F. Dick 10-inch Narrow Blade Guard

Long, slim blades need a long, slim guard, and this 10-inch narrow F. Dick guard fits 8- to 10-inch fillet knives, narrow trimming knives and slicers. Examples are the ErgoGrip 8.25-inch narrow trimming knife and the 7-inch semi-flexible fillet knife.

A flexible fillet blade is easy to bend or nick when it is carried uncovered in a tackle box or a knife bag. The narrow sleeve holds the blade straight and protects its edge, and it keeps the point from catching on anything else in the bag.

For fishing trips, a guarded fillet knife can ride in a tackle box tray with hooks and pliers and come out with its edge intact. In a kitchen, the same guard keeps a slicer from getting nicked in a crowded drawer, so it stays ready for the next carving job.

Wider knives of the same length, such as 10-inch butcher and breaking knives, fit the 10-inch wide guard instead. For blades up to 6 inches, the 6.5-inch narrow guard fits more closely. Store guarded knives flat rather than point down.