How to Sharpen a Fillet Knife – Step-By-Step Guide

A main fish course is always palatable. You’re eating graciously until you realize that you choked on a fishbone. It hurts, and you don’t even know what to do next.

That is why proper deboning of the fish is required to ensure not only comfortable eating but safe eating as well. Using a sharp fillet knife is a must when deboning. But do you know how to sharpen a fillet knife?

This life skill, no matter how basic, needs to be learned. Chefs and those working with fish regularly have developed such ability. Even if you’re not a pro, you can still learn how to sharpen a fillet knife. This guide will fill you in on the tools you need to sharpen your fillet knife to cut fish fillets more precisely.

Tools You Can Use to Sharpen a Fillet Knife

In sharpening a fillet knife, you have to equip yourself with something that can sharpen it. These tools make sharpening a fillet knife easier.

Sharpening Stone

A sharpening stone is one of the most convenient and traditional tools to use for knife sharpening. When using a whetstone, you have better control of the knife.

Though it requires more manual work, the effort is worth it in the end. However, using a sharpening stone requires practice and advanced skill. If you are an amateur at knife sharpening, practice with cheaper knives first.

Here is how to sharpen a fillet knife using a sharpening stone:

1. Place the stone on a flat surface
2. Hold the knife blade at a 20° sharpening angle across the whetstone with one hand. Use the first four fingers of the other hand to put a light pressure at the edge of the blade to push it down on the stone
3. In a quick and precise motion, pretend that you are slicing a thin layer on top of the whetstone. Move the fillet knife forward in one direction. Do not go back and forth
4. Flip the knife over to the other side. Make the same motion coming from the farthest edge of the stone towards you. Be careful not to let the knife cut you in doing this
5. To truly sharpen the knife, repeat steps 3 and 4 several times

You can check out a video on how to sharpen a fillet knife using a sharpening stone here.

Electric Sharpener

Sharpening a fillet knife using an electric knife sharpener is by far the easiest and most convenient way to sharpen a knife by yourself. An electric sharpener has two phases: sharpening and honing.

In most cases, the steps in using an electric sharpener for sharpening knives are going to be the same regardless of the brand. You have to run the edge of the knife in a thin slot on the sharpener. You have to pass it through several times until the desired level of sharpness is acquired.

On the other hand, the honing stage is used to polish the knife before it becomes dull again. Experts highly recommend making use of the honing ability of an electric knife sharpener as much as you can. This allows proper maintenance of your fillet knife and can extend its life.

An electric sharpener does not require advanced skills. You can rely on the instruction guide for each brand to help you along the way.

AccuSharp Knife Sharpener

AccuSharp is a specific brand of knife sharpener that many use. Aside from doing wonders in sharpening fillet knives, it can also sharpen kitchen shears, double edge blades, axes, and even machetes!

An AccuSharp does not need electricity as opposed to an electric sharpener. It is also safer to use than a whetstone because it has a finger guard that protects your fingers when sharpening. It further features replaceable and reversible diamond-honed tungsten carbide sharpening blades for years of reliable use.

Learning how to sharpen a fillet knife using AccuSharp is fairly easy as well. All you have to do is look for a flat surface and place the knife with the cutting side facing upwards.

Place the “v” shape of the AccuSharp on the fillet knife and slide it over the blade. Repeat the sharpening process until you reach the sharp edge you desire.

How to Sharpen a Fillet Knife with a Sharpening Rod

Some people use a sharpening rod to sharpen their fillet knife blades. However, this won’t work for really dull knives. The best use of a sharpening rod lies after the knife has been sharpened already. The purpose of a sharpening rod is to reinforce the sharpness of a fillet knife.

After sharpening the knife with a whetstone, a sharpening rod serves as the honing stage. Sliding the edge of the knife on the rod sharpens it better for more precise cuts. You can also use it if you need to re-sharpen the knife quickly after cutting some fillets.

The same mechanism you used for a sharpening stone is also applicable to a sharpening rod. Use the same 20° and sliding motion as you did with the whetstone. However, be careful with the direction you point the knife towards. Unless you are an expert in using a sharpening rod, ensure that you slide the knife away from you as much as possible.

Takeaway

Among the different methods, we presented for how to sharpen a fillet knife, which one will you choose?

The question may be confusing, but the answer depends on your personal choice and which one is the most comfortable for you. An electric sharpener may not work well for people who want to fillet while in the middle of the sea, especially anglers. Instead, you may want to consider a manual sharpener for the sharpening process instead.

It won’t also work if you are in an area where there is no electricity. But if you are at the comforts of your own home and you do not know how to sharpen a fillet knife using a whetstone, then an electric sharpener is your best choice.

You may also opt for the AccuSharp for a less troublesome sharpening process and experience. Just take note that whatever method you choose as a fillet knife sharpener, the most important consideration is and will always be your safety.

Maintenance and proper cleaning of your knife will also help in preserving its sharpness. When you keep all these guidelines in mind, you’ll have a better filleting experience.