A gut hook knife is a knife with a specially designed hunting blade that makes it perfect for gutting wild game without running the risk of damaging the meat in the process. A gut hook blade has a deep, sharp hook along the back ridge of the blade’s tip that allows a hunter to puncture and cleanly rip open the belly of an animal without puncturing any organs. While many hunters swear by the utility of a gut hook blade on their hunting knife, some hunters prefer to use a separate tool such as a Wyoming knife to open up the gut of their game. Others find that the hook end of the blade makes the knife less pragmatic for general duty applications. Still, the gut hook blade is an excellent knife for the frequent hunter who is looking for a knife that will only be used for hunting and fishing applications.

Gut Hook Hunting Knife Uses

A gut hook hunting knife is really only designed to be used for back country applications such as hunting and fishing. Other than cleaning wild game, a gut hook knife can also be a welcome addition to a tackle box. The hook of the blade can be used for cleaning fish and quickly cutting fishing line, and the rest of the knife can be used for applications such as cutting bait. However, a gut hook hunting knife is a less ideal choice for a general use camping tool. Because the gut hook is exposed on the back end of the blade, it can be dangerous to use this style of knife for precision work such as woodcraft and other campground uses.

Gut Hook Sharpening

Serious hunters who are considering purchasing a gut hook hunting knife should be aware that this blade requires a little extra care than a standard hunting knife. Because the sharpened edge of the hook is located on the inside of the hook’s curve, this portion of the knife can not be sharpened with a regular wet stone when it becomes dull after regular use. Sharpening a gut hook blade is not difficult; it simply requires the purchase of an addition round knife sharpener that can reach this inside of the hook’s blade.

Overview: Large Bowie Knife, Three Blade Knife, Hunting Knife (Gut Hook), Hunting Knife (Drop Point)
The blade length of the Large Bowie knife is 8.75 inches. The knife has an overall length of 14.25 inches. The cost is $21.00.

The Winchester Three Blade Folding knife can be purchased for $28.97. Two of the blades measure 3.5 inches and the third is 3.375 inches long. When the knife is closed it is 4.625 inches long.

Two Winchester hunting knives with gut hook blades are 4.75 and 4.74 inches and run $15.97 and $19.97. The blades of the two drop point hunting knives measure 4.83 and 2.66 inches. Their costs are $15.97 and $14.97.

Features
All Winchester knives are made from surgical-grade stainless steel and feature the Winchester name etched into the blade. Each fixed-blade knife has what is known as “full tang” construction. The tang is the part of the blade that reaches into and through the knife’s grip giving the knife more strength. The handles of all Winchester knives are either wood or imitation Micarta. Micarta is a composite of linen or paper fabric that is cured in plastic.

The Large Bowie knife features the standard Bowie blade. Two of the Winchester hunting knives feature a gut hook blade. Two others have drop point blades. The blades of the Three Blade Folding knife are a clip point, a gut hook, and a saw blade.

Knife Type
The Three Blade hunting knife features three different folding blades. One of the blades is a clip point. The Winchester Large Bowie knife and the four other models of hunting knife are all fixed-blade knives.

Main Features of the Silver Stag Deep Valley Hunting Knife
This knife is a good knife for many different occasions and is not too expensive, costing around $80.00. This knife has a very sharp pointed blade that is smooth; there is no serrated edge on this knife. The handle is made of Deer or Elk Antler with a brass finish guard to protect it and make it shine.

What Type of Knife
The Silver Stag Deep Valley Hunting Knife 440 Stainless Antler DV3010 is a wonderful knife to have. It is an overall length of 12”, and has a 6” 440C stainless blade. The blade is a drop point fixed blade and it also comes with a handmade-laced leather sheath for carrying. This knife is great for hunting, camping, fishing, hiking, and outdoor activities of all kinds; the antler handle gives the knife its own unique look and style. This knife is definitely an original looking knife, if you lost it, it would be easily recognizable if found. Take it with you wherever you go for everyday use as well.

Main Feature of The Helle Storm Hunting Knife
Although they have larger knives for big jobs, and smaller knives such as the small gut hook knife mentioned earlier, they also have great knives that can be used for many different occasions as well. The Helle Storm Hunting Knife is one of these knives; it has a smooth razor sharp blade that is a triple laminated stainless steel. The blade measures 3.70” with an overall length of 8.43”.

