Dexter-Russell Sani-Safe 8-inch Narrow Flexible Fillet Knife

An 8-inch blade is long enough to fillet a striped bass, a bluefish or a mid-size salmon in one smooth pass from collar to tail, and it also suits large salmon, flatfish and medium-sized pelagic species. The S133-8 is Dexter-Russell’s Sani-Safe 8-inch narrow flexible fillet knife, and shoppers search for it on our site by that model number.

Its narrow blade flexes enough to ride over the rib cage and lift a fillet cleanly, then lies flat against the board to skin it. Dexter recommends it for filleting fish and also for trimming fat from meat, so it earns a place in a home kitchen as well as a tackle box. Fishermen and home cooks both buy this size, and it carries Dexter’s long history in Southbridge, Massachusetts, where the company has made knives since 1818.

Choosing an 8-inch Fillet Knife

For thicker, heavier fish such as cod and grouper, the Sani-Safe 8-inch Wide Fillet Knife is stiffer. The V-Lo 8-inch Fillet Knife offers a similar flexible blade with a cushioned handle, and Dexter’s leather sheath for 8- and 9-inch fillet knives protects the edge in transit.