Inside out Stag!?!?

waynorth

waynorth

Dealer / Materials Provider
Joined
Nov 19, 2005
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Several of the alternative names for this thread:
Stag standing on its head?
Backward bone?
Marrow madness?
One could have a lot of fun with this one!
Anyway, I bought this knife, because I am trying to understand the ideas behind using Bone and Stag with the core "out" so to speak.
I am pretty sure that's what we are looking at here; the core of an antler showing.
Please correct me if I am wrong!
MarrowJack1_zps9cb7e139.jpg

Please post similar if you have some!!
One nice thing about buying this quite worn knife is that mechanically it acts like a new one. It has wonderful walk and talk, and cuts through the usual everyday materials perfectly; cardboard, fruit etc, etc!
Someone oiled it faithfully I reckon, and sharpened it regularly.
Another thing, the tang stamp tells me pre-1891!! True??
MarrowJack3_zps618abd68.jpg

And then there are the handles. Usually the core of antler and bone is nothing special, just waste material, but here it is used to great effect supplying grip, and a pleasing appearance, IMO, as it transforms from "pith" to "solid" - neat stuff.
MarrowJack2_zpsee425a2e.jpg

MarrowJack4_zps533c6985.jpg

There is something else about the knife! Have you seen it yet?
MarrowJack5_zps2447c7bc.jpg


I just looked, and according to Levine's guide, this cutlery firm started in 1784! The stamp is confusing, but it says "Vulcan over (horizontal line) over T.ELLiN & Co over SHEFFIELD.
 
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that guy jimped his knives before jimping was cool.....................

The pins appear peened, not spun.

I don't know if the three notches on one side and the other mean anything, other than the guy owned a needle file?

Great looking piece of pocket art, though.
 
Similar to GEC's original 2nd cut stag? They just kept sanding till it was smooth...
 
Those 3 notches on the cap? Is that like notches on a gun?...lol. How many people he stabbed? I like this
one a lot Charlie.. It's a dandy.

Jason
 
I love the notches. Looks like a critter took a swipe at him, and the bolster saved the day!
 
2Dead said:
Similar to GEC's original 2nd cut stag? They just kept sanding till it was smooth...
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Hunh. I do like the looks of [what's left of] that material.

black mamba said:
I love the notches. Looks like a critter took a swipe at him, and the bolster saved the day!
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Ha!-- I was thinking the same thing. :D

festerfromnzed said:
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Wowzer.

When I saw that you had responded to a thread with the subject "Inside-out stag," I was wondering if you were going to respond with, "No, this is an inside-out stag"-- and show us a beastie, innards-side-out. :eek: :D

~ P.
 
Thats a neat knife, Charlie, looking forward to hearing what is so unique :)

FES, that set is NOT ugly in any way shape or form IMHO. I love that set.

Kevin
 
Fes, that cool carving set looks like jigged stag or jigged bone.
Can you tell which?


To those who noticed the triple marks, there are three in the handle, three in the cap bolster, and three across the shield!
The cult of three? Interesting to speculate on what it/they could represent.
 
waynorth said:
To those who noticed the triple marks, there are three in the handle, three in the cap bolster, and three across the shield!
The cult of three? Interesting to speculate on what it/they could represent.
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Interesting, indeed. My guesses range from "bored in camp" through "number of kids" to "how to easily recognize my knife, with a bit o' style."

Maybe all of the above?

(More likely, none of the above, but it's fun to think about.)

~ P.
 
Waynorth,

I need assistance on this one and may be completely wrong, but my first reaction to original photo would be Moose or Caribou, maybe someone with 'northern' experience could correct me. 300Bucks
 
I see what you are talking about Charlie-and yet I don't?,I know that sounds extremely funny, but I haven't handled a lot of "cut" Stag in slabs - so I wouldn't be able to tell if it was the inside-or the Core- am I understanding you correctly there?
Beauty of a knife- that's for sure, but there is still activity going on the bone - but in any case the knife looks great!
I noticerd the marks, on the bone, the end Cap, also he has marked the shield as well, so it seems a strange way of keeping count of -whatever-as the Cap and Shield would be the first to run out of room? maybe it was just his mark?

Using a folding knife against for any stabbing?-maybe the guy had to stop at 3 as he himself was running out of fingers ;-)

I just love those early English bolsters the way they filed and pinched them, they really are great.

Fes, your Carving set-which by the way is beautiful, it looks as though they have finished ( sanded ) the Stag off-perhaps for comfort of handling, as to be smooth on the hands - therefore smoothing off the knarly "popcorn" natural finish - because you can see that stag used is just beautiful.
 
BRL stated that it is second cut stag and HIDEOUS!! (or some such word)....I guess beauty really is in the eye of the beholder...It is an older set i assume as it has no ENGLAND marking (or made for domestic market??...Very nicely made with solid silver ends.. sorry if ive got off topic FES





 
Thanks Fes-and yet looking at it you would SWEAR that its beautiful Stag simply finished off smoothly - note how at the end of each stag piece where it has been sanded to taper it into the Bolsters and such - the ( what I call sanded ) finish runs right off the taper onto the top sanded off level of the handle it-self - I would put my lefty on that one!
 
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pertinux said:
Wowzer.

When I saw that you had responded to a thread with the subject "Inside-out stag," I was wondering if you were going to respond with, "No, this is an inside-out stag"-- and show us a beastie, innards-side-out. :eek: :D

~ P.
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LOL - that's good Sarah
 
Too much drink the night beforeand the novice cutler put the black side down because it looked dirty compared to the white side. He was fired at the end of the week. He only did 3 dozen like this before they caught it, so 3 notches for the " seconds"
 
Hmmm...very interesting.

I'd hazard a guess that these are Reindeer antler scales. At least from the experience I have from using it, and an exmaple of longditunally cut section I have, the pith is the same (I'd describe it like cinder toffee in texture and appearance).

The exposed pith is definitley from sanding down 'too far'. I wonder if they did anything to seal it?

The general texture of the antler also seems to be the same. I shall try and remember to take a snap to share tonight.

I'd speculate that the notches are a way of orientating the knife in the hand, without looking. (Given how well used the blades are, I'd imagine there'd be little handle to show, if they had been using it as a tally).
Doubt we'll ever know the answer to that mystery. Still its nice to imagine the meaning and it gives it some extra character and personailty.

Thanks for sharing Charlie.
 
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