to gut hook or not to gut hook

B

bkkd

Joined
Dec 9, 2005
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getting a master hunter and cant decide on the gut hook or non gut hook modle, anybody here have any opinions on both?..............knife is of course the cold steel master hunter.........which even tho its cold steel, its a good hunting knife........
 
The gut hook on the cold steel is way to small and incorrectly shaped, it will hang up constantly, There a few knifes with a decent gut hook, it must be large enough to a least get your little finger into. A straight cutting edge works much better than a contoured one and is easier to sharpe. See the photo of the way I make them, they work great, their best asset is how easy it is to split the skin when skinning not the gut hook function

Leon Pugh

Leon Pugh
 

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I would say NO, for the reasons mentioned above but also I think they are kind of in the way and detract from the look of the knife, but some people do use them. I just never cared for em.
 
During High School and College, I was professional game processor. As leon.pugh said, there are precious few gut hooks that work properly. Few enough to make finding a good one not necessary. A properly designed skinning knife (not to be confused with a general purpose "hunting" knife) is better, in "my" hands at least, than any gut hook. Those things make better seat belt cutters than game zippers!
 
Bruce have you really tried one, I was dead set against them untill a few years ago a hunter who likes them asked me to make one like the one in the photo but larger, I tried it and loved it for quickly spilting skin and then just pull the skin off , I probally am not as skilled as you with blade controll. I now think if it is designed right it is great for some people!
 
Leon, yes, I've tried a few and didn't like them. ...but the one in your picture, with a little larger, more blunt knob that slides under the skin might make me change my mind!
 
Gut hooks definately work but I prefer them as a seperate tool not on the main cutting blade.
Scott
 
I've never found one that works very well. With a little care and the right technique, they aren't really necessary. Besides, I hate the way they look on a good cutting tool like the Master Hunter.
 
I'm with Leon. I ignored them, didn't like the ones I tried, etc. I figured it was just one more gimmick to sell to deer and elk hunters.

Mountain hunting for elk has changed my mind. Many people out here quarter and/or bone out their elk (and, if you're back a ways, deer) by splitting the skin down the back (where it is thick, and lies tight to the animal, making the two fingers trick almost useless), then making vertical cuts down the legs. You pretty much don't gut the animal except to get at the backstraps and organ meats. It's unbelievable how fast and cleanly you can do an animal this way. The meat cools faster, and all the mess and unnecessary weight gets left in the brush. Leon's right about small hooks binding, of course...that's why I just PM'ed him and why I'm also checking out that cheap Gerber tool.
 
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