What Type of Knife
The Helle Storm Hunting knife is a drop point, fixed blade knife that comes with a genuine leather sheath that has two snaps and is made in Norway. This knife is great for hunting, everyday use, and camping outings. The Norwegian style knife has been around since early times and has always been a great help in everyday activities as well as outdoor camping and hunting jobs that need to be taken care of. With the rare, high quality triple laminated blade that has a combination of long lasting sharpness and great strength and durability, this Helle Storm Hunting Knife will help you accomplish just about any job you need to do, and only costs around $70.00.

Main Features of The German Bull Stag Handle Gut hook GB-101 Knife
This knife is a genuine German made gut hook knife that has a blade, which is smooth on one side and runs to a point that reveals the gut hook. The gut hook blade on this knife is great for gutting your game after hunting. The blade measures 4¼” and is made with German stainless steel. The handle on this knife is a German bull stag, and measures 4 3/8” making the entire knife a total of 8¾” long.

What Type of Knife
This knife is a fixed blade knife with a gut hook that works well and big and small jobs that need to be done. The knife is entirely handmade and comes with a brown German leather belt sheath for carrying. This knife is great for almost any hunting occasion that arises.

Main Features of the Gerber Mark II
This knife is one of the best selling knives that was made in 1966. It has a black 420HC double serrated edge blade that is oxide coated, with a die cast aluminum handle. The blade is also a drop point blade as well, and comes with a nylon sheath for carrying.

Type of Knife
The Gerber Mark II is a fixed blade knife that has a blade that measures 6.875”, which is drop point, and serrated on each side of the blade. This knife is great for hunting and dressing game.

OVERVIEW OF THE KNIVES:

There are different blade lengths, sizes and prices of the Case Hunting Knives. The Lightweight Hunter Knife is 8 1/2″ long with a gut hook at the end. the Blade itself is 4″ long including the gut hook. It weighs only 4.2 oz. so is very easy to carry along on the hunting or survival trips. This also comes in a 9″, 10″ and 10 3/4″ lengths. The Stag Pheasant model has a fixed blade, curved handle and is 7″ when closed. There is also the Buffalo Horn and the Rosewood Hunter. The Ridgeback is another popular hunting knife.

MAIN FEATURES OF THE KNIVES:

The main feature of the Lightweight Hunter is the gut hook. The Ridgeback has a swept skinner blade and a beautiful case to go with it. There is a whole family of Ridgebacks including the Hunter, Wood Hunter, Wood Caper, Wood Drop Point, Caper and Drop Point. The Stag Pheasant has a 6″ Fillet and a 9″ Fillet. The Buffalo Horn comes in Pheasant and Deer Hunter and Stag Deer Hunter.

WHAT TYPES OF KNIVES ARE THESE?

These Case Hunting Knives all come in the different styles, such as fixed blade, folding, serrated, and anything needed for hunting and survival.

First, is a knife that is a must because it is a classic and has always been a popular knife; the Winchester 22-41789 Pakka Wood Large Fixed Blade Knife. This knife is a wonderful, reliable knife that is inexpensive. The blade is stainless steel and comes with a gut hook and a fine edge. The handle is pakka wood, which is a dark red colored wood that gives style as well as strength to the knife.
Another must have knife is the Gerber Blades 06932 Gator GH Folding Gut Hook Knife. It folds and locks back so the knife will never close on you. The blade is made from high carbon stainless steel and is a length of 3.75”. It has an easy grip handle that is equipped with Kraton rubber for a better grip. The entire length of the knife with the blade open is 8.75”. This knife is a full sized knife that folds, which is not very common and is said to be one of the best of its kind offered to the public.
Made by Gerber as well is the Freeman Gut Hook Hunter fine edge sheath knife-8465. The handle to this knife is pear wood that is strong and solid. It weighs 6.8 oz, with a blade length of 3.92”. The entire length of the knife including the blade is 8.35”. This knife was actually recognized in 2003 as one of the most favorable hunting knives ever made.
Another very popular knife that is a must have because it is so different and unique looking compared to the ordinary gut hook knife is the Cabela’s outfitters series gut hook knife known as the trigger skinner knife. The edge of the knife is razor sharp and has a nickel, Vanadium and Tungsten in the alloy to enhance the capability of taking an edge very quickly. It has a small, fat, gut hook that measures 4 ½”, with a 3/8” gap, and is 8½” length overall.
Last is the absolutely must have Kershaw Alaskan blade trader knife. It is equipped to switch to multiple blades; included is a AUS6A stainless steel gut hook blade for gutting that measures 6”; a 420J2 stainless steel blade for hunting that measures 3½”, and a saw steel blade for sawing your game that measures 6”. This knife is great because it gives you the opportunity to switch blades while using the same knife handle. The quick lock mechanism makes it easy and safe to switch blades in a matter of seconds. It also includes a leather sheath that is equipped with a holder for each individual blade. The overall weight of this knife is 11.6 oz. This knife is definitely top on my list of must have gut hook knives; and yet also includes two additional knives for sawing and hunting.

