If you are a knife fanatic, then you will have heard of the term ‘gut hook’. Though the phrase is a little gory, it is a useful part of hunting knives.
It is typically situated on the back of the knife blade, and is supposed to be used by flipping the knife over, so you can use the hook to cot a clean line down the underside of the pelt of a fresh kill.
It is especially useful for new, inexperienced hunters, so they don’t end up puncturing the guts. But, if you use a hunting knife, or other kind of knife with a gut hook, using it to gut a carcass isn’t the only use.
Read on to learn more about the uses of the gut hook.
1. As A Cooking Utensil
If you’re looking to make some delicious meals, then you’ll want to add your gut hook to your kitchen/campfire utensils.
You can use it as an easy way to peel garlic cloves, or even as a tool to help you cut through tough vegetables like carrots and potatoes.
The long handle allows you to work around the sides of the food item, rather than having to dig into it with a fork. Our favorite way to use the gut hook on the back of your knife is to hook meat and move it around your grill.
It works as well (if not even better) than BBQ tongs.
2. For Cutting Your Fishing Line
You can use your gut hook to cut any kind of rope or string, especially the notoriously fiddly fishing rope. Simply grab hold of the end of the fishing line, flip the gut hook over, and pull. This makes cutting the line much easier.
3. To Cut Through Ties
When tying knots in your clothes or shoes, you may find yourself struggling to get them tight enough. Instead of trying to untie the knot, just use the gut hook instead. Grab the tie, flip the hook over, and pull until the knot comes undone.
4. To Open Cans & Bottles
The gut hook has many uses when opening cans. Just grab the lid, flip the gut hook into the perforated can edge, and lift away from the can.
When opening bottles, you can either use the gut hook to pop off the cap. No more inaccessible soup cans or beers when you forget the can/bottle opener when camping or hunting.
5. A Scraping Implement To Remove The Burnt Stuff Off Pans
The caked on burnt layer of old food in the bottom of your pan is super annoying, we know. But thankfully, if you have your gut hook on you, you can use this to scrape off any of this char.
All you need to do is grab your pan (ensure that it is not coated in a non stick layer – which is too delicate to withstand a gut hook), flip the gut hook side of the knife onto the side of the pan, and start scraping away at it, using the hook to manipulate the bigger flakes away.
6. Prying Nails Out Of Wood
If you’ve ever tried to remove a nail from wood, you know how difficult it is – especially if you don’t have a claw hammer on you. Luckily, you can use your gut hook instead.
Use the hook to grab around the nail head, ensuing that it gets a good purchase on the flat bit. Use the knife as a lever to pull the nail out.
7. For Peeling Oranges
Peel oranges without getting your hands dirty! Just like you may run your gut hook through a pelt, you can also run it over the rind of an orange, so that you can make the fruit far easier to peel.
Grab the orange, run the hook down one side of it, and then work the hook underneath the skin, parallel to the orange, and maneuver the skin off.
8. Prying Apart Stuck Pieces Of Lego
Okay, we admit, this is a pretty specific one, but we had to include it because it’s such a common problem. If you’ve got a bunch of pieces stuck together, try running your gut hook between them.
By doing so, you will be able to separate the two pieces, making it much easier to put them back together again.
9. Cutting Cloth Into Strips
We all know that sometimes you just need to cut up a piece of cloth. Unfortunately, most knives are too small to do the job properly.
However, the gut hook can take care of that. Just grab the fabric, catch the hook into one end of the fabric, and pull. The sharp edge of the hook should easily shear the fabric into strips.
This can be great when in the bush – helping to bandage up any minor wounds, or leave signs on trees so that you know which way you have come from.
10. Marking Trees For Reference
When you’re out in the woods, it can be easy to lose track of where you came from. Make sure that you always have a gut hook with you, and mark trees with it.
Not only does this help you keep track of your location, but it also makes it easier to find your way home again. You can use the hook to easily remove a chunk of bark, so you know that you have already been that way.
11. Lifting Hot Cooking Pots
Sometimes, you want to lift a hot cooking pot, whether it’s to move it away from the fire, or simply to get a better view of what’s going on inside.
Instead of having to pick it up by hand, you can use the gut hook to grab hold of the handle, and pull. It won’t damage the pot, and you’ll be able to maneuver it without burning your hands.
You can also use the hook to lift grates off of a fire or grill, making use of this method.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, there are many uses for a gut hook. They are versatile, and they can be used in almost every situation.
Whether you’re camping, hiking, fishing, hunting, exploring nature or even just around your house, you can never go wrong with carrying a gut hook with you.
We hope this list has helped you come up with other ways of using your own gut hook and hunting knife!
Hi, my name is Tom Bower and I have had a passion for knives since I was in my early 20s. I moved out on my own and started collecting my own furniture, utensils, and hobbies. Not only do I have a passion for cooking, but I also love being outdoors in adventure mode.
I have dedicated part of my life to finding my favorite knives for different occasions. Have you ever tried to cut through a steak with a blunt knife? Or a rope with a low-quality pocket knife? Once you get a taste of quality, you’ll never go back to what you knew before.
