{"product_id":"damascus-gut-hook-skinning-knife-rosewood","title":"Damascus Gut Hook Skinning Knife with Rosewood Handle and Leather Sheath","description":"\u003cp\u003eA gut hook skinning knife does two jobs. The sharpened notch in the spine opens the hide from the inside out, and the broad rounded belly then takes the hide off. This one is a 3.5 inch Damascus blade with the hook cut into the spine near the tip, a rosewood handle over a full tang, and a tooled leather belt sheath. It suits hunters who want a shorter blade.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eSpecification\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBlade length\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e3.5 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eOverall length\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e7 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHandle length\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e3.5 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\u003eRosewood, 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. At 3.5 inches the blade is short, which helps because the belly stays under your hand. 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 opens the skin with the point clear of what is below. The hook takes a round file or a tapered rod, not a flat stone, and the carbon core can rust if left wet.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eThe handle\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eRosewood is dense and close grained, dark brown with darker streaks running through it, and it does not turn slick in a wet hand. It warms up quickly once you are holding it, which matters on a cold morning. The handle is 3.5 inches, full in an average hand without extra bulk. Behind the scales the tang runs unbroken from tip to butt, with brass pins set through. Wood grain is never the same twice, so no two handles 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 edge so the stitching stays clear of the blade. All of the stitching is done by hand. The face is hand tooled with a basket weave stamp inside a carved border, one of the oldest patterns in western leather. Most sellers stop at the words leather sheath.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eWho it suits\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eA shorter blade suits close work, and the hook means you are not switching knives partway through.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHunters who prefer a shorter blade for control\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAnyone who wants a gut hook and a skinning belly on one knife\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBuyers who like plain wood over antler or horn\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePeople who process their own venison\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 gut hook skinning knife\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 match. The Damascus pattern, the grain of the rosewood and 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 and you add it on this 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eQuestions buyers ask\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat does the 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\u003eIs a 3.5 inch blade long enough for deer?\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes, skinning is done with the belly of the edge, not the tip.\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\u003eIs it full tang?\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes, unbroken steel from tip to butt, with brass pins.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWill my knife look exactly like the photo?\u003c\/strong\u003e No, the pattern, the grain and the tooling differ on every piece.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe same hook on a longer blade is the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/damascus-gut-hook-skinner-stag-antler\"\u003eDamascus gut hook skinner in stag antler\u003c\/a\u003e, and for a plain spine the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/hand-forged-skinning-knife-rosewood\"\u003ehand forged skinning knife in rosewood\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\/rosewood-handle-knives\"\u003erosewood handle knives\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Viper Edge USA","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44134038110326,"sku":"VEF-SKN-DAM-GH-153","price":149.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0710\/2427\/9670\/files\/damascus-gut-hook-skinning-knife-rosewood-handle_60b53a3f-e4f3-4d0c-a570-2dfbf55de414.jpg?v=1788736486","url":"https:\/\/viperedgeforge.com\/products\/damascus-gut-hook-skinning-knife-rosewood","provider":"Viper Edge USA","version":"1.0","type":"link"}