Recomend me a bait knife for prawns

Y

yamato

Joined
Apr 30, 2007
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I cut prawns for baits into small parts to catch bait fishes and have to cut through across the shell. The prawns range from frozen to very soft. Serrated blades work but cant be used to make very small cuts on very soft baits.

What i need is a plain edge sharp knife that can give me neat cuts through the shell for a fishing trip or two. It needs to be able to "bite " the shell to start to cut through. Easy as it sounds, I find that most go blunt after a while. I am ok to sharpen it after every trip.


Folders or fixed are fine. So are carbon steel but because its to be used at sea, not too expensive please.
 
I would try something in s30v steel. It seems to hold onto its teeth and really "bite". You could check out a small controllable blade like a spyderco native or something bigger like a buck vantage pro.
 
You use a knife as bait to catch prawns? The prawns should really start posting here.
 
would the atlantic salt work? Never tried that and the s30v steel. I used to have knife that was made of a thin hss saw. It was good but a bit flimsy due to its length and I lost it.

Is the sypderco recommendation due to its rust resistance alone? I have no problems with carbon steel in saltwater condition and do not wish to limit it knife that wont corrode, I can only buy 1 so I have to be sure it would cut.

the price of under 120 should be ok. Would ceramic knife have that lasting "bite"?
 
yamato said:
would the atlantic salt work? Never tried that and the s30v steel. I used to have knife that was made of a thin hss saw. It was good but a bit flimsy due to its length and I lost it.

Is the sypderco recommendation due to its rust resistance alone? I have no problems with carbon steel in saltwater condition and do not wish to limit it knife that wont corrode, I can only buy 1 so I have to be sure it would cut.

the price of under 120 should be ok. Would ceramic knife have that lasting "bite"?
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If carbon steel isn't an issue to you and you want the best cutting setup I'd encourage you to spend a few extra bucks and get a Spyderco Gayle Bradley.
Batch 2 should be out soon. Currently you can find one for $140ish if you look for them. It's the best cutter that I've used in my 40 years.
That steel with that high hollow grind is, and stays, freaky sharp.
I mean it stays sharp for a looooong time, and it's strong.
The GB has served me well on the waterfront, but I'm a woodworker and keep my stuff dry.
Today was the first day that I got it wet. I didn't think about it and stuck it in my pocket. Somewhere around half an hour later I pulled it out and it was rusty. I never realized that stuff could rust quite that quickly.
Other than that, see if you can find a M390 steel blade within your price range. It shouldn't rust (I think), it holds a scary sharp edge for a long time and it's easy to sharpen.
Nothing wrong with S30V, come to think of it. Lots of cheaper blades have S30V. It keeps a working edge for an impressive amount of time, IMO.
The possibilities are endless.
 
RevDevil said:
Another vote for a Spyderco salt here +1
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:thumbup::thumbup: Regular Salt with yellow handle. Best fishing knife in any condition river or sea, the H1 takes and holds a wicked edge, and they're 60$so you don't cry if you lose it. Then again I keep a wrist lanyard on ALL of my knives when I'm on a boat. Hope that helps, Good luck :D
P.S. It's also the PERFECT weight for EDC
 
I second the recommendation for S30V steel. It has the reputation for losing a shaving sharp edge quickly, but keeping a toothy working edge for a very long time. Toothy edge will give you the "bite" you're looking for. It's also considered stainless.

Several folder models within your budget:
- Buck Vantage Pro
- Spyderco Native
- Spyderco Para-Military
 
For around $120 you can probably get two Spyderco folders, one serrated and one plain edge. The Salt line is great, but you do give up some edge holding. If you don't mind having to look after them a bit more, just buy two Delicas or two Enduras. VG-10 steel holds a great edge and you'll have two different edges for cutting through soft bait and prawn shells.
 
ive never used them but a mora knife might be what your looking for, they come in all shapes and sizes, have a great reputation for being sharp, and are CHEAP! like areound the 20-40$ range. and if you lose it or find somthing better, you didnt waste a load of cash.
 
Try more like $10- $15 for a MORA knife.
Sharp-as-hell right out of the box, and they will hold a good edge for quite a while.
A no-brainer, in my book.

Steve
 
i have been using the KJ erikson mora in carbon steel and have the mora laminated. Its good indeed, it just that the blade doesnt bite after a while.

The stainless versions doesnt seem to do so well and is noticeable very quickly.

I am actually looking for knives that cuts better than that or should i just forget about another knife and bring a spare or sharpening stone and go fishing?
 
I'm gonna go the complete opposite here... have you considered just a dexter-russell bait & net knife or a victorinox pairing knife?

high carbon stainless & can be had for cheap. They hold a pretty good edge, sharpen quick, and you can buy a bucket full for the same price as some of the knives previously mentioned... except for the moras, of course.
 
I've done similar bait prep before. I'd personally suggest a Mora Clipper serrated, get a few to rotate through the trip.
 
Aren't prawns a type of shrimp? Get a spyderco in H1. But, i would bring a sharpener with you. No blade will hold up to a ton of abrasion for a long trip.
 
When I was a kid I used to fish the santa cruz pier with shrimp a lot. Back then I used either my stainless boy scout knife or an old old hickory paring knife that belonged to my grand father. Now when I fish I use my stainless mora allround or BM Fecas gamer fixed blade.
 
I'm surprised the Mora didn't work out for the OP. If not, then I'd suggest a Spyderco Salt series knife. I really like the Atlantic Salt, but it's really whatever blade shape/size you like. If you really want a FB, then I'd suggest a Spyderco Aqua Salt. The blade's about 4.75" & the knife's just over 9" OAL & should work just fine.

As to H1's edge holding ability, it should be just fine, plus it's a work hardening steel. The steel should get harder the more you use it.

The only issue I can think of against them is price & that's only if you're looking at Mora prices for your knife. If say, under $100 is acceptable, then one of the Salt series knives should work just fine. If you look around on the secondary market, you should be able to get one for around $50-$80 or so.

Good luck.
 
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