Do you like Stag handles on a traditional knife?

[csisland]

I don't own any Stag handled traditionals yet and was wondering what you all think about them? I've been shopping around for a GEC #72 Lockback with bone handles but they are limited. I came across a few 72's in Stag and I'm liking them. What do you like or dislike about the Stag handles?

 

[Jack Black]

Stag :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

 

[Bill510c]

I'll second Jack's thumbs up. I love stag on traditionals and GEC does a great job of it. I recently picked up a #42 in stag and it has become of my absolutely favorite lockbacks

 

[PocketKnifeJimmy]

Never cared for it much... but now having a few specimens in my collection with it, it has grown on me a bit. I guess it really depends on how well it looks to my eyes. Some just looks right to me, others don't. Overall, I still prefer what has and can be done with bone. But, won't kick a stag handle to the curb ;-)

 

[SAK Guy]

Stag is really nice on a knife..I wish I had more...can't afford them anymore.

 

[markpmc]

Most of my GEC's are stag.

 

[Lone Airedale]

I love the look and feel of stag. An added bonus is it doesn't move around in your pocket the way smooth materials like wood and acrylic do.

 

[csisland]

Not sure if it's a good question but has Stag been around a long time?

 

[kamagong]

Properly done stag handles are a thing of beauty.

- Christian

 

[kamagong]

Not sure if it's a good question but has Stag been around a long time?

I'd bet good money that stag's been used on knife handles longer than jigged bone.

 

[oldrifleman]

Love stag on Traditionals! The only thing I like better is Ivory. probably 80% of my knives are stag. The GECs are coming with some of the best stag I have seen in years. Here is one of my all time favorites (From Kerry Hampton, not GEC). Steven

 

[ken erickson]

Stag is a GREAT material for traditional pocket knives. Like any natural material issues can and do arise, however there are many 100 year old plus examples that are just as sound as the day they were hafted. Just like fingerprints, no two covers are the same. The biggest issue when a modern knife is covered in stag is the proper fitting of that stag. A deal killer for me is when you look at the knife in profile, looks great, but when viewed from the spine, the covers swell out to twice or more in thickness toward the center.

 

[VictorKilo]

The further I got away from modern folders, the more I came to appreciate stag. It can have fantastic character with rich colors and what appeals to one person may not appeal to another. Therein lies my biggest issue with ordering stag; I much prefer to see exactly what I'm buying. I feel I made out well on the 3 Case I've bought blind, but it's a much greater roll of the dice than dyed jigged bone. All my GEC stag was cherry picked to the point where I've opted out of buying a pattern if I couldn't find stag covers that called out to me.

 

[jc57]

I've never warmed up to it personally. The appearance can vary significantly between the scales, the handles are much thicker, and frequently asymmetrical. There are examples of "good stag" that I do like, but they seem to be few and far between, and I either need 360 degree pics or the ability to hold the knife in my hand, something pretty impossible in these days of Internet-only knife selling.

Adding to the fact that in general I don't like the looks or feel of it, is that it adds $30 to $50 to the cost of a knife without adding any other functionality besides looks.

I've got a very few stag handled knives that I do like but I was able to get them at a price competitive with their bone-handled peers.

So I guess I'm one of the odd ones that don't like stag. I'm also odd in that I don't care for wood handles either.

 

[Pipeman]

Here's a 72 spear blade in pretty nice stag beside an oldie with wonderful stag imo.

Have a great day folks

Robin

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IMG_4075 by robinstuff, on Flickr

 

[wolf-man-12]

Stag: You either 'love' it or 'hate' it and I have never seen 'Stag' Scales that I have not loved the looks of or the feel of the Knife in hand.! I have 22 Stag Handled Knives ~~ do you really think I like them "just a little"..??? lol
Stag & Ivory is why I stay broke all the time ~~ but I always have enough $$$$$ for just one more Knife.!**

 

[SAK Guy]

Here's my Boker 4100 lockback in stag...I like it ok.

 

[NoNameNomad]

Properly done stag handles are a thing of beauty.

- Christian

Ha, when I read the OP I was going to say ask Kamagong to post his stag 73 for an example of why stag is great. That knife looks like a custom and yet it's a production model. Makes me love my own stag 73 that much more, mismatched scales and all (knew from pics they were mismatched going into the purchase, just really like the looks of it anyways). The 73 (as well as the 42, 72 and 23) are the folders/patterns best suited to stag I think. They look good in all materials, but they just look *right* in stag.

 

[smokinbasser]

I have one 26#knife roll that is filled with only stag handled peanuts. I like organic handle material due to all the texture variations.

 

[black mamba]

Yes, I'm a big fan of stag. I love the uniqueness of each slab, but at the same time, I want them perfectly matched on a single knife. The variety of colors and textures make it fascinating. But to match up both sides, with proper thickness and bark all the way to the bolsters, takes a very good cutler. This puts stag at the top of the heap, for me. It's for the same reasons that I like bark ram's horn and GEC's primitive bone, as well.

Here are a few beautifully matched pieces.