Stag Flaws or Personality?

[Stand Straight]

I’ve been looking at the variations of color depth and contrast of the many beautiful stag covers. I wonder if choice is solely an individual preference, or if there is a particular list of desirable traits that make one stag more worthy of purchase over another. Are there certain flaws that one should be aware of, to stay away from? Or would one person’s perception of a flaw be another’s perception of personality?
What do you say?

 

[jkulysses]

One person’s perception of a flaw be another’s perception of personality?
What do you say?

This part of your quote is what I have found and figured out for myself. There are so many variations and everybody has their own opinion. I personally like the inside of the stag the most like Charlie's 3rd cut stag or the polished stag on his most recent 77 washington jack but to most of the true traditional stag guys that stuff would be the scraps that got tossed.

Jake

 

[T. Erdelyi]

I think it's more of a personal choice, I don't like them fat, I like popcorn and the Winterbottom bone look on some.

 

[paulhilborn]

I’ve been looking at the variations of color depth and contrast of the many beautiful stag covers. I wonder if choice is solely an individual preference, or if there is a particular list of desirable traits that make one stag more worthy of purchase over another. Are there certain flaws that one should be aware of, to stay away from? Or would one person’s perception of a flaw be another’s perception of personality?
What do you say?

I think what is highlighted in BOLD above. I also prefer wood decks due to the characteristic of wood versus composite.

No right or wrong as some people prefer a more popcorn stag, some prefer smooth---it's about personal preference I think. I don't understand a lot of the criticism of Stag as the beauty is in it's diversity. That's just me though and I'll admit that I'm a bit strange:thumbup:

 

[Brisket]

Stag that has a higher level of symmetry, whether polished, burnt or popcorny is what is most attractive to me. I don't mind some thickness depending upon the knife involved but having weird bulges on a single side doesn't do it for me.

 

[155440]

It probably comes down to a personal preference. I only have one knife in stag and I think it's awesome. (This thread needs more pictures)

What the heck? One of the two photos I embedded was initially ok but on refreshing the thread, it went wonky. I embed using tinypic so I can only assume that's the issue. If for whatever reason the images above are not a knife, please contact me so I can remove the image code.
I recycled the makers pictures because their better than anything I could take with my cell phone.

 

[slide13]

Very much personal choice. Typically more highly figured, consistently figured, popcorn type stag is generally considered the most desirable....but even then it isn't for everyone.

Some people like it smooth, some like it gnarly....some like it hafted thin, some fat....some like it white and black, some like it creamy and brown....some like it to match on each side and others look for two sides are very different.

I love stag in many forms, but mostly medium to highly figured varieties. I currently have three stag knives that are all pretty different...but I absolutely love the stag on each one.


My overall favorite Ken Erickson 3.5" EDC pattern in beautiful stag from John Lloyd

My GEC forum knife, also with John Lloyd supplied stag, is a great example of the more creamy/brown colored variety with a strong linear figure (of which I'm a fan)

My GEC 77 barlow, really nicely figured stag of the more black/white variety

155440 - Yeah...that stag is pretty epic! Nice stuff!

 

[kamagong]

It's a matter of taste. I doubt you could come to a consensus if you asked everyone to revisit the 2014 forum knife thread and vote for the knife with the best looking covers.

 

[John L]

Stag is funny stuff. Most would want nothing but very dark popcorn with tops just barely sanded off ...well.. to highlight them. The problem with this is that the stag then is very uncomfortable to use for any period of time. Normally these knives are either shelf queens or get used very rarely or for a very short time. Smooth or jigged bone, ivories, Micartas, celluloid or plastics, are comfortable because they are smooth. Looks when it comes to stag is everything.....not usability unfortunately. Some will say because rough stag is rough it is very grippy.....and blistery!! Just my 2 cents.

Another thing....every piece of stag has a perfect or best use. Some are best used for exhibition grade knives and others are best used as dog chews! 95% are somewhere in between. Cut the bark off a Sambar roll and use it for a knife scale, cut the next layer off and it becomes second cut, cut the next layer off and it becomes Charlies' Third Cut Barlow!! Here even the waste becomes usable.........

John Lloyd

 

[black mamba]

Dark and "popcorny"

White and black (elk stag) with little fissures and "character"-- still smooth, comfortable and easy to use

Beautfully matched "linear" figure, creamy brown burnt stag

Lots of different types can be really good looking, but to be the favorite for a user it needs to be the proper thickness on both covers. Symmetry and consistency from side to side counts A LOT with me. Just look at this Lloyd for consistent figure of the proper thickness, like bookmatched presentation wood handles.

 

[Brisket]

Great examples Jeff!

 

[black mamba]

Thanks, Brisket.

 

[Bob W]

Personal choice, for sure. A flaw would be something like a chip or through-crack.

As to what I prefer, I like a deep color. Not too much texture or thickness on a small knife, but on a large knife that stuff is great.

 

[Stand Straight]

What great answers and photos! Much thanks to everyone.

What really speaks to me is evident; that for you all, this is not a “here today, gone tomorrow” hobby. Nearly each one of you have over one thousand posts. Many; multiple thousands. That translates into years of experience and knowledge. In the handful of answers to my thread of a simple question, I have received answers far exceeding my expectation. Where one answer had terminology that was unfamiliar to me, another post would unwittingly explain what I didn’t understand in a previous post.

I hope others gain from this thread as I am (in process).

If you don’t mind, keep those proud stag pictures coming in.

 

[black mamba]

Another thing which is seen as a flaw is when covers are sanded so much to fit a bolster that the pith shows through. This is generally only seen on cheaper knives, like this Boker Plus import (a $38 knife). The pith is the area with gray spots above and between the first two pins from the bolster. Still a good user, but this would be unacceptable on a first class stag knife.

Interestingly, this spotted pithy look is exactly what Charlie was looking for when he did one of his latest Barlows in 3rd cut stag. Perfectly acceptable and beautiful when purposely done, and consistent throughout the covers.

 

[singin50]

Yep, there are many different looks in stag and tastes to boot. I like smooth, popcorn or a little of everything, it just has to hit me right.

 

[Will Power]

Stag's like food: One man's meat is another man's poison

Its individuality & complexity is what makes it so compelling to knife enthusiasts. Then it has wonderful ageing potential and is durable.

I chose these as I regard them as 'meat' others may turn away

This one I didn't choose, but I was delighted with what I got - groovy - Forum Knife 14

 

[Peregrin]

Stag is by far my favorite cover material. I lean towards the dark Sambar stag with some popcorn, that John Lloyd described, but have many others that I like almost as much.

 

[glennbad]

I also see a wide variety of what people like in stag. Some like it REALLY fat, some like the popcorn, it's all over the board...

I prefer it somewhere around this...

 

[Double Ott]

Tom