Stag or g10

[EChoil]

The choice is the plastic of yesterday or the plastic of today.

I like something with a 'look,' like stag. Today's plastics can be so droll.

 

[symphonyincminor]

I prefer non-dead animal parts on my knives, and always opt for wood on traditional patterns.

Stag and bone has a big following in the traditionals community, but I just prefer laminates like micarta instead.

G-10 is a bombproof handle material. It may be boring to some, but it's got the advantage of feeling 'warm' in the hand and can be textured for a lot of grip.

 

[marcinek]

I prefer non-dead animal parts on my knives, and always opt for wood on traditional patterns.

Stag is not necessarily from dead animals.

 

[Bob Leedy]

Depends on whether you want character or uniformity. Most people "anti-stag" have probably never used it. It is among the most durable of natural materials, certainly much better than wood and only slightly behind synthetics in normal use. It is "warm". If too rough it can be smoothed down easily. For the squeamish, stag generally comes from annual sheds, or at worst as a byproduct from animals taken for food (do you eat meat or wear leather?). If you're going to buy a knife from a traditional maker, you ought to seriously consider a traditional material. Resale would probably be better, too. Most of my using knives have Ti or synthetic "scales" because that's the way they come and they work well. I'm happy and have no complaints. But if you're getting a special knife, why not get one that has personality rather than one lost in a sea of plastic? Can't really go wrong either way.

 

[eon blue apocalypse]

Depends on whether you want character or uniformity. Most people "anti-stag" have probably never used it. It is among the most durable of natural materials, certainly much better than wood and only slightly behind synthetics in normal use. It is "warm". If too rough it can be smoothed down easily. For the squeamish, stag generally comes from annual sheds, or at worst as a byproduct from animals taken for food (do you eat meat or wear leather?). If you're going to buy a knife from a traditional maker, you ought to seriously consider a traditional material. Resale would probably be better, too. Most of my using knives have Ti or synthetic "scales" because that's the way they come and they work well. I'm happy and have no complaints. But if you're getting a special knife, why not get one that has personality rather than one lost in a sea of plastic? Can't really go wrong either way.

Came here to say some stuff, but I feel like Bob said it better than I would have.

 

[DShiflet]

G10 both looks and feels better IMO, never really got the appeal of stag.

 

[Lee48]

I don't have anything against using animal parts, I just think most of the stag handled knives I've seen are downright ugly. I have an old Puma with a stag handle that is a great knife but it's great despite the stag grip panels. Using a rough gnarly stag handled knife can be uncomfortable as well. The only knife I own with a stag handle that I actually like is a Case Peanut. The stag on that knife is pretty smooth and it's not a stag that people who like stag would like. To me, it looks nice. Just my opinion...nothing really objective here.

 

[SeppukuSamurai]

Found a new knife to get but can't decide between stag or g10. I like g10 strength qualities but like the look of stag. I've had some stag be too rough, and some g10 be too slick....what to do, what to do.....thoughts?

Performance and function - G10

Looks - Stag

 

[Bigfattyt]

I like and use both. I find stag has a pleasing look and feel. It ages well, and in use, I find it gets better looking.

It has to have appropriate shape and texture for me to like it.

So I love stag, but not all stag.

G10, for me, is easier to clean, and disinfect. On a hunter, that I intended to use on animals, I might chose it. Or, for example, a kitchen knife.

I have had stag crack and shrink on a knife that has never been used, and has been stored in my safe for 25+ years. It is pretty minor. But that knife very rarely gets taken out. And does not get the handling and use of my other stag knife.

I usually prefer Micarta (linen if I can get it) to g10. It feels better in my hands.

 

[brancron]

The knife is a dozier pro guide.

That is such a great knife. The first Dozier I ever owned. I can't help you with your decision as to handle choice, but I have a feeling you'll be extremely pleased either way!

 

[brancron]

The knife OP is talking about looks excellent in both G10 and stag:

 

[jmh33]

, I view stag as not appropriate for anything that would get used on a regular basis.

Really?? Like an old timer once said to me.. "Son.. You need to get off the porch once in a while!"

John

 

[Jimmy Evans]

I was looking at two knives on my table this morning. A cheap switchblade with really nice looking, to me anyway, stag handles and my everyday black ZT 0350. I think the 350 would look cute in stag, but that's just me.

 

[strategy9]

The knife is a dozier pro guide.

That particular knife, imo, looks great in stag, (or burl), g10 is too sterile and takes away from the beauty of the blade I think

 

[EChoil]

I prefer non-dead animal parts on my knives, and always opt for wood on traditional patterns.

