here's another one from last month that the Punta Chivato made short work of.

 
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