Just yesterday I thought about the forum knife and that November was just around the corner. I didn't check the mail on the way out to our SCRC chapter's bi-weekly meet n feed. Our current First Officer calls us an eating club with a riding disorder.
Well the wife met me at the meeting and came home early while several of us stood around the bikes in the parking lot talking after admiring a fellow members new HD trike. (We got a lot of grey hair and beards) I finally come wheeling in and pop into the house. There's the wife at the table and I see she got the mail. There's this yellow envelope with a bulge and I think, "Oh, that coyote tan watch cap I ordered came in." Then I rip it open (no I don't use a knife just to because I can) and there's this tube with this really nice looking label on it. OH YEAH!
Freaking beautiful. The stag is just right, blade centered, just a tad more pull than my Case Mini-Trapper which is ideal for me, but still good. I pull my MT out of my pocket and compare and yep, near the same size with the Jack being ever so slightly longer and wider. The stag at its thickest is just about the same width as my MT with smooth chestnut bone. I've always loved the look of stag pocket knives, but for me the stag adds enough weight to most patterns that I notice it in the pocket and the way the knife rides. For that reason I traded/sold off the stag pocket knives years ago. The money went into gun stuff so it worked out. But in this case the lack of second blade sort of balanced it all out. I pulled out my electronic scale and the Case MT is 2.61 oz and the Stag Jack comes in at 2.32 oz.
The roundness or flow of the SJ really appeals. One of my gripes with full size Case Trappers and Stockman have been the edgy corners and scales. The Mini-Trapper reduces that some. This Stag Jack simply flows like melted butter. As much as I love my smooth chestnut bone MT and carry it each and everyday, I may just have to put a polished edge on this SJ and give it a carry. I could very, very easily see it becoming my always and everyday EDC.
To Charlie and all the folks who were part of this project and making it happen a very, very big thank you! I've only bought the 2007 and 2011 forum knives before. As cool as those are, for me this is THE best one. Not just nice for a collection, but a real daily carry knife.
