One of the best fillet knives Ive ever used is located in a mom-and-pop restaurant with a dirt parking lot. Its been there for the last 30 years. It was there that I first used a fillet knife while processing fillets for the worlds best fish and chips.

　　That knife isnt branded, has a crappy handle, and has been sharpened down to a blade resembling a shiv after decades of early-morning fish-cutting sessions. But man, its sharp.

　　Ive been using fillet knives ever since. During my time as an ice fishing guide, I used countless knives, some good, some awful, and some that resemble a cordless drill. But none held up quite like the one I used as a kid.

　　That is, until I held the 7-inch Benchmade Fishcrafter. After using it for a spring, I must admit that it may be just as good, although it doesnt have the same small-town nostalgia.

　　In short: The Benchmade Fishcrafter performs as a near-zero maintenance fillet knife. The CPM MagnaCut steel provides excellent corrosion resistance. That same hard steel also means it maintains a sharp edge, meaning you waste less time sharpening your cutting tool. When it does eventually dull, send it back to Benchmade for a free tune-up. For those who need the ultimate fillet knife for consistent use, the Fishcrafter is always ready to go.

　　Benchmade Fishcrafter Check Price at Bass Pro ShopsCheck Price at Amazon

　　8.7 How we rate products Specifications Size: 7, 9 Steel: CPM-MagnaCut Stainless Steel Handle Material: Santoprene Blade Style: Trailing Point Pros Wicked sharp from factory Handle is grippy when wet Handle will fit numerous hand sizes Perfect amount of flex for filleting MagnaCut steel protects knife from rust in wet environments Cons Price Dont love the belt loop attachment on the sheath Morgan Nowels In-Hand Feel

　　(Photo/Morgan Nowels) Many fillet knives feel lightweight and flimsy in your hand. Others feel like they have a brick of a handle with a delicate blade. The Fishcrafter plays a perfect balance. It feels sturdy, yet maintains a delicate feel. Its designed for precise work, and it does so while still feeling hefty and durable.

　　Handle on the Benchmade Fishcrafter

　　The contour on the front part of the handle provides excellent grip; (photo/Morgan Nowels) To me, one of the most important features of any knife is the handle. Its the connection point to you and a sharp blade, so it should be comfortable and feel stable in your hand. That becomes even more important when it comes to fillet knives. Your hands are guaranteed to be wet and covered in slime while processing fish, and blades on fillet knives are razor-sharp.

　　I love the overall size of the handle on the Fishcrafter. Its not as large as some other handles Ive used, and that makes it comfortable for people with different-sized hands. My wife and I have both used it, and each of us can get a comfortable, steady grip.

　　Youll find contours on the front part of the handle where it meets the blade. These grooves provided a steady grip, regardless of how I held the knife. Most noticeable, and the most handy, are the grooves on the side of the handle.

　　When making precise cuts with the knifes tip, I often find myself adjusting my grip. I rotate it in my hand and place my fingertip on the side of the knife. The accentuated grooves on that portion of the knife give my pointer finger a rock-solid grip.

　　The entire handle is a rubber material. Through dozens of fillets, my hand never felt unsteady or slippery, despite having all manner of fish slime on it.

　　Blade on the Benchmade Fishcrafter

　　The Fishcrafter blade is made of CPM MagnaCut; (photo/Alexis Totin) Steel Benchmades entire line of water knives is made of CPM-MagnaCut steel, and the Fishcrafter is no exception. The steel has two main benefits: edge retention and corrosion resistance.

　　After a spring of cutting up all sorts of fish, I havent noticed a reduction in sharpness. Its maintained an edge well, even after cutting through large-scale fish like largemouth bass. And yes. I fillet sacred bass. Come at me.

　　Its not so sharp that it cuts through everything like butter, though. When filleting bass, it wouldnt cut through every scale and would get gummed up. Id have to wipe it clean of scales before resuming. That happens with every fillet knife, Im just letting you know so that you dont expect some otherworldly level of performance.

