Gut hook Knives

A gut hook is a small sharpened notch ground into the spine of a hunting knife. Hooked under the hide and pulled, it opens the belly along a controlled line without the point dipping into the stomach or intestines. Done with a plain blade that takes care and a steady hand; done with a hook it takes one movement.Who actually needs one. If you field dress several animals a season it will save time and mess. If you take one deer a year, an ordinary drop point does the job and is easier to sharpen. We would rather say that than sell you the wrong knife.Ours. Hand-forged 1095 and 15n20 Damascus at 58 to 60 HRC, full tang, with stag, buffalo horn or wood handles and a fitted leather sheath. The hook is ground and finished by hand, which is the part cheap gut hooks get wrong.How do I sharpen a gut hook? Not on a bench stone. Use a round file, a ceramic rod or a tapered sharpener that fits inside the curve, and work from the inside out.Does the hook get in the way? Slightly, when batoning or doing fine tip work. It is a trade, which is why most hunters own one knife with a hook and one without.Is it legal everywhere? It is treated as an ordinary fixed blade. Length rules still apply and vary by state, so check your local law.