Home Forums Gear Knives and Blades Collection vs. Use

I've three of Phil's knives, and another in the planning stage. My one, singular most amazing cutting implement is my Modified Bird and Trout, the "magic knife." I'd first heard of Phil from a Shark fisherman in a tourney off Nova Scotia and based on what I saw him do that week bought a fillet. Later I picked up a semi skinner, and finally - the magic knife.

This knife is the one I post in most of the "favorite knife" threads. 3-1/4" blade, 7-1/4" overall of S30V super hardened to 61 HRC. The David Boye type super full flat distal taper is so thin it'll cut your eye if you look at it, and the thing only weighs 2.7 oz to boot!

I go to Scotland each year stalking red and roe deer and shooting driven grouse, and this knife, the first year I had it, caped 14 red stags out for the skulls to be boiled for European mounts, then later in the week went on a driven grouse hunt and worked over 356 birds - sans even a whisk on a steel.

Magic knife!

Middle knife - that edge is 12* per side!

I'm compelled by multiple non-public requests/comments to clarify:

1.) The left and right knives in the photo aren't Wilsons

2.) The little fillet on the right is a Tom Krein Panfish.

No it is a creek near my house in Juneau AK where I do a lot of duck hunting. Man you won't regret getting the Punta Chivato. I have been using Phils knives for going on 10 years.

AKMtnHntr
You will not be disappointed. I have been using the Punta Chivato in SE AK for going on 10 years now. I have a 7", 9", semi-skinner, and Coyote Meadow. I sure am glad Phil is back in the game and making knives again. I believe he has the fillet knife market locked up. I have yet to find a better fillet knife out there.

Would assume your 10ish year old fillet is ATS-34 or 154 CM? Have you compared it to a CPM steel?

Yes my first Punta Chivato is 154CM. I have one of the first Punta Chivato's he made using CPM S30V and a semi-skinner in S90V. I have found that the S30V holds an edge much longer then the 154CM. Both metals make for great blades. I have on the way now a 7" Punta Chivato in 154CM. Both will do a fine job but in my experiance the S30V holds up better and is easier to keep sharp. Just guessing but I would say that my first Punta Chivato has no less then 500 Coho, 100 Kings, 100 Cod, 100 Rockfish, 30 Striped Bass, and numerous trout, bass, and blues. I used it while commerical fishing and sport fishing. I have used it on both coast and I honestly have never had a better fillet knife. I would buy Phil's knives in either 154CM or S30V but favoring the S30V. I use a Diamond stone and strop and have never had a problem getting and keeping either sharp. In my years since I have been buying and using Phil's knives I have give several away to good friends. I don't regret giving them to friends I just wish I had a replacement for all of them. I have owned his Punta Chivato's, Coyote Meadows, Semi-skinner's, and one Chalk Creek Hunter. All are great knives.

Mt fillet is 154 CM, skinner is CPM S90V, and the Bird & Trout is CPM S30V. The next will be CPM 154.