making a gut hook - The Firearms Forum

topper · 12-27-2009, 11:53 AM

Would anyone have any information on how to make a gut hook on a folding knife? I have an old fairly cheap single blade folding knife and would like a gut hook on it. I'm not real sure how to go about it. Would ginding the rough out draw out the blade temper? I have a round ceramic sharpening rod for the final edge. The purpose of this gut hook is for small 'tree rats' as it would be easier for me to carry a folding knife instead of a larger fixed blade. The blade length of the proposed gut hook blade is about 2 1/2". Any help would be appreciated.

Lotsdragon · 12-27-2009, 12:12 PM

Would imagine that grinding it would hurt the temper, if i were going to do it I would use a file to cut out the hook then sharpen it. Course you can spend 20 and buy one premade, LOL! Good luck and post some pics when you get done.

Maximilian II · 12-27-2009, 02:56 PM

A round file will work, find one slightly larger than your ceramic rod. If you're friends with a good machinist that will do it for you it'd be easier.
The file will be a LOT of work on hardened steel, you'll probably be better off just buying a knife with one already equipped.

Bill DeShivs · 12-27-2009, 04:33 PM

Your gut hook wll be exposed when the knife is closed.
Better to just blunt the tip of the knife.

bambihunter · 02-10-2010, 10:21 AM

I have never found them to be very effective for any size critter. For larger game like deer, the only ones that work really at all (to me) are the T handled ones with a much larger hook.

Farmerjon · 02-10-2010, 07:49 PM

Remington makes a folding knife, one blade gut hook, one blade skinner. That gut hook will open a hide on a hog/steer/deer/rabbit/chicken/goat/lamb and cat (don't ask!) like a well oiled zipper!! Seventy bucks, but man, you don't knick a gut, I can't get the hang of those that are on the back of a fixed blade, this is the one to get!!!

jack404 · 02-10-2010, 08:05 PM

about 1 3/4" back from the tip of a standard buck knife make a small mark

figure the central line of the blade ( where it looks parrallel to your eye)

and mark a line at about 30 degrees running to the front of the blade

with a triangle file, start filing a few strokes at a time to mark the line as deep as you can

and go about a inch along the blade doing this

( remember this is for a 5" bladed Buck style knife , you'll have to adjust all these measurements to suit your own blade , if you try this with a 3 " blade your top the end clean off

)

and do the reverse side

then with a 3/8" dia round file go along the line until you get the desired depth of hook get a small arkansas stone and finish as you would any blade
ensure you go past the line made with the triangle file to ensure a smooth hook or it'll be hard to clean and you'll get corrosion in the angle

hope this helps

cheers

jack

PS if your up to to annealing a blade and retempering it let me know and what grade steel the blade is and i can advise you a much better way

cheers

12-27-2009, 11:53 AM	#1
topper Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: deep in the woods Posts: 748	making a gut hook Would anyone have any information on how to make a gut hook on a folding knife? I have an old fairly cheap single blade folding knife and would like a gut hook on it. I'm not real sure how to go about it. Would ginding the rough out draw out the blade temper? I have a round ceramic sharpening rod for the final edge. The purpose of this gut hook is for small 'tree rats' as it would be easier for me to carry a folding knife instead of a larger fixed blade. The blade length of the proposed gut hook blade is about 2 1/2". Any help would be appreciated. -->

12-27-2009, 12:12 PM	#2
Lotsdragon Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Potosi, Mo Posts: 813	Re: making a gut hook Would imagine that grinding it would hurt the temper, if i were going to do it I would use a file to cut out the hook then sharpen it. Course you can spend 20 and buy one premade, LOL! Good luck and post some pics when you get done. __________________ "First comes smiles,then lies.Last is gunfire" Roland Deschain

12-27-2009, 02:56 PM	#3
Maximilian II Advanced Senior Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Northwest GA Posts: 1,383	Re: making a gut hook A round file will work, find one slightly larger than your ceramic rod. If you're friends with a good machinist that will do it for you it'd be easier. The file will be a LOT of work on hardened steel, you'll probably be better off just buying a knife with one already equipped. __________________ Karma is just justice, without the satisfaction. And I don't believe in justice. -Joe Sarno, bagman.

12-27-2009, 04:33 PM	#4
Bill DeShivs Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Contributor Posts: 1,470	Re: making a gut hook Your gut hook wll be exposed when the knife is closed. Better to just blunt the tip of the knife. __________________ Bill DeShivs www.billdeshivs.com

02-10-2010, 10:21 AM	#5
bambihunter V.I.P. Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Oklahoma City, OK Posts: 197	Re: making a gut hook I have never found them to be very effective for any size critter. For larger game like deer, the only ones that work really at all (to me) are the T handled ones with a much larger hook.

02-10-2010, 07:49 PM	#6
Farmerjon V.I.P. Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Northwest Indiana Posts: 83	Re: making a gut hook Remington makes a folding knife, one blade gut hook, one blade skinner. That gut hook will open a hide on a hog/steer/deer/rabbit/chicken/goat/lamb and cat (don't ask!) like a well oiled zipper!! Seventy bucks, but man, you don't knick a gut, I can't get the hang of those that are on the back of a fixed blade, this is the one to get!!! __________________ God and family, the rest is icing on the cake. FJ

02-10-2010, 08:05 PM	#7
jack404 Former Guest Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Australia Contributor Posts: 17,622	Re: making a gut hook about 1 3/4" back from the tip of a standard buck knife make a small mark figure the central line of the blade ( where it looks parrallel to your eye) and mark a line at about 30 degrees running to the front of the blade with a triangle file, start filing a few strokes at a time to mark the line as deep as you can and go about a inch along the blade doing this ( remember this is for a 5" bladed Buck style knife , you'll have to adjust all these measurements to suit your own blade , if you try this with a 3 " blade your top the end clean off ) and do the reverse side then with a 3/8" dia round file go along the line until you get the desired depth of hook get a small arkansas stone and finish as you would any blade ensure you go past the line made with the triangle file to ensure a smooth hook or it'll be hard to clean and you'll get corrosion in the angle hope this helps cheers jack PS if your up to to annealing a blade and retempering it let me know and what grade steel the blade is and i can advise you a much better way cheers