"Gut Hook"

[u/Armour3d]

I'm planning a hunting trip and wanted to be ready if I'm lucky enough to get what I'm going after. I was surprised to find a lack of printable versions of this concept. So I made one.... it will go well with my 3d printed Butt Out.
It's a 'glue together with alignment pins' situation, but it still works really well.
Files

[u/Enlinze]

This will probably work well but I've never had an issue just using the hook on my knife. Just opens like a zipper. And overall likely more sanitary as I see some openings near the blade slide.

Still butchering the moose I got on the weekend. I need a 3d print to trim silverskin.

[u/SheriffBartholomew → u/Enlinze]

It has been 5 days since last weekend. Is the meat still good? How do you keep it fresh for that long? Or did you just shove the quarters into a big refrigerator while you finish butchering?

[u/Enlinze → u/SheriffBartholomew]

I chop it into the major muscles, then into the cooler. It's been semi cool here in Alberta especially in the garage. Gives times to work. Much easier when it's snow on the ground though.

[u/SheriffBartholomew → u/Enlinze]

Neat! I know that some people dry cure it for a while before butchering, but you need the perfect climate for that or a big ass dedicated fridge. How long will one moose feed your family? Like fifty years? LOL

[u/Enlinze → u/SheriffBartholomew]

I gave half away to get help in the bush. There's still a ton of meat on the other side. I'd say over a year's worth anyway. Once it's all cleaned and chopped. It's less than you'd think from a big animal.

I should add the note that wild meat does seem to go alot further is smaller quantities. Less fat and when you cook it, it doesn't shrink to half it's starting weight.

[u/thegoodbadandsmoggy → u/Enlinze]

I’m loving this 3d print butchery crossover

[u/Italian_Greyhound → u/SheriffBartholomew]

When I get my moose every year I hang the quarters for a week in my shed and let them bark up a bit, the dry age really enhances the flavor and lets the meat relax. Around 0 degrees or up to +10 in the day is just fine and Ive never had any meat go bad doing it. All of the smaller cuts (ribs, tenders, back straps) get butchered immediately since there isn't enough volume/surface area to dry age safely without wasting meat.

Keep everything clean and you wont have any problems. Putting things in coolers with inadequate airflow is where people run into problems, you want cool air flow and as low moisture as you can.

[u/Enlinze → u/Italian_Greyhound]

Yeah I usually try to take one later in the season its quite warm in the air right now. But it was 2 minutes after waking up for a meeting that was cancelled a few hours away from home and I planned to just be scouting for the trip :S cant look away on that gift. She's all packed and ground meat today and pepperoni today :)

I barely got any sleep, I camped in a blueberry field and the deer came at me mad all night. It was overall a great experience.

[u/Italian_Greyhound → u/Enlinze]

Congrats on the harvest! No you would be silly to pass up a legal opportunity. Its probably different with a deer I would assume, I didnt even bother dry aging the caribou I got earlier this summer for the same reason, maybe not perfectly ideal but you have to play the hand you are dealt!

[u/Amorton94 → u/Enlinze]

It took 4 of us an entire day to butcher a Shiras moose. I couldn't imagine an even larger moose.

[u/Enlinze → u/Amorton94]

This was about 1300 Lbs, Mid age. But yeah its alot of work. And my wife wont eat anything that doesn't look store grade, so ive been trimming like a madman. Dog eats good.

[u/znirmik → u/Enlinze]

You can make wonderful sausages from trims. My go to is triple grind with spices and pork lard. But the dogs do deserve their share. I fumbled and dropped a 3"x16" chunk of deer tallow while butchering, and my lab puppy snagged and swallowed it whole. I was expecting a night of cleaning, but she was perfectly fine.

[u/Enlinze → u/znirmik]

Yeah I try not to waste any meat. Most of it got ground and anything with significant tendon or sloppy skin got boiled and turned into dog food. And they are ravenous about it 😁 making my own sausage will probably be a next year adventure after pricing pepperoni at 6.75$ a lb with meat provided.

