Sambar Stag?

bobbywett

bobbywett

Joined
Jul 23, 2006
Messages
1,231
Hi Folks,

Its getting pretty hard to find nice straight tapered stag. I used to get mine from AKS, but they no longer sell it. where does everyone get their high quality stag? I'm particularly interested in tapers and rolls?

I know a few vendors will be at Blade Show, but i wont be there this year and I'd like to find a good online source.

Thanks for any direction,


Bobby
 
Check Culpepper, and then check the regular suppliers, like Jantz, TKS, Alpha, USA Knifemakers, etc.
 
The last huge supply of sambar stag brought into the U.S. was just before the export ban in 2003. I know the guy who did it.
I used to be able to drive to Elyria, Ohio and walk through aisle after aisle of huge tubs on racks ceiling high and pick whatever I wanted for 20 bucks. (Those same stag pieces are now $120.00)
That same supply is STILL the reservoir of stag we are buying from.
Figure it out from there.
Number and quality is directly proportional to the time since then.
The nice, straight, figured solid pieces that we only see from time to time are mostly from makers stash.
Folks who say there is still plenty of stag out there to be bought never saw any of the good stuff.
 
Culpepper's supply was/is independent of Tim's, but yeah, what Karl said, applies regardless.

They've got the last big cache, but they've metered it out differently over the years, and the approach with them is more of a "needle in a haystack" affair toward finding good stuff. All the "premium" stuff, you see around at other vendor's besides culpepper are from that specific supply Karl is speaking of. It all got spread around a few years ago when the guy that brought it back unloaded most of his reserve, and set the price essentially.


I'll be at the show Bobby, if you want me to try and find something for you, give me a call. Shoot me a message on FB if you don't have my number.
 
I appreciate all the information guys. It's a shame that ban is in place, there doesn't seem to be a rational reason for it?
 
Was the nice Indian couple from Origindia who used to have the Rubbermade bins full of tapers at Blade buying from the Ohio guy (who I have bought a couple of pieces from in recent times) or did they have their own stash? I still have a bit of the stuff that I bought from them a few years back. Oh, the days of spending Thursday afternoon and Friday morning sitting on the floor rooting through bins of good quality $25-35 carvers. :(
 
From what I have been told, the ban was instituted in part because of the "harvesting" methods used in India. Apparently some folks didn't want to trudge around in the tall grass and such looking for sheds, so they would just set the fields on fire.
bobbywett said:
I appreciate all the information guys. It's a shame that ban is in place, there doesn't seem to be a rational reason for it?
Click to expand...
 
jdm61 said:
Was the nice Indian couple from Origindia who used to have the Rubbermade bins full of tapers at Blade buying from the Ohio guy (who I have bought a couple of pieces from in recent times) or did they have their own stash?
Click to expand...

No - Tim Balda had the good stuff.
 
It's been awhile since I've been back to India (I'm Indian :-))
if I make a trip, wondering if I can bring anything back......
 
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