My trouble with stag

K

Killdeer

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Jan 27, 2026
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I've owned several knives with stag covers, and I've examined many. They often show a black line where the covers meet the bolsters. Bone handles usually do not, probably because cow shins are very thick. I'm thinking the line is related to the marrow inside the antler. Except for this line, I like stag. But because my purchases are often online, where I can't pick the one I want, I usually choose bone. Can you help me to better understand this conundrum?
 
I don’t recall seeing a black line but my guess is that some makers add that layer to protect the stag from developing verdigris from the stag contacting the brass.

Do you only see this on knives where the stag would otherwise touch brass?
 
Killdeer said:
I've owned several knives with stag covers, and I've examined many. They often show a black line where the covers meet the bolsters. Bone handles usually do not, probably because cow shins are very thick. I'm thinking the line is related to the marrow inside the antler. Except for this line, I like stag. But because my purchases are often online, where I can't pick the one I want, I usually choose bone. Can you help me to better understand this conundrum?
Click to expand...
Railsplitter Railsplitter 's suggestion is what I was thinking: that you could be seeing a thin spacer. A picture would be helpful.

Also, I don't think antler has marrow, at least not the way bone has a channel of marrow. The inside is usually kind of porous or pithy. At least it looks that way when it's dried.
 
Railsplitter said:
I don’t recall seeing a black line but my guess is that some makers add that layer to protect the stag from developing verdigris from the stag contacting the brass.

Do you only see this on knives where the stag would otherwise touch brass?
Click to expand...
r8shell said:
Railsplitter Railsplitter 's suggestion is what I was thinking: that you could be seeing a thin spacer. A picture would be helpful.

Also, I don't think antler has marrow, at least not the way bone has a channel of marrow. The inside is usually kind of porous or pithy. At least it looks that way when it's dried.
Click to expand...

I took it he is talking about where the stag covers meet the bolsters. Y-all make a valid point when it comes to liners though.
 
Railsplitter said:
I don’t recall seeing a black line but my guess is that some makers add that layer to protect the stag from developing verdigris from the stag contacting the brass.

Do you only see this on knives where the stag would otherwise touch brass?
Click to expand...

r8shell said:
Railsplitter Railsplitter 's suggestion is what I was thinking: that you could be seeing a thin spacer. A picture would be helpful.

Also, I don't think antler has marrow, at least not the way bone has a channel of marrow. The inside is usually kind of porous or pithy. At least it looks that way when it's dried.
Click to expand...


I think you are both right. I've seen quite a few lower end knives, particularly Rough Rider, using a thin black liner on the bolsters and underneath stag and bone. I always assumed it was meant to help stabilize it, but preventing verdigris sounds realistic.

The inside of the antler is referred to as pith. It still carries marrow, but not quite the same as bone.
 
draggat said:
I think you are both right. I've seen quite a few lower end knives, particularly Rough Rider, using a thin black liner on the bolsters and underneath stag and bone. I always assumed it was meant to help stabilize it, but preventing verdigris sounds realistic.

The inside of the antler is referred to as pith. It still carries marrow, but not quite the same as bone.
Click to expand...
I have a Rough Ryder like that. Ray Cover used a black spacer on his knives as well but none of these are stag.
IMG_2500.jpegIMG_2496.jpegIMG_2497.jpeg
 
I did not see any Black Lines on any of a number of my Stags .
h1GYQfC.jpg


Harry
 
Killdeer said:
These are all very nice knives.
The Boker in this ad shows what I'm talking about.
smkw.com

Boker TS 2.0 Copperhead Backlock Stag BK110872

The Boker TS 2.0 Mini Copper Lock Stag features a 2.63-inch D2 tool steel clip point blade with a satin finish and a brown stag handle.
smkw.com smkw.com
Click to expand...
Those appear to be Small Gaps between the Stag and the Bolsters . IMO If you do not like it in Photos , you will not like it in hand . Remember they try to pick a nice knife for photos . You also most likely will not get the knife they show in the photo .

Harry
 
I'm pretty sure this is a gap where polishing compound had gotten into.
1000000755.jpg
I recently re-covered this knife in stag, and you can see that accumulation of polishing compound on the very edge of the bolster where the stag is a hair below flush.
After noticing I used a pick to remove it, and the black line is now gone.
 
Whatever it is, it's not marrow, antlers have pith, but no marrow. It could be a spacer, a gap, black Epoxy, grime, or staining from polishing the bolsters. It's also not common. at least as you describe it. A quick run-through of a bunch of stag knives I've looked at don't show the line.
 
Not seen it on my Stag knives :confused: It might be on cheaper finished knives where the slabs are ill fitted that the gap has been sealed with something ? Or, dry conditions may cause Stag to shrink a little ?

This early GEC 25 has it running under the bolster not a line.

1771112852116.jpeg

No gaps on this Italian

1771113059623.jpeg

Maybe the answer lies in going for Shadow ? 🤣

1771113254006.jpeg
 
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The pith in an antler is the soft, spongy, and porous central core where blood vessels and marrow were located during the antler's rapid, living growth phase It serves as the internal, less-dense marrow cavity surrounded by the hard, dense outer bone.
 
After some web searching, I discovered that not all stag is the same.

Handle question

When makers say they they are using “stag” handles, which particular species would they normally be talking about?
knifedogs.com

Summary:
Sambar stag has little pith and is very dimensionally stable with environmental changes.
Other types of stag have a lot more pith and are therefore less dimensionally stable.

So, my guess would that for the stag handled knives which do not utilize sambar stag, the maker needs to leave a bit of a gap to allow the stag to expand and contract with the environment. If the maker does use actual sambar stag, then they don't need to leave gaps.
 
knarfeng said:
After some web searching, I discovered that not all stag is the same.

Handle question

When makers say they they are using “stag” handles, which particular species would they normally be talking about?
knifedogs.com

Summary:
Sambar stag has little pith and is very dimensionally stable with environmental changes.
Other types of stag have a lot more pith and are therefore less dimensionally stable.

So, my guess would that for the stag handled knives which do not utilize sambar stag, the maker needs to leave a bit of a gap to allow the stag to expand and contract with the environment. If the maker does use actual sambar stag, then they don't need to leave gaps.
Click to expand...
Use to be so, just not so much anymore.. Many Sambar sheds have quite a bit more pith than they use to. It's a thing. I use to use a lot of sambar. Enough that I was importing it myself from India. So I kinda saw it go from one narrow vein hole to lots more pithy while I was doing this. With scales as thin as are used on a folder ya not gonna see a lot of pith regardless of the animal it came off of. So I'm just not sure on the stability thing. How long has the shed aged I think is more important to the stability.

I'd agree with Hickory that some of those black lines look like buffing gunk getting down in there.

I don't make folders just fixed blades . But I also don't put a handle material on a knife with a bolster without using a spacer. To me the spacer is kinda like an expansion joint on a sidewalk. Kinda gives room for some expansion and contraction and natural materials are gonna move.
 
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