Gut Hooks

[Randy Lucius]

During the short time I've been making knives had a couple of people ask If I made knives with gut hooks. (I haven't). I'm almost 60 and have hunted and fished all my life. Probably seen hundreds of deer dressed but never seen a gut hook used on one. Out of all the guys I've hunted with I've never one of them carry a knife with a gut hook. The only gut hook I've ever seen was an index and middle finger. Am I missing something?

 

[Sean Jones]

I don't think so. I'm not a hunter but I do fish. I've seen this question asked on other forums, and the responses have usually been a gut hook is more of a novelty than anything. And also hard to make.

 

[Justin W.]

I made one when I first started my knifemaking journey.............it was pretty rough and I doubt the hook was even that sharp but with that being said me and my Dad have used them for years on numerous deer. It’s helpful for making that first cut into the chest cavity then it’s just a pain having that stupid thing on top of the blade

 

[tkroenlein]

No. You're not missing a thing. Peace be upon those who make and/or use them. They're just not for me.

 

[Gene Kimmi]

I'll go against the grain, I love a gut hook and use one every time I butcher. I also like making a gut hook knife.

I think the key is getting the geometry right and getting them sharp.

 

[bladegrinder]

I'm on the fence about them. I've made and sold knives with them and I've used them on a lot on deer and wild hogs. I'd say the best part about them is the cool factor of opening an animal like a zipper, although they work great on running up the legs too.
on the other hand while they look appropriate on certain knives I think they detract from the visual appeal of certain models and for sure if their not put on knives with some thought going into it, like riding too high above the spine. I've actually seen some that hang up when pulling them from a sheath, not to mention hanging up when your getting inside of an animal.
While they sometimes seem to speed things up I believe someone that's been cleaning animals for years could really go with or without. personally I use one but only on occasion.

 

[BossDog]

I’ve used them several times on deer and they work well for opening the animal. After that they get in the way and hook where they shouldn’t.
BUT there are guys (customers) that love them and wouldn’t consider not having one. There are couple ways to go.
1 Make some with, some with out. See what you sell. I bet it’s both but probably not 1 to 1.
2 Make a skinning set. The field knife has a hook, the camp skinner doesn’t. Two knife sale and you gotta like that.

 

[AkWildman]

I won't make a knife with a gut hook what I use in the field and what I recomend to my customers is carry a cheap folding utility knife with a hook blade in it in there pack.The kind of blade for carpet . I think you guys know what I mean,when skinning out a moose it works great for cutting down the legs and if you fillet a moose the way I do you cut the hide from the back of the head down the back to the tail and it work great for that. By the time your done with one moose the blade is dull and you just replace it versus trying to sharpen a gut hook on a knife.Just my personal opinion but a gut hook on a knife is just a gimmick that destroys the lines of a otherwise good knife.

 

[Jon Buescher]

I won't make a knife with a gut hook what I use in the field and what I recomend to my customers is carry a cheap folding utility knife with a hook blade in it in there pack.The kind of blade for carpet . I think you guys know what I mean,when skinning out a moose it works great for cutting down the legs and if you fillet a moose the way I do you cut the hide from the back of the head down the back to the tail and it work great for that. By the time your done with one moose the blade is dull and you just replace it versus trying to sharpen a gut hook on a knife.Just my personal opinion but a gut hook on a knife is just a gimmick that destroys the lines of a otherwise good knife.

I have seen some people make a Gut hook blade, that is separate from the knife blade, the gut hook is nothing but the hook and the separate blade is the standard blade

 

[izafireman]

I have had several guys send me knives and ask me to grind the gut hook off as it just gets in the way when, as we say here in the UK. , 'gralloching' the deer.

Most deer stalkers here will use a standard knife or as in the image a set with a 'tripe knife' which with the blunt end and curved blade which can do all that a standard straight blade does and more. They are fantastic for skinning deer.