Need a confirmation please

[JLRubicon]

I bought this knife which was listed as a Buck 105, which it obviously is. The question is, is this Sambar Stag on the handle?? I've not much experience with these handles. I've also seen elk listed as a handle material. I see that these sell for a pretty good premium. I didn't pay a premium price so just wondering. Thanks for any info I receive.

 

[STDK]

Looks like Sambar to me.

 

[bertl]

It's hard to tell from the photo, but it might be polished bone.

Bert

 

[RoyalHolic]

Yeah kind of hard to tell, do you have another photo from the other side or different angles?

 

[JLRubicon]

Did Buck do a run of these back then?? I see that this knife is from 1993. I don't see it as an option to buy now unless you did a custom order maybe?? Here is a pic of the other side.

 

[RoyalHolic]

I'd say that's Sambar Stag.

 

[JLRubicon]

A couple more pics of the handle.

 

[bucksway]

At times Buck has used horn that was not barky..It was really luck when you ordered or opened the box. Most polished bone looks slightly different but I'm no expert.

 

[riversidedep]

Looks like stag to me. I have a 112 web special with elk scales that have zero bark on them. If it didn't say elk on the box I would think they were bone.

 

[DeSotoSky]

Buck offered Sambar Stag in the '93 catalog. Depending on the size of the antler, sometimes when the handle is shaped the outside bark layer is lost leaving a more polished bone appearing handle. The property of Sambar Stag that makes it so desireable is it has a greater solid cross section with almost no porous pith core. Compare with Elk or Whitetail deer antler which has a large pith core easily exposed when shaped.
I never liked ordering Stag sight unseen because how much bark was a roll of the dice.

1993 Catalog

Sambar vs Elk

 

[pjsjr]

Buck offered Sambar Stag in the '93 catalog. Depending on the size of the antler, sometimes when the handle is shaped the outside bark layer is lost leaving a more polished bone appearing handle.

Did Buck do a run of these back then?? I see that this knife is from 1993.

Great post, Roger, you are a true asset to this forum. Thank you for taking the time to answer so many questions and keep us on track.

 

[TheJon]

The property of Sambar Stag that makes it so desireable is it has a greater solid cross section with almost no porous pith core. Compare with Elk or Whitetail deer antler which has a large pith core easily exposed when shaped.
Sambar vs Elk
View attachment 2360654

Well you learn something new everyday. I didn't know that about Sambar Stag, but it makes a lot of sense. Thanks for sharing your smarts with us all.

 

[JLRubicon]

Great info and nice catalog pic. Thanks

 

[eveled]

Impossible to tell without seeing the core. They didn’t expose any pith, so that is good. But they also didn’t have to take alot away at either end.

Could be SAMBAR or ELK. keep in mind it also could have been re-handled.

Nice knife in any case.