Your newest addition:traditionals of course!

Will Power said:
A big shout going out to Dan sf fanatic sf fanatic for enabling this latest a Camelbone Lamb Foot by Ashley Harrison at Wright Sheffield. This has another significance apart from being a fine individual knife, it was originally intended for our late Forumite and friend @cigarrodog whose death has deprived the Forum of a fine contributor and talented photographer. I responded to Dan and offered to buy the knife and the proceeds went to a charity for Dogs that Harvey liked, from a very sad event something good has happened. Renewed homage to the late Harvey & his family.

Very well finished, no gaps or issues but needs a decent flush out and sharpening, Camelbone is a favourite of mine.

Thanks again to Dan, Will.

View attachment 2267097I've been looking at one of these but have seen wide array of opinions from bad to really good.how are you liking it so far.robert
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Oldy Oldy Robert, there are a number of opinions about knives from this maker, not unusual, but the problem being some people hold their experiences as being definitive, absolute and unchanging. Some of the knives I've had from this firm in the past, under different ownership, were from none too good to abysmal. The refrain starts that these are inexpensive honest working knives etc. Maybe, but so are Sodbusters, Opinels et al.

So I gave them a rest. I bought a couple more after about 2019/20 around when I believe the current ownership took over and I've found them much improved, maybe I'm lucky ? The one you refer to is a special Camelbone made by Ashley Harrison- son of the owner. The pull was not only very stiff but the return/snap was stiff too. It took a while to tame this and I actually used some grinding paste after washing out, more washing out and grease, it is now very satisfactory but still stout, otherwise I'm very pleased with the finish and aesthetics of this knife. Here is a smaller Pruner style Swayback that I bought about 3-4 years ago, it was claimed to be Père David Stag but I actually think it's Sambar as it's very deeply grooved both sides, I gave it a tea dye bath and it took very good colour. This too has good finish and action. You must judge for yourself, I can't predict what one of their knives will be like if you opt to buy one. Stories abound about most knife manufacturers, look at the hoo-har that goes on about CASE knives from time to time...myself I've found them very good but other swear blind they're appalling ;)

JpBZptV.jpg
 
Will Power said:
Here is a smaller Pruner style Swayback that I bought about 3-4 years ago, it was claimed to be Père David Stag but I actually think it's Sambar as it's very deeply grooved both sides, I gave it a tea dye bath and it took very good colour.

JpBZptV.jpg
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Could you elaborate a bit on Père David Stag? And its use by A. Wright. First time I've heard about it.
 
Thanks will,by chance do you have before and after of teabag dip.l actually like this one better then the camel bone.it is just finding a reputable source for canada.thanks again.
 
Was disappointed with my last Klein electricians knife, discovering upon receiving it that it was made in China. I ran across these a week or so ago and ordered one. Pleasantly surprised to find out it is a Colonial that is Made in the USA. I am still curious to know where Colonial is making their knives now, but anyway I am enjoying my new addition and will be carrying it the next few days.20230911_152002.jpg
 
Luke_Chambers said:
Could you elaborate a bit on Père David Stag? And its use by A. Wright. First time I've heard about it.
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I'll try. But I could be misguided ;) Most connoisseurs find Sambar deer to provide the best quality Stag for knife handles, combination of bark, texture or deep grooves plus it is consistent all the way through & solid. It is the type of Stag used on more costly knives or on vintage knives. The Sambar deer originates in India and over the years the Indian govt imposed bans on export of Sambar antler as numbers were diminishing. Some is over hunting (not waiting till the antlers are shed due to premium prices ) but much is destruction of habitat by human encroachment etc. So the supply became reduced. The alternatives are et al. European Red Deer, American Elk, Père David, Reindeer and other species but most of it is more porous or pithy than Sambar, less attractive generally, Sambar ages very impressively too.

However there are odd paradoxes here. Sambar Deer have been introduced into Australia & the US, possibly elsewhere and number have exploded (no Tigers there...Sambar being a great favourite of theirs...) and I understand they are shot for sport or even ruled as invasive, so why isn't this a source of Sambar Stag? Perhaps the quality is inferior due to genetics, terrain or just snobbery about 'real' Indian Sambar? Don't know but it's a valid question. Additionally, the Père David Deer (named after a Jesuit) became extinct in its native China sometime in the c20th. Some individuals were taken to European Zoos and the 9th Duke of Bedford established a colony and thriving Deer Park of them in England in the early c20th. His descendants sent numbers back to China to repopulate in the 1980s. Père David deer were also established in the US hence its use as an option for knife handles.

It seems that Père David Stag has been used in the US and England as a substitute for Sambar Stag as it is relatively plentiful, this might well be why Wright uses it due to its lower cost and ease of delivery? It presents as much less bark or featured than Sambar, but can be attractive as polished Stag. The example I showed is I believe, Sambar as it is very deeply grooved and might have been some older stock, but can't say for certain . It could be Père David, have not seen any so deeply grooved though. Other examples that I've seen shown on this Forum are usually rather smooth but not bad for it.

Much confusion surrounds 'Stag' some people are duped by words like Bonestag, or Stagbone- they're not antler but bone made to look like it- sometimes synthetics too. Then several deer ( cervidae) species are used for Stag handles,

Now somebody needs to show their newest Stag knife :cool:
 
Will Power said:
I'll try. But I could be misguided ;) Most connoisseurs find Sambar deer to provide the best quality Stag for knife handles, combination of bark, texture or deep grooves plus it is consistent all the way through & solid. It is the type of Stag used on more costly knives or on vintage knives. The Sambar deer originates in India and over the years the Indian govt imposed bans on export of Sambar antler as numbers were diminishing. Some is over hunting (not waiting till the antlers are shed due to premium prices ) but much is destruction of habitat by human encroachment etc. So the supply became reduced. The alternatives are et al. European Red Deer, American Elk, Père David, Reindeer and other species but most of it is more porous or pithy than Sambar, less attractive generally, Sambar ages very impressively too.

However there are odd paradoxes here. Sambar Deer have been introduced into Australia & the US, possibly elsewhere and number have exploded (no Tigers there...Sambar being a great favourite of theirs...) and I understand they are shot for sport or even ruled as invasive, so why isn't this a source of Sambar Stag? Perhaps the quality is inferior due to genetics, terrain or just snobbery about 'real' Indian Sambar? Don't know but it's a valid question. Additionally, the Père David Deer (named after a Jesuit) became extinct in its native China sometime in the c20th. Some individuals were taken to European Zoos and the 9th Duke of Bedford established a colony and thriving Deer Park of them in England in the early c20th. His descendants sent numbers back to China to repopulate in the 1980s. Père David deer were also established in the US hence its use as an option for knife handles.

It seems that Père David Stag has been used in the US and England as a substitute for Sambar Stag as it is relatively plentiful, this might well be why Wright uses it due to its lower cost and ease of delivery? It presents as much less bark or featured than Sambar, but can be attractive as polished Stag. The example I showed is