need info for making fillet knife

[santino]

I just returned home from visiting my relatives in MI and my uncle wants me to make him a 10" fillet knife anyone give me ideas on steel thickness and hardness how do you get them to flex I tried one years back and it was very rigid hardly any flex thanks for the help guys

[Ray Rogers]

I like 3/32nds for a flexible 10" fillet knife. If it's stainless, a hardness of about 57 or so should give enough flex. If it's carbon, a differential temper works well. Flex is also controlled by the shape of the blade. Make it a bite wider than you want it to be and test the flex as you grind it down until it gets to where you want it to be........

[santino]

do you think I should use 440 c or ats-34 for the filet knife

[LYNN DRURY]

I JUST FINISHED 3 FILLET KNIVES AND USED 1/16 ATS 34.
VERY FLEXIBLE. I USED CANVAS MACARTA FOR THE HANDLES.
THEY TURNED OUT VERY NICE. 1 9 INCH BLADE AND 2 7 INCH
BLADES. 59 RC.


LYNN DRURY

[Ray Rogers]

I'm currently finishing up a 10" ATS-34 fillet blade. I use ATS-34 on fillet blades because people keep asking for it but my personal choice between ATS-34 and 440C would be for the 440C. 440C can be used at about the same hardness but it is a little more rust resistant than ATS-34. That can be an important consideration for a fillet knife, especially if the customer specifies that he wants stainless.........