Why stag?

Gargs

Gargs

Joined
Oct 3, 2007
Messages
499
With so many handle materials out there now, why do you think stag remains the most popular at least in terms of fixed blades? Can it hold it's own with the micartas and G-10's in terms of durability? Around water? Is it because of looks? Tradition? Just curious as to what the people here think.
 
Look, feel, tradition, and it's quite durable if finished and fastened properly. I personally love the way it looks and feels. I have a set of stag grips on my colt combat commander and a s&w branded case large stockman set in stag; awesome edc's. I'm still considering a custom, and if I'm shelling out a bunch of cash...it'll be stag handled.
 
I'm having a stag handled Randall Bear Bowie made. I held one when I visited their shop in Orlando, the stag handle looks and feels great.
 
Probably Urban Legend but I was told years ago from a shady friend that Stag handles didn't show up finger prints.
 
The same reason why people buy old sports cars when new ones have superior all around performance.
 
I understand the tradition part, but have heard that stag will pretty much stand up to the same type of punishment as the synthetics. I've never "worn" a knife long enough to find out. The sports car analogy appeals to the nostalgic/tradition part...so you find the synthetics have superior all-around performance. I know many are virtually indestructible, but there's a lot of stag that's been around a long time that still looks good. Probably just a matter of taste, but I am always curious about the attraction of stag (and the premium people will pay for it). (@Weech3 - you probably like the piece carried by the sheriff in the TV show "Longmire.")
 
Stag has been used as knife handle material for centuries. It's got a lot of tradition behind it. I personally don't care for it but I can see why so many people do. Just like people still like leather sheaths when Kydex is around. All about taste.
 
At the age of 43 I only recently developed a strong interest in stag handles (as well as other animal materials like water buffalo horn, etc). Part of this interest is based on the fact that I just got tired of g10, micarta, and titanium (although I still like those materials).

Stag has "soul". It's something completely natural, it was once part of a living thing. It's not something man-made in a factory, and it isn't some form of chemical composition (plastics, resins).

I also like the fact that it is the exact opposite of "tactical".
 
Gargs said:
With so many handle materials out there now, why do you think stag remains the most popular at least in terms of fixed blades?
Click to expand...

I'm not convinced that's true. :confused:

But still, plenty of reasons for people to prefer stag (or bone, or wood, or leather) over plastic: aesthetics, tradition and history, 'warmth', texture, variety, craftsmanship.

Perhaps Killgar summed it up perfectly, "it is the exact opposite of tactical."
 
killgar said:
At the age of 43 I only recently developed a strong interest in stag handles (as well as other animal materials like water buffalo horn, etc). Part of this interest is based on the fact that I just got tired of g10, micarta, and titanium (although I still like those materials).

Stag has "soul". It's something completely natural, it was once part of a living thing. It's not something man-made in a factory, and it isn't some form of chemical composition (plastics, resins).

I also like the fact that it is the exact opposite of "tactical".
Click to expand...

I agree, a nice staghandle often has a lot of feel that makes it almost magical!

Micarta and G10 are very good materials in their own right, but antler, stacked leather and wood are by far my favorites.

Thermorun rubbber not so much.

rzvd.jpg


In this pic there are four different handlematerials.
Masurbirch Burl and Sambar Stag to the left.
Thermorun rubber and Black Canvas Micarta to the right.

The Thermorun Fällkniven F2 was later rehandled in Sambar Stag, with bolster and endcap in nickelsilver.

71kt.jpg


The changeover to Stag has made this knife the No.1 choice, when I go fishing.


Regards
Mikael
 
What killgar said except for the part about being 43. I've got plenty of phenolics and such but natural handle materials such as stag, bone, fossil, leather and wood have great appeal to me. One downside of stag as handle material other than the expense is that it limits some contouring such as palm swells.
 
BoB W - it certainly is the most popular of the natural materials and, though my memory may not be entirely accurate here, a number of handle suppliers still say it's their most popular handle material. However, as quickly as things are changing, what was true a year or so ago may not be any longer.
 
The part i don't like about stag is working it!:barf:
It's your worst nightmare in a dentist's office! If you every want someone to leave your shop? Just start grinding on some antler!:)

Besides that, consumers love it for not only the look, but a choice piece of antler just fit's and feels better than anything.

The contours and natural shape along with the grippyness are hard to recreate in wood or synthetics and I think it makes some of our deeper ingrained thoughts & emotions from our days in the caves start firing when we feel stag in out hands.
 
Why stag?!?! The question should be: Why not?
(Just kidding ;) ;) )

I prefer natural materials in general. But in stag, it´s mostly the look of none is similar to each other piece of stag. But that´s mostly optics.

Materials like G10 and Micarta are good for what they are: Durable and stable in any enviroment.

But that´s what stag is too and proven over many decades and even centuries. No one know how a G10 handle will look in about 120 years or even later.

I have several vintage/antique stag handled german made knives which are about 100 years and older. Stag just feels "right" when you touch it and it´s worn out, for sure.

I´ve never worked with stag, but it should be as well as bone or horn or even wood.

My (personal) conclusion on any natural materials, I prefer them much over modern materials in any case :thumbup:
 
This has been great for me. Thanks to all. I'm always on the fence about stag - like the look, but don't always like the fit. On the other hand, I prefer natural materials and have also seen a lot of old knives with stag and it seems to indeed have a little "life" of it's own.

Rhinoknives1...ask a member of the Fowler group about the smell of sheephorn! LOL. But from what I hear, the worst nightmare in the dentists office (and this is apt) is mammoth tooth ivory!
 
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