Have an eye for Schrade stag? I need your help!

[Dave Thinkstoomuch]

Here are pics of two burnt stag handled Schrade knives. The ends of both knives are unusual. I am not sure if I am seeing slightly less-than-perfect pieces of stag with some inner core showing (?) or if I am seeing epoxy resin or something similar that has been used to fill in where the handles broke off.

How do you read these?

1.

2.

 

[tongueriver]

I don't know either, but in either case, you gotcherself a nice 167. :thumbup:

 

[Dave Thinkstoomuch]

I don't know either, but in either case, you gotcherself a nice 167. :thumbup:

Sadly neither knife is mine... yet (?) and those aren't my pics. First is a Sharpfinger and second is indeed a Steelhead. Spotting details in photos is essential for the online collector and I'm mainly just trying to hone my skills some more. The second knife especially says "epoxy" to me.

 

[glennbad]

Looks like some type of filler...

Glenn

 

[Codger_64]

Aren't those some of the recently finished Schrade auction blanks ground and slabbed offshore?

 

[Dave Thinkstoomuch]

Aren't those some of the recently finished Schrade auction blanks ground and slabbed offshore?

They are touted as being original USA Schrade firsts but I'm thinking completed parts knives or burnt stag handle 2nds that have been "completed" or fixed as well. I'm not buying it that Schrade would have let them be sold as firsts. I have never seen a slab of real USA Schrade stag that had "layers" like that but the toasting really does look like authentic Schrade burnt stag.

Totally a guess but I'm thinking the handles chipped out when the pins were being set making them Schrade 2nds and somewhere down the road someone filled the chips either that or 2nd quality stag from Ellenville has been recently filled and affixed to auction blanks.