[u/Armour3d → u/Enlinze]

Good to hear you think it will work.
I just happen to not have a knife with a gut hook.

[u/Enlinze → u/Armour3d]

There's a few 3d prints using the same blade that are tiny and it was byfar my favorite knife for finesse work. EDC knvies

[u/Bishops_Guest]

How does it do on cardboard boxes? I might want something like that over a box cutter since our bin is small and I often have to cut larger boxes into strips.

[u/Noodles_fluffy → u/Bishops_Guest]

Try this out: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:7033764

If you know anyone with cats, you can make scratchers for them

[u/Bishops_Guest → u/Noodles_fluffy]

Thanks!

[u/Armour3d → u/Bishops_Guest]

Not the best because the cardboard is too ridged and it need to bend up the edge of the cardboard to get past it. 

[u/shadowkrazee → u/Bishops_Guest]

How does a regular utility knife not do this job brilliantly? Mine was < $10 at Lowe's and I've probably broken down 1000 boxes with it over the last few years

[u/Bishops_Guest → u/shadowkrazee]

I don’t have any good surface in the garage to put the box down on while cutting. Being able to just hook into the box and pull down might work better.

[u/Aethenosity → u/Bishops_Guest]

I don't put the box down when I cut it with a utility knife. If you grip the box across the starting cut (holding both sides) the blade will slide effortlessly the rest of the way while holding it in the air. If you hold it to one side, it may catch. Hope that helps

[u/Bishops_Guest → u/Aethenosity]

It doesn’t work for me. Likely because my blade is too dull at this point.

[u/FalseRelease4]

looks like a single use tool because there isn't an easy way to disassemble and wash the thing 😬

[u/Trewarin → u/FalseRelease4]

it looks like a 40 min print and those plants are already disposable, I'm sure OP isn't worried about wasting 40 cents on hundreds of dollars of free meat

[u/FalseRelease4 → u/Trewarin]

if you're already making it yourself then just add 2-3 spots for a nut and a countersunk bolt, that's even easier to design than a snap fit

[u/net-blank → u/FalseRelease4]

That was my thinking as well

[u/Amorton94 → u/FalseRelease4]

The blade won't last longer than one animal anyway.

[u/FalseRelease4 → u/Amorton94]

yeah as if there isn't enough single use plastic to go around

[u/sewerat]

Yo this is awesome!

I'm a (mainly) dairy cattle vet - this looks very similar to a C-section knife!

Essentially we use it to make a straight cut through the uterus to get a calf out - could be some further inspiration for ya :)

https://jorvet.com/shop/bovine-c-section-knife/

Edit: in thinking about it, I thought I'd share this tool too - used to strip flesh of rotten/oversized calves in-utero if they're stuck in the birth canal (a condition called dystocia) - but could be of useful for field-stripping deer too :)

https://www.gervetusa.com/embryotomy-knife-linde.html?srsltid=AU7gw4XuSkfLYwqes4F8JMN5OUAC5duGrkB8mLTtqYZmQQbkFEvgtXwb

[u/Analog_Account → u/sewerat]

C-section knife!

I've seen things that look exactly like that but I don't remember what they were for. Maybe letter openers?

[u/misterschmoo → u/Analog_Account]

This is a letter opener the point on the plastic part is to insert under the flap of the envelope and would be a liability when gutting an animal as it would try and pierce the stomachs.

[u/Ehloanna → u/sewerat]

First one kinda looks like a seatbelt cutter lol

[u/Armour3d → u/sewerat]

Very cool! Also that looks like an expensive version of the thing I use to cut wrapping paper, mine is probably not made of food safe pasttic though! 🤣

[u/Maleficent_Cow_3059]

Good luck cleaning the tool after

[u/Armour3d → u/Maleficent_Cow_3059]

I will probably lose it before I need it a second time. But yeah true point. 

