Still Sharp? A Mid-Season Reminder to Check Your Knife
We are at that point in the season where things start to blur. You’re not sure how many days are left in the season—or even what day it is. The early mornings, long days on the water, and late nights cleaning fish start to get to you. Your wife or girlfriend is probably thinking:
“When does the fishing season end anyways?”
Never. That’s the answer to that question. We’ll never get tired of chasing the biggest fish that swim in our waters.
I wanted to hit pause for a second to talk through mid-season maintenance of your knives.
If You Haven’t Touched Your Edge… Good.
SORD knives come razor-sharp out of the box, and that edge will last you many, many more fish than your typical stainless-steel fillet knife. Unless you’ve been running dozens of fish through yours every day, chances are your blade doesn’t need much more than a rinse and a wipe down.
I was just talking with one of our guides, Chase Masters, who runs a boat in Islamorada. He’s gone the last 180 days cleaning muttons, yellowjacks, and yellowtails without sharpening his 7” Medium Flex once.
So unless your knife isn’t cutting clean or is struggling to get through pin bones, you don’t need to break out the sharpening stones or get fancy with angles.
What You Should Do for Mid-Season Maintenance
Pull Your Knife Out and Inspect It
-
Is there gunk accumulating near where the handle meets the blade?
-
Is there any corrosion forming on the uncoated knife edge?
That’s your fillet knife telling you it’s time for a reset.
Deep Clean It
-
Give it a deep rinse with freshwater and dish soap.
-
Get into the crack where the blade meets the handle to loosen up and remove any accumulated gunk.
-
Completely wipe the blade dry.
Oil It Up
-
Apply a light coating of mineral oil (or any kitchen-safe oil) to the blade before it goes back in the sheath.
Check the Kydex Sheath
-
If your sheath has been soaked with saltwater spray from the boat, rinse it out.
-
Let it dry thoroughly outside in the piping hot summer sun.
If You Do Need to Sharpen…
-
Be smart about it and take your time with stones.
-
Check out our blog post on how to sharpen your blade for a step-by-step breakdown.
We recommend the Warthog Sharpener for quick touch-ups. It holds the angle for you and keeps things simple. It’s what I use when I’m short on time but want a clean, reliable edge.
The Bottom Line
Mid-season is something I know all too well. I start getting lazy, and all the processes I implemented early in the season to stay organized go out the window.
I’ll toss my knife into a bucket after cleaning fish and tell myself:
“I’ll deal with that later.”
But the truth is—gear only lasts if you treat it right.
So take five minutes. Pull your knife out. Give it a once-over. And if anything looks off, please reach out to us. We’re here to help.
Seriously—whether it’s a sharpening question, an issue with your knife, or you just want to know if something looks normal…
Email us. DM us. Give us a ring.
We want your fillet knife to last you for seasons to come.