Designated gut hook

[unsuccessful]

Did a quick search on this topic, and didn't find any previous discussion in the archives. Does anyone use or have experienced with designated gut hooks?

Sent from my LG-K550 using Tapatalk

 

[go4thegusto]

Beak hook utility knife carpet blade works great. Weighs nothing in a small holder or folder. Used them for years.

 

[nazca]

I don't think a full-sized dedicated gut hook is worth the weight or $. But last year I did buy the gut hook blades for my havalon - those are pretty slick. They're actually most useful to quickly split the hide down the legs where the hide is thick & well attached. In retrospect, some of the dedicated gut hooks have designs that wouldn't let them do this because the tip is too large & blunt.

 

[DougP]

Beak hook utility knife carpet blade works great. Weighs nothing in a small holder or folder. Used them for years.

That's a very clever idea. Do you use them stand alone, or do you pack some type of retractable frame/holder?

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

As a convenience item I carry the outdoor edge zip it folder, I makes quick work for slicing under the hide down the body and up the legs to skin everything out. Its not a must have but handy and fairly light.

 

[Backpack Hunter]

I use a Buck gut hook. Weighs around 2-3 ounces, and is orange. Works well for me.

Esse quam videri

 

[rileybassman]

I have used them many times... I don't really use them now. Find I can do all the same things with a knife. I do find that they are very nice for skinning up the legs.

 

[unsuccessful]

As a convenience item I carry the outdoor edge zip it folder, I makes quick work for slicing under the hide down the body and up the legs to skin everything out. Its not a must have but handy and fairly light.

I have a swing blade and thought the zip edge was the cooles thing since sliced bread after gutting an elk. I lost faith in it after gutting an antelope. Do you have any multi-species experience with your outdoor edge.

Love all the great input. Keep it coming.

Sent from my LG-K550 using Tapatalk

 

[BroodBuster]

I carry this Victoronix hunter which works great on the hide. I use a Little Vickie on the meat.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[unsuccessful]

I have a swing blade and thought the zip edge was the cooles thing since sliced bread after gutting an elk. I lost faith in it after gutting an antelope. Do you have any multi-species experience with your outdoor edge.

Love all the great input. Keep it coming.

Sent from my LG-K550 using Tapatalk

Oops that message was supposed to be a reply to pods8

Sent from my LG-K550 using Tapatalk

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

I have a swing blade and thought the zip edge was the cooles thing since sliced bread after gutting an elk. I lost faith in it after gutting an antelope. Do you have any multi-species experience with your outdoor edge.

Love all the great input. Keep it coming.

Sent from my LG-K550 using Tapatalk

Yep elk, deer and lopes. What issue did you have? While I have used it to open the gut sack in the past I typically go gutless. I think it shines for rapidly making clean cuts in the hide up the center and up each leg, esp. up the lower legs where that rounded edge allows you to drive the blade forward under that taught thin skin. Then I wipe it off and put it away and grab my skinner and go to town.

As noted not needed but pretty light and makes the task a little easier for me.

 

[tttoadman]

I have the Buck gut hook. I used it for a deer and liked it. I found it a little useless on an elk because the hide is just too heavy. I can break down an entire elk with a single havalon blade. The only time I ever break blades is skinning and breaking the head off.

The swingblade scares the crap out of me. I won't use a knife I have to push. One slip of the hand, and you are heading for the blade.

 

[MtnMuley]

Outdoor Edge Zip or Swingblade is by far the best gutting and making cuts throughout the hide tool I've ever seen. It's one of the first items in my pack for each hunt. Antelope, elk, deer, moose, etc.

 

[unsuccessful]

Yep elk, deer and lopes. What issue did you have? While I have used it to open the gut sack in the past I typically go gutless. I think it shines for rapidly making clean cuts in the hide up the center and up each leg, esp. up the lower legs where that rounded edge allows you to drive the blade forward under that taught thin skin. Then I wipe it off and put it away and grab my skinner and go to town.

As noted not needed but pretty light and makes the task a little easier for me.

I had issues going down the legs, but it looks like I can blame that on operator error.

Sent from my LG-K550 using Tapatalk

 

[2ski]

I carry this Victoronix hunter which works great on the hide. I use a Little Vickie on the meat.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

My initial reaction when I saw that picture was, what a pain in the hind's end to clean when you get fat and blood in there between all those moving parts.

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

I had issues going down the legs, but it looks like I can blame that on operator error.

Sent from my LG-K550 using Tapatalk

Sometimes going down the legs I turn the blade on its side if I am getting resistance and that thinner profile slides through and then I just roll it back to vertical to cut through. I sometimes, esp on the legs, hold the knife pointing down in my hand and pull it through cuts rather than push.

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

The swingblade scares the crap out of me. I won't use a knife I have to push. One slip of the hand, and you are heading for the blade.

It's is no different than a normal knife except instead of sliding a normal blade along either scoring the meat or nipping upwards through the hide the rounded blade rides along under the hide yet over the meat. With any knife you have to push or pull the blade through if cutting from the inside out.

 

[NHRedleg]

I used to wonder why someone would use one; knife between my two fingers did just fine. Then I was issued a Gerber seatbelt cutter (aka-Gut Hook) in '04 on my first deployment. The next season after I was home I tried it and was like; WOW! what have I been waiting for. I love it for whitetails (haven't had the opportunity yet to use on Elk). I have the orange Buck Paklite Field Master kit now that I carry (lost that damn Gerber gutting out a deer in Maine when I set it down on the forest floor); its light, works well, and I can find the hook or knifes when I set them down.

 

[colersu22]

My father in law got the outdoor edge zip last year and we used it in his deer and I was impressed with it. I am going to pick one up this year to carry in my pack for the hide like pods8 mentioned.