I have a friend that wants a gut hook knife. Any of you guys ever make one? Any tips or suggestions before I dive in? I'd like to see pictures if you have them. Thanks, Mike
I made one once.
Realized what I had done and threw it in the river!
I made one one time and had to rework it multiple times to get it to work right. I will never again make a gut hook knife.
I was told by an old timer in Oregon the that first knife that had that hook on so you could grab the bail on a hot pot of cowboy coffee from the fire. He went on to say it was never intended to be sharpened.
I make them every once and awhile!
(http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv7/lilbobby_photos/DSC01419.jpg)
What's with the guthook hate? I know fellas that love them and others that are indifferent, but I don't see why a guthook is a bad thing...
It's not a "bad" thing.
I just don't feel it has reason to be on a knife.
Even long before I ever started making knives, I had no desire to have one.
There's never been any thing I couldn't do with a properly sharpened knife.
I do, however, own and have infrequently used one of the Gerber E-Z Zips:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Gerber-45924-E-Z-Zip-W-Sheath/21926608
I remember Merle Seguine telling me the story behind the gut hook. He owned Alaska Tool and Die in Juneau and made some very good knives many years a go. He made the first gut hook for a bush pilot that wanted the hook on the end of his knife to lift the bail on his pots when out in the back country. Mere did make it and began to tinker and sharpened one to see how it worked on opening the animals cavity. This began the gut hook. Now that was better than 50 years ago.
Check out this post. This tool does the same thing. I like it better than a gut hook.
http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=110;t=004487
If you are really into the gut hook format for a practical tool, the Wyoming knife is probably the most functional out there.
I have a whitetail skinner (used to be sold by Screaming Eagle) that is fabulous....T-Handle for safe handling and a blade and hook that both work...and your grip is not ruined by blood on the item.
They are made by Outdoor Edge and there is the larger GAME SKINNER and the one I have, Whitetail Skinner.
http://www.outdooredge.com/hunting-fixed-blades-knives-s/23.htm
My dad makes them by request. Send me an email with what you want and I can get you a quote. I have some knives in the classified if you want to see a couple examples.