Cabela’s Drop Point Knives
A quality knife made by Cabela’s is the Rosewood Alpha Drop Point knife. This knife has a handle that is made from rich Rosewood and the blade is 154CM stainless steel that measures 4¼; the overall length of this Rosewood beauty is 8½”, and weight out to 7.2oz. This is a great drop point-hunting knife to have and is made by a trusted brand.

Leatherman Nehalem Drop Point
Every hunter knows that having a quality-folding pocketknife is also essential when cutting up game during hunting or camping. One of these top quality knives is the Leatherman Nehalem-154CM Folding Blade Hunting Knife. This is a drop point knife that also comes with a gut hook that is hidden until it is needed; this gut hook comes out of the opposite side of the knife as the blade, meaning that it comes out of the handle rather than it being positioned on the blade itself. The lockback on this knife is strong so it will never close on you. Hidden in the handle as well is a diamond coated sharpening tool to quickly sharpen your knife if needed. The blade on this knife measures 4”, which makes it a small, yet durable drop point knife.

Boker Knives
Another drop point knife that is good is the Boker Plus Collection Knife, 2009, BK-BO161. This knife is pretty and large, with a 440C stainless steel 7¼” drop point blade that has a satin finish and a two-tone polish creating a mirror reflection. The overall length of this knife however, is 12¼”. This is a collection knife made by Boker for 2009.

2009 L.L. Bean Collector’s Knife
Another 2009 collectors knife that was made is the L.L. Bean drop point collector’s knife. The blade on this knife is custom made and has a trademark 24kgold Maine hunting shoe engraved on it. This knife is a 2009 collection drop point knife as well as the Boker Plus collection knife. It also comes with a black presentation box with a glass lid to view through.

Woodsman Knife
One of my favorites, and a simpler knife is the Woodsman knife. This knife is great for fishing or for small game when hunting. It has a skinny, steel, drop point blade that measures 4” with an awesome leather stacked handle. Buck makes this knife solely for L.L. Bean. It also comes with a brown leather sheath for carrying.

These are some of the best drop point hunting knives of 2009, whether you choose a simple knife such as the Woodsman, or one of the classic collector’s knives of 2009 such as the L.L. Bean or the Boker Plus, you are definitely going to be satisfied with any of these drop point knives.

Folding Vs. Fixed Blade

There are basically two types of knife styles; folding and fixed blade. The fixed blade means that the blade is actually molded to the handle and is permanent, meaning it does not have any freedom of movement. These knifes are considered stronger than folding knifes because the blade is attached to the handle. Most fixed blades hardly ever move, to the exception of a couple of brands that actually have two blades on one handle.

Folding knifes have a lock mechanism along with a pivot point. The blade can easily close into the handle upon force from the user. The fixed blade is better for someone who doesn’t hunt a lot. This is because they are not as strong as fixed knifes and are limited in their use. Despite the lesser durability of the fixed knife, they are easy to carry around and can fit into a pocket with ease. If you are going to be a dedicated hunter, then you might take rejoice in getting a fixed blade.

Blade Design

As far as the blade design goes, you really have to make a decision based on the blade. There are three main blades that are used in hunting knives; drop point, clip point and skinning designs.

Drop Point Knives-The drop point knives have a wonderful structure and design. These are often used by experienced game hunters. The blade is usually curved and thick in width. It is also usually made of steel. Hunters can easily cut off the skin of a captured animal without producing damage to the meat. If you are a fisher, then you can gut meat easily with the drop point design.

Clip Point Knives- This type of knife has a thinner blade with a defined point at the tip. Most hunters would consider this knife more of a general duty tool. This type of knife is more catered to the occasional hunter.

Skinning Knives- Of course, skinning knives are more for game hunters. The design of the knife carries high sweeping blades that were made to cut the flesh from the skin. If you are a hunter that does the butchering yourself, then this is the perfect knife to use.

Gut Hook Knives

Many knives that were mentioned include a gut hook. This design is created when a small incision is made within the blade. The hook is required so the hunter does not affect the quality of the meat. This type of knife is not required and is only an option to hunters. This type of knife only serves as an extra sense of security in keeping the meat preserved and at a high quality.

Sharpening the Hook
Other things to consider when shopping for a hunting knife are the sharpening of the hook. For this, a round file may be needed. It is best to purchase the knife first before getting the round file. This round file should make the shape and width of your knife. It is important to not sharpen the flat side of the knife.