Stag Handles?

[Razor]

I have been looking at a BR Aurora, with stag handles, on the web. Would stag be hard on your hands, for a woods knife? Would it be better to good with another kind of handle?

 

[Rotte]

One of my favorite woods knives is a little Randall with a stag handle. However, I worry that it may be a bit fragile for a 'hard use knife.' I use it anyway, but maybe I baby it a bit....

 

[CUTS LIKE A KRIS]

Stag has been used as knife handles for countless centuries, it does work OK. If you find that there is a hotspot somewhere it is easily dealt with using some sandpaper. The irregularities of some stag can also aid in grip retention as well. It is not the most durable but is very suitable, and give an old time attractiveness to the knife IMO.

 

[Will Power]

Stag has good grip and is tough,take a look at the pix on the Traditional Forum where you can see century old stag knives that have been workers,not museum relics.

BEAR in mind though that the Bark River Aurora has STAG BONE handles.This means bone that is cut and jigged to resemble stag and not stag antler.(If it is a Sambar stag model then that's the top of the range stag) It's a very good material nevertheless.

 

[Razor]

I think I will go for it, if they still have it. Thanks for all the good advice!