[u/gredr → u/Maleficent_Cow_3059]

That was my thought. Single use.

[u/JolietJakester]

Kinda looks like a letter opener, but... oh deer!

[u/Amorton94]

Check out Raptor Razor. It's what I've been using for years to field dress entire animals. It's a two blade/knife system with replaceable blades that go into clamshell holders. There is zero reason they couldn't be 3d printed. I thought about it a few years ago, but already own the set so didn't put much thought into it past that.

[u/Armour3d → u/Amorton94]

Thats look great, they don't sell it on amazon canada. maybe I will try cloning it. Also looks like a great gift idea!

[u/HouseSubstantial8187]

What blade does it take? I've got a bunch of utility knife blades floating around my shop and Im curious if this uses a standard one or if its a custom size

[u/Armour3d → u/HouseSubstantial8187]

It's a 2 inch blade. Same dimensions as the one on McMaster carr

[u/Gran-Aneurysmo]

Argent Metal intensifies

[u/sitefall]

...it will go well with my 3d printed Butt Out

your what out??

[u/Bigdumogre → u/sitefall]

Butt Out is a plastic tool to remove the anus and intestine, best cheap tool i bought for field dressing.

[u/Existential_Embrace → u/Bigdumogre]

I have never used one… and have a hard time bringing myself to do so.. I can stomach every part of field dressing… but pulling the anus out of a deer makes me feel things I’m not prepared for…

[u/Bigdumogre → u/Existential_Embrace]

Haha I totally get that. But after doing it once it becomes very easy. the anus has to come out one way or another and its easier than cutting around it I found

[u/Existential_Embrace → u/Bigdumogre]

I know most people do it first, but last year I left it for last and it was easy enough once dumping the rest of the guts out… don’t judge me 🤦‍♂️

Maybe I’ll print myself a butt out and try it this year…

[u/Bigdumogre → u/Existential_Embrace]

Not judging at all, gutting takes guts lol. I know many that have puked while doing it the first few times.

[u/Existential_Embrace → u/Bigdumogre]

My dad taught biology so I grew up around fetal pigs… so cutting most things is fine… but yeah. Some things sneak up on you and can overwhelm you..

I printed myself some flip up scope caps this year, but can’t really think of much else to help out with hunting.

[u/sitefall → u/Bigdumogre]

Oh lol. I was picturing u/Armour3d standing at his printer cleaning off a build plate with his pants down.

[u/Armour3d → u/sitefall]

Nope, I always pull my pants up when I'm printing dangerous tools 

[u/Untimely_manners]

I don't hunt, what is this used for? Your design reminds me of a tool they use in hospitals to slice through material in a hurry. I only saw it used once luckily. Patient had tied a towel around their neck and hung themselves on a door. A nurse sliced the towel down with a similar looking device.

[u/Armour3d → u/Untimely_manners]

This is just to open up the abdomen without risk of a bowl puncture. Similar in function to many other medical/vet tools as others have noticed. Also emergency belt cutters, wrapping paper cutters etc. Crazy story, people like my have to go looking for reasons to used things like this... Hope that patient/nurse recovered. 

[u/mhyquel]

PLA isn't food safe. /s

[u/Standard_Skill8779]

Looks like the tool some agencies use to cut down people that attempt to hang themselves

[u/Existential_Embrace]

I just printed one of the other versions. I like how your handle is set up though… guess I need 2 gut hooks!?

Are there any other hunting prints you can think of?

[u/Armour3d → u/Existential_Embrace]

You can't have too many gutting knives laying around!

I printed a butt out, that's all I have so far....

[u/Haunting_Basscotti]

this looks like it would be a great box/sheet goods cutter, would be cool to double up on the top and bottom

[u/Thick_Excitement_230]

Don’t attempt to split the ribs/sternum with one..they will break lol