{"product_id":"damascus-gut-hook-skinner-stag-antler","title":"Damascus Gut Hook Skinner Knife, Deer Skinning Knife with Stag Antler Handle","description":"\u003cp\u003eA gut hook skinner is built for the work that comes before the skinning. The sharpened notch in the spine opens the hide from the inside out, and the broad belly of the blade then takes the hide off. This one is a 4 inch Damascus blade with the hook cut into the spine near the tip, a stag antler handle over a full tang, and a tooled leather belt sheath.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eSpecification\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBlade length\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e4 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eOverall length\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e8 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHandle length\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e4 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBlade steel\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDamascus over high carbon core\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBlade finish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eEtched pattern, polished bevel\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTang\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFull tang\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHandle material\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eStag antler, brass pins\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSheath\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTooled leather belt sheath\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eEngraving\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e20 dollars per blade\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMade in\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eForged and finished by hand in High Point, North Carolina.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eWarranty\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eLifetime warranty against defects, free sharpening for life.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\u003c\/table\u003e\u003ch3\u003eThe blade\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe steel is Damascus, pattern welded over a high carbon core and etched so the layers show. The blade is 4 inches, short and broad, so the rounded belly does the skinning. The gut hook is the crescent notch cut into the spine near the tip, sharpened on the inside curve. Hook it under the hide and pull, and it parts the skin while the point stays clear. The hook takes a round file or a tapered rod, not a flat stone, and the carbon core will rust if left wet.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eThe handle\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eNatural stag antler, left with the ridges and hollows it grew with rather than sanded flat. That texture is what your hand finds when it is cold or slick, and antler holds warm instead of going icy in November. The tang runs the full length of the handle, steel unbroken from tip to butt, with brass pins through the scales. Antler is a natural material, so the color and the surface differ from one knife to the next, and no two match.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eThe leather sheath\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe sheath is cut for this exact knife, hook and all, so the blade drops in clean. It is vegetable tanned leather with a wide belt loop stitched to the back, a strap over the handle with a snap, and a welt sewn into the seam so the stitching never sits against the edge. All of the stitching is done by hand. The face is hand tooled with a carved oak leaf and acorn pattern, cut into damp leather and shaded, not printed on. Most sellers stop at the words leather sheath.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eWho it suits\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnyone who has opened a hide with a plain blade knows why the hook exists. This is that tool in Damascus, on a handle worth showing off.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDeer hunters who field dress their own animals\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBuyers who want the hook and the skinning belly together\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePeople who prefer natural antler to synthetic scales\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSomeone shopping for a gift for a hunter\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch3\u003eWhat comes in the box\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Damascus gut hook skinner\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe tooled leather belt sheath\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA care card\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA free laser engraving quote on request\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch3\u003eEvery piece is different\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eEach knife is forged, ground and finished by hand in small runs, so no two are alike. The Damascus pattern, the antler and the depth of the tooling will vary from the photographs. Yours will come out as its own piece.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eLooking after it\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eWash and dry it by hand, including inside the hook. Never the dishwasher, since dishwasher damage voids the warranty, and never leave the knife wet in a pack. The gray patina that builds with use is normal and protects the steel. Oil it lightly before storage, and let the leather dry away from heat. Whetstone at roughly 20 degrees per side, then strop. More in our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/knife-care-sharpening\"\u003eknife care and sharpening page\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003ePut a name on it\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eLaser engraving is 20 dollars per blade, added here on the product page. Around 30 characters fits on a blade, and a longer message sits better on the sheath. We send a proof image before the laser runs, and it adds 3 to 5 business days. Free on orders of 10 pieces or more. See the \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/engraving\"\u003eengraving page\u003c\/a\u003e for more.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eQuestions buyers ask\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat does a gut hook do?\u003c\/strong\u003e It opens the hide from the inside out, with the point clear of what is below.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow do you sharpen a gut hook?\u003c\/strong\u003e With a round file or a tapered rod, not a flat stone.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat is the rest of the blade for?\u003c\/strong\u003e The broad belly does the skinning, cutting along the curve.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWill this steel rust?\u003c\/strong\u003e It can, so dry it after use and oil it before storage.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWill my knife look exactly like the photo?\u003c\/strong\u003e No, the pattern, the antler and the tooling differ on every piece.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs it full tang?\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes, unbroken steel from tip to butt, with brass pins.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe same hook on a shorter blade is the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/damascus-gut-hook-skinning-knife-rosewood\"\u003eDamascus gut hook skinning knife in rosewood\u003c\/a\u003e, and for a plain spine the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/damascus-skinner-knife-stag-antler\"\u003eDamascus drop point skinner in stag antler\u003c\/a\u003e. More sits in \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/skinner-knives\"\u003eskinner knives\u003c\/a\u003e, in \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/damascus-steel\"\u003eDamascus steel\u003c\/a\u003e, and in \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/stag-horn-knives\"\u003estag horn knives\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Viper Edge USA","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44134025789558,"sku":"VEF-SKN-DAM-GH-152","price":209.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0710\/2427\/9670\/files\/damascus-gut-hook-skinner-stag-antler-handle_d5c2e6ab-d6c1-46ef-8364-4b69a4f36a70.jpg?v=1788736486","url":"https:\/\/viperedgeforge.com\/products\/damascus-gut-hook-skinner-stag-antler","provider":"Viper Edge USA","version":"1.0","type":"link"}