　　The blade has also withstood any corrosion, although I havent given it the ultimate test: use in saltwater. But from my freshwater use, I can say freshwater anglers wont end up with rust spots, due to both the steel and the drainage port located at the bottom of the sheath.

　　Blade Shape and Use As for the shape of the blade, the Benchmade Fishcrafter is standard in its overall design. Its long and thin with an upturned point that sits higher than the handle.

　　The point worked perfectly for delicate fillet work on small rock bass and bluegill. I could control it and put it into tiny areas around small ribcages to ensure I preserved as much meat as possible.

　　That same point performed well at punching through thick skin after working around rib cages. I still had to push harder when making the initial break through the skin, but the Fishcrafter did it with less hassle than other knives.

　　The Fishcrafter has a small amount of flex, which I found very useful when cutting fillets off the skin. However, there isnt so much flex that the blade bends when cutting around thick bones on a blue cat.

　　Ive had flexible fillet knives take a permanent set from applying too much pressure. The Fishcrafter flexes when I need it to, and it bounces right back into position once I relieve pressure on the blade.

　　Size of the Benchmade Fishcrafter

　　(Photo/Alexis Totin) I fish mostly freshwater, with the occasional trip to the salt. Because of that, Ive been using the 7 Fishcrafter. Benchmade labels the 7 version for use on small to medium-sized fish. So, I used it to fillet small to large fish.

　　It worked great when filleting bass, crappie, bluegill, and walleye. But it also provided passable service when filleting large catfish. On really big fish, some additional cuts were needed, but I never felt like a job was too big for it.

　　So, if youre a freshwater angler, Id stick with the 7. The fine point is great for small fish, and you can still get the job done on larger game fish. If youre a salty dude who only chases giants, Id bump up to the 9 version.

　　How Could It Be Improved?

　　(Photo/Morgan Nowels) The worst part of the Benchmade Fishcrafter is how difficult it is to sharpen. That is the catch-22 with hard steels that maintain an edge for a long time. I havent even tried to sharpen the Fishcrafter. The first reason is that, well, it hasnt needed to be sharpened. But also because Ive tried to sharpen MagnaCut before, and it didnt go well.

　　Unless youre an experienced knife sharpener, youll be better served utilizing Benchmades lifesharp service, where you ship your knife in and Benchmade sharpens it for you. Thats what I do with all my Benchmade knives. Of course, that means youre down a knife while its in for service.

　　While for the most part I like the sheath, it wasnt designed perfectly. Most noticeable are the belt loop ports. Theyre small, and arent tall enough for the utility belt I wear. I can fit a standard leather belt into the slots, but not anything wider than that.

　　Assuming you can find a belt that fits them, the belt loop connections arent offset. That means your belt wraps around the sheath and pulls the knife very close to your hip.

　　These days, I dont often carry a fillet knife on my belt, however, when I was an ice fishing guide, I did every day. The sheath would make that difficult to do.

　　Who Is It Best For? At a whopping $240, I can tell you the Fishcrafter is not for the casual angler. If you dont fish much, or mostly catch and release, and only keep fish a few times a year, this knife is overkill. You can find a more budget-friendly option like the Gerber Controller.

　　However, during my days working as an ice fishing guide, I would have loved to own this knife. I used a fillet knife at least three times a day, and the Fishcrafter is built to withstand that type of use. People who keep fish weekly, or even a few times a month, will likely find it worth the investment.

　　I prefer gear that requires minimal maintenance, mostly because I know myself well enough to realize that I wont be diligent about it. For fillet knives, that means Ill probably put them away wet, let them get rusty, and one day find myself hacking a fillet job and realizing its time to sharpen the blade. The Benchmade Fishcrafter is perfect for anglers like me because it can handle misuse better than most and will go a long time between sharpenings.

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