who here uses the guthook on their knife?

[hawk-i]

I buy cheap on sale gut hook skinning knives from Canadian Tire for like 15 to 20 bucks...a knife will stay sharp enough to do a moose.
For that price I couldn’t be bothered to spend the time and aggravation to sharpen one. ☺

 

[bearkilr]

Puma also made one with a gutting blade like the Swingblade. I have one somewhere too, but never use it. Probably a much higher quality knife, I'm not sure if they're still made, these were German made Pumas.

 

[John Y Cannuck]

for many years I figured a gut hook was a gimmick I did not need. That opinion was based on trying to use a narrow gut hook on an older Schrade knife that a friend had. It plugged immediately with hair. That plugging with hair is the main issue with gut hooks, that and hide bunching.
Later I got to try a "zipper" that thing worked awesome with it's wide opening and razor sharp blade for opening the gut. It's issue was when I tried using it to make the cuts for skinning. There, it would not stay below the tighter hide on the legs.
Next I tried a Buck Alpha, and it's the knife I use today. It has a reasonably wide gut hook, and will stay in place to do legs etc.
like all gut hooks, it has the issue that if the hide is bunched up ahead of it, it wont cut. That's a matter of technique don't be fooled into thinking that this means it's dull, usually, it's not.
It works on bear and moose too.
What really sold me, after a lifetime of two fingers running either side of the blade, was how fast it did the cuts for skinning. Running the cut down the legs is done in seconds. you can run that cut well past any recoverable meat.
Because of the wide gut hook, the blade is a skinner, it's wide, that means it's not great for the anal cuts, I always have a small pocket knife for that, or maybe you can use a butt plug.

 

[track]

do you use it or is it a good idea on paper, not so much in the field?

When I first viewed the guthook knife it did not make sense to utilize it for field dressing nor skinning. Therefore, I never entertained the thought of purchasing one; I left it for the trendies to use, along with the other trendy items. The same would apply using rubber gloves for gutting.

 

[Mr. Friendly]

hmmm, the wyoming knife. you just triggered my memory that I have one of them somewhere too. I think it was used in the Moose hunt I was on 10 or so years ago. two cousins dropped a fork and I pulled it out for them to try.

 

[KodiakHntr]

or maybe you can use a butt plug.

Man, stuff really IS different hunting back east......!




(Sorry John, couldn't resist)


So I have a question for the guys that are talking about hide bunching up, or the hook getting filled up with hair... Are you going with the hair, or against the hair? Only reason I ask, is because the only thing I use a gut hook on is hogs. I haven't seen the bunching/hair issue that you guys are talking about, but hogs are generally hung from a gambrel and the skin is tight anyway. I assume it could be different on a slack animal laying on the ground.
And to be truthful, the only reason it gets used on hogs, is because it was a gift knife and it hadn't been seeing any use in the field, so I figured I would get it bloody. After trying it in that application, it was convenient for splitting hog hide front and back.

 

[John Y Cannuck]

Generally I am going with the grain. But hair on a moose is long stuff.

 

[BigUglyMan]

Since I long ago learned how to use a knife properly I have no need of such silliness as a gut hook.

 

[1899]

I often use an Outdoor Edge Zip-Pro. It is quite easy to sharpen and it is very quick, not just for gutting by also for certain aspects of skinning. It's a useful tool.

 

[hoytcanon]

I have never owned or used a guthook in my life, with approximately 5-600 head of game dressed and butchered.