The Mental Unbalance of Scale Materials

Joined
Feb 25, 2001
Messages
6,678
So here I sit today, wondering if I’m totally deranged or not. I’ve been keeping tabs on a few BladeForums threads, and topics and opinions contained within these threads worry me. My dilemma all boils to one single issue… stag. I love stag with all my heart mind and soul. Stag is the epitome of what is good about knives. Stag shows immeasurable beauty, and brings me closer to the knife traditions of old. But, and this is a big but (not butt. I have a pretty nonexistent butt, so my wife tells me. Doris, the voice in my head, says I have a fat butt, but she likes to yank my chain), I’m a stickler for functionality. I dream of that indestructible knife that I can drop out of a ten story building, which will take no impact damage. I’m screwed. I’m torn between fragile beauty and functionality. Maybe I watched too many westerns as a kid; with all of those cowboys wielding stag handled bowies. I just can’t get my mind off of stag!!!!

So what’s the solution here? Do I move to India, dive into a new hobby, and start custom breeding sambar for horn durability? I don’t think I can swing this one. My wife hates Indian food, and I love hamburgers. We’d surely starve to death or be arrested for poaching Hindu gods.

Do I just get over my foolish notions of nostalgia, and start buying up Micarta, Delrin and G-10 monstrosities? Uggh. I can’t bare the thought of placing a synthetic between my knives and me. That’s like wearing a rubber during sex. You end up with a pleasure barrier between you and your loved one, and my knives are loved ones.

Hmmm….. The wheels are beginning to spin. Doris just had a fantastic idea. She said that I should send my Sebenza out for some custom work, and have stag inlayed into the handle, with the highest stag bumps slightly recessed below the surface of the titanium. This would prevent most blunt force impact from reaching the stag slabs. I’m quite surprised that Doris revealed this idea to me, knowing her drop-down drag-out knife jealousy. I guess she considers all folders to be broken, knowing that her spirit resides in my fixed blade Dozier. She feels no competition from any folder, even though folders get most of my carry time. I do have to admit that the real quality time is spent with my Dozier, so she gets the best of me. She’s too good for bagels and cardboard boxes. She’s saved for woodcarving, animal skinning and fish cleaning.

Do you think this idea has a chance? I’d combine my favorite handle material with my favorite folder. Would Chris Reeve do a stag inlay for me? I don’t think I’ve ever seen a stag inlay Sebenza. I’d also have to carry some other folder while my Seb is away from me. Double Uggh. I’d be stuck carrying some other one-hand opener like my Military, BM Ares or….. the evil Columbia River BladeLock. God I hate that knife. I don’t know why I haven’t sold it yet. Maybe I’ll settle for wearing a second sheath (I already carry my Victorinox Cybertool in a sheath) and use my beloved stag Buck 110. It’s as heavy as a house, but it cuts like crazy. I’ll just have to wear suspenders to hold my pants up. ;)
 
Hey Buzzbait, after all interframe was invented for that very reason!
Try build some, even if this probably menas buying expensive milling machines. Or you can give it a try the first time with some modeling files and a LOT of patience.
You could inlay stag into micarta, steel itself or any other material you like, maybe with some hard but elastic synthetic spacer so that even if you drop your knife from the tenth story stag will be protected from shock :)
Give it a try!
 
Buzz,

Fighting another vicious bout of cabin fever, are we? ;)

Having someone inlay stag into a Sebenza is going to be fairly expensive but it would be awesome! If CRK won't do it you could always find a machine shop that would be willing to mill out your pattern for you. You could then pick up some stag and do your own inlay. Might just keep you out of the nuthouse :D
 
Step away from the keyboard...
Take a deep breath...
Now listen....


stag, stag,Stag, STAG STAG!

Dang it Doris! Getottahere!

Maybe it is time to sharpen those hooks...grease the reels...tie some flies....

Or we could run a black cross border op, infiltrate India thru Kashmir (they're busy, won't even notice us ;)), grab the best of the best stag and be outta there before they know it :D

Scarely, cabin fever takes many forms...
There is always Ivory Micarta...
 
Back
Top