Stag? Natural Stag? Burn't Stag?

[david childers]

I have been looking at GEC knives and noticed that they have several different types of stag handles. The ones that are called "natural stag" are a little more expensive than the ones that are called "burn't stag" or just "stag." I understand that burn't stag has been burned to give it a pleasing color, but I was wondering about the difference between stag and natural stag. Are the ones labeled stag, really stag? If it is then what characteristics does stag have to have to be given the more expensive label of natural stag. What makes it more natural than regular stag? Just wondering.

 

[MerryMadMonk]

Best explanation I've seen is from an authorized GEC dealer:

Just about all the Stag used on knives today comes from the Sambar Stag native to India and Southeast Asia. I believe the modern material called "Red Stag" is Sambar Stag that has been dyed. I believe genuine European Stag from the European Red Deer has been banned for quite some time.
GEC,and some other companies have different names for Sambar Stag depending on how it acquired and prepared as handle material. I am most familiar with the GEC types of Stag.
1. Genuine Stag is acquired in rolls,just a section of horn,and and cut into slabs,fit to the knives,sanded and buffed totally in house. All this is done by old time methods and there is no dying,burning or other treatment whatsoever. GEC doesn't even rout the Genuine Stag forn Inlay Shield.
2. Natural Stag is acquired in pre-cut handle slabs. When GEC is preparing a run of knives to be handled in Stag,they take the very best of the Stag Handle slabs and use these for Natural Stag. They match the slabs as best is possible,fit them on the knives and grind buff and polish them. No dye or coloring is used on the Natural Stag.
3. Burnt Stag is basically what is left after the very best is used for Natural Stag. It is bought in in slabs,fit to the knives,then ground,buffed and polished. The last step for Burnt Stag is a little flame from a propane torch to add a little color. All knife companies use this method. Few let it be known.
4. Second Cut Stag is a handle slab cut from the antler after the first,most colorful,layer has been removed.
5. Bone Stag is cattle bone that has been jigged or prepared to resemble Sambar Stag
6. Elk Stag is most generally from the shed horns of the North American Elk.

I hope this helps!

 

[david childers]

Thanks! Thais does explain it quite well. Very interesting. I can see there are differences and why the price would be different

 

[black mamba]

Here are some examples:

From left to right, top row are red stag and elk stag; bottom row are burnt stag and second cut stag.

Genuine stag

Natural stag

 

[knifeswapper]

To your specific question, GEC has left a couple runs labeled simply "Stag" lately. These are those that would have normally been a Burnt Stag run but are too small to risk torching them. The esquire is the latest example.

Also, a note on the Stag/Burnt Stag -vs- Natural Stag pricing. There is very little difference in the price of Natural Stag (which is serialized by default) and Serialized Burnt Stag. Many people get burnt stag non-serialized, but I can't think of a reason to get Burnt Stag serialized if Natural is available.

 

[Joe58]

To your specific question, GEC has left a couple runs labeled simply "Stag" lately. These are those that would have normally been a Burnt Stag run but are too small to risk torching them. The esquire is the latest example.

Also, a note on the Stag/Burnt Stag -vs- Natural Stag pricing. There is very little difference in the price of Natural Stag (which is serialized by default) and Serialized Burnt Stag. Many people get burnt stag non-serialized, but I can't think of a reason to get Burnt Stag serialized if Natural is available.

Ok, sorry for the dumb question, but what are you referring to when you say it's serialized?

I had this stag issue today with a GEC knife I was ordering. Same model, but one had "Natural Stag", and the other had "Stag".

The natural stag was $10 more in price over the stag version, so I went with the natural figuring it must be a better cut. Hope I was correct.

I tell you, coming over and digging into traditionals from pocket clip knives is a whole other learning curve. It seems like with the pocket clip knife, you take two slabs of Ti, blade, and you're about done pretty much. I know that's way over simplified but I'm sure you get my drift. With traditionals, there's a ton of patterns, scale types, how many blades, blade shapes, sizes from tiny to huge. Fun stuff though.

Thanks for a great thread. Picking up some good info!

 

[black mamba]

Serialized just means it has a serial number engraved on the front bolster. GEC usually serializes the first 25 of a run, but sometimes they do all or none.

This is a Genuine Stag #22

 

[Joe58]

Serialized just means it has a serial number engraved on the front bolster. GEC usually serializes the first 25 of a run, but sometimes they do all or none.

Ah, gotcha. That's what I was thinking. Now this one has genuine stag. Nice btw. So looking at the list provided by the MadMonk previously, that would be #1 in the order of "bestness"? LOL, fun to make up words.

 

[knifeswapper]

Two notes. Genuine stag, Natural stag, Primitive Bone, LVS Abalone, and Pearl (probably more) are always serialized. So, many times, the premium in price includes the serialization. Also, even though Genuine stag is the priciest variation - and the vast majority of the time very nice, it is not always the "bestest". All beam cut slabs become genuine stag and are not culled nearly as closely as when they set Natural stag aside out of the Burnt stag pile. But there are no hard/fast rules here, because I have seen Burnt that blew away the Natural that blew away the Genuine.

Serialized versions also come with a COA either on an insert card or on the label itself.