Stag and bone has a big following in the traditionals community, but I just prefer laminates like micarta instead.

G-10 is a bombproof handle material. It may be boring to some, but it's got the advantage of feeling 'warm' in the hand and can be textured for a lot of grip.

Sounds like you spend more time in the theater than in the woods.

Stag has the same warmth, moreso than G-10 because it's natural. And stag can be more textured than any G-10 I've ever seen, again because it's natural.

Did you know antler is shed in the woods by LIVE animals?

Other than Ti, my favorite handle material is probably G-10. But stag makes an excellent handle.

 

[EChoil]

The knife OP is talking about looks excellent in both G10 and stag:

I'll take the bottom one. Burl WOULD be nice on that knife as well.

No offense but the top one looks like something that would be found in my kitchen sink.

 

[MisterZ]

Poeschel,

Did you make up your mind yet? I agree that I too have found G10 to be slick, in fact I rotated out a Dozier White River Skinner because the design of the handle combined with the high polished G10 did not provide me with a grip I was confident with. It was pretty, it was an absolute standard for fit and finish, but it wasn't something I felt I could trust to hang on to if covered in blood or during hard work so it went away.

The single finger grip that Dozier ues on several of his models like the Pro Guide eliminates that concern, at least it does in my hand. The design provides a great grip and doesn't require traction from the scales to keep your hand locked in place. I found the blade a bit too long for me on the Pro Guide, but Bob uses the same handle on the K-2 "General Purpose" and after a lot of trial and error I have found that knife to be the "perfect" knife for me after years of search through a lot of different production and custom knives.

I guess that's a long way of saying that from my experience you could go with any material and not worry about slipping with the Pro Guide.

I love good Stag and have several Dozier knives that I carry on a regular basis handled with this material - good stag is hard to beat for warmth, traction, durability and good looks for any natural material (wood included) in my opinion. The Dozier shop does a great job with Micarta and G10 though, and I really like their bead basted finish on a working blade.

For what its worth I've had several different K-2 over the years and currently have four of them: one in polished g10, one in bead blasted G10, one in Plain Jane black Micarta, and a recent addition in stag. Since this pattern is intended to be my hunting knife if I had to have only one, or when hunting the one I always grab - is the bead blasted G10.

Z

 

[22-rimfire]

Great knife! I have one. I would get the G-10 or micarta myself which is fairly typical of Dozier stuff. If I were getting it to put on the shelf, I'd get stag.

 

[bdmicarta]

The knife OP is talking about looks excellent in both G10 and stag

It is G10 or Micarta? I have one of those and I thought it was black micarta. Nevertheless I like G10 AND micarta.

As for synthetic vs. stag, I like a lighter stag and I think stag is a classic look on some knife styles. I have a number of different fixed blades with stag, this is one of the best.

 

[gdpolk]

The knife is a dozier pro guide.

When making my own hunting/skinning knife I had the same debate and eventually went with micarta for performance gains in the field. I chose maroon linen micarta so that it wouldn't stain with blood over time and because it was a little different than a plain black or wha These were my thoughts:

Stag Pro's

• Looks better
• Has a more woodsy, classic look and feel which is called for on a hunting knife
• Is a natural material that could come from the very game you hunt, which is very cool in my opinion
• Has excellent texture naturally for a fantastic grip, even when wet
• Is incredibly durable and impact resistant and would withstand banging around in a gear bag better than wood

Stag Cons:

• Cold to the touch in winter
• Like any natural material, it can swell/shrink/crack if improperly cared for or if changing environments a lot (travel to hunt in different areas of the country)

G10/Micarta Pro's:

• Warm to the touch in winter - this was a big one for me given I do most hunting in late fall/winter
• Micarta when bead blasted actually has IMPROVED traction when wet (from snow/rain/blood/guts)
• Dimensional stability means it wont ever be proud or shy of the tang/pins and can withstand huge temperature/humidity swings without damage (can be left in the trunk in an Arkansas summer and go hunt in a wet winter mountain later that year without damage)
• Is non-porous so blood, guts, and animal filth can't soak into the natural pores of bone/stag/etc during cleaning
• Is as easy maintenance as you'll ever get

G10/Micarta cons:

• It's incredibly boring visually. Sure it comes in lots of colors and some even have patterns, but at the end of the day its not as unique or organic looking as a nice piece of burl wood, stag, or bone.

Here's the one I made for myself. I've thought about making another with antler from one of my own kills just to keep around the house, but this one will be the one that goes into the field with me: