Is "real" Stag worth the difference?

JD Mandrell

JD Mandrell

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Apr 20, 2001
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I'm trying to decide something and was wondering how others feel about this.

All other things being equal, pattern, blade steel and maker, would you pay $40.00 more for "real" stag over the same knife with "bonestag"?

And would this affect your decision, I am wanting a user, not a collector knife, and the "bonestag" is a standard production knife, while the "real" stag is a limited run of 50 knives.
 
The Last Confederate said:
I'm trying to decide something and was wondering how others feel about this.

All other things being equal, pattern, blade steel and maker, would you pay $40.00 more for "real" stag over the same knife with "bonestag"?

And would this affect your decision, I am wanting a user, not a collector knife, and the "bonestag" is a standard production knife, while the "real" stag is a limited run of 50 knives.
Click to expand...

For me, it depends on a couple of factors. First, what is the actual price? If the bonestag version is $40, and the genuine stag is $80, then I would get the bonestag. If the bonestag is $120 and the genuine stage is $160, I might think about getting the stag. Second, what is the quality of stag? I have seen too much stag these days that is just not very good quality - poor figure, and too much of the bark removed when it is shaped and buffed after assembly. If it has poor figure and only half of the surface still has the bark, I wouldn't pay any premium for it.
 
I'm not much of a fan of stag, but I think I'd go for the real stag since, I THINK (could be wrong here) it is a denser and more stable handle material.
 
I enjoy both materials on traditional knives. That said, I'm not personally fond of bone jigged to look like something it isn't. If there was no more Sambar stag, I guess I might look at it differently. But there recently was a huge release of Sambar from India... so it is available, albeit more expensive than 10 years ago.
I think nice Rogers, or Herringbone, or Peachseed jigged bone is great looking on it's own.
Good stag is unmistakable, and is very cool, in my opinion, and is worth a reasonable difference in price.

Bill
 
I'm with El Lobo. I like bone handles a lot, with the notable exception of when it's jigged and dyed to look like stag. Then I don't think of it as bone so much as fake stag. Plus to me even when it's well done, there's an ersatz look and feel to it that's unmistakable.

That being said, there's stag and there's stag. "Winterbottom" stag, i.e. second cut antler material that's jigged and dyed to look like first cut is to me barely "a cut above" bonestag. European stag is nice but I can't say I much prefer it to bone.

Then there's genuine first cut sambar stag, and I will definitely pay $40 or $50more for that than bone. That's just me though -- I think it's beautiful and classic.

I can't really speak to sambars utilitarian quality as a handle material because although I do carry some of my sambars, I can't say I subject them to hard use. They sure are perty and fun to play with though.
 
Tough call. If it's a knife for lookin' at, I'd get the stag. If it's going to be a user, I'd go for the stag-like bone. One of my Bark River knives has their "Antique Stag Bone" handles. It's very nice stuff, but not as pretty as the real thing, IMO.

Best Wishes,
Bob
 
I would go with real stag as nothing looks like the real stuff,no matter how it's jigged,dyed or shaped,but that's just me.
 
Thanks for the replies, the prices are 60 versus 100 dollars and it's Queens Carved Stag Bone versus Queens Stag used in their 2003 classics series.

CSB
queen_32csb.jpg


Real Stag
queen_congress.jpg
 
Good stag, the real good stuff, not the second cut or highly polished is very nice stuff. Some of the Puma knives from the mid '60's had nice stag.

I'd pay extra for it if it was good stuff. But I want to see lots of bark and figure!
 
Queen actually does a better job with "stag bone" than most, but I like the looks of the real stag better. I have the Cattle King in CSB and am quite happy with it though.
 
I've had examples of both Queen's "bone-stag" and it's real stag. There is no contest... the real stag wins. However, it is not exactly primo looking stag. I do not like the looks of their bone stag, nor just about anyone else's.
 
Ok, here's my take on this. And, remember it's only my opinion, so don't roast me for it. I LOVE real stag, but it's gotta be nice stag and it's gotta match on both sides. It really bugs me, when makers or factories use crappy looking stag or stag that doesn't match.

And, I HATE imitation stag. To me, it's gotta be either real stag or jig bone. None of this bone that has been given a poor attempt at looking like stag for me. :barf: This is one reason why Bear MGC has fallen off my list of potential factory knives to buy.
 
Using the Queen picures above as my sole guide, I'd go for the real. The stag-bone is just too white and is obviously bone. If only they'd dye it, burn it, or something.

Here's a pic of my Bark River Forager with "Antique Stag Bone":
BarkRiverForager.jpg


Best Wishes,
Bob
 
If I were in your shoes, I'd go for the stag, even for a user. It looks like Bill has only 2 left. Ask him to send you the nicest of the 2. If you're not satisfied, send it back and get the CSB. He'll definitely still be able to sell the stag if you send it back, so no harm done.
 
Tough call.
Like one of the above said...there's stag and there's stag.
And then there is matching stag.

Queen bonestag isn't that bad. It ages well, as does real stag.
Here is my EDC canoe, it has been dropped, sprayed with brake cleaner, WD40 and doused in mineral oil.
EDC.gif

I like jigged bone better than bonestag, but bonestag better than delrin ;)

FWIW the stag would have a better resale value, for a shelf queen...
The bonestag for a user would be fine and maybe, you'd be less tempted to baby it 'cause of the extra $.

I know, not much help, but in the end it's still up to you.
:D
 
Oh that's the one thing that's easy, which ever one I get it's gonna get USED!

I'm not a knife "collector", I'm more of an "accumulator".

Gonna have to think on this one for awhile!
 
Stag is very nice indeed. If it's a properly figured bonestag, that's all right, but I prefer the real thing. Stag>bonestag and nice jigs>average jigs>sawcut>delrin.
 
Crap!...I have a new monkey wrench now, in my endless websearching before buying I found a Boker with real stag and carbon blades with one spearpoint which is a big +, same price as the Queen bonestag.

I just had to keep searching!

Queen D2 or Boker carbon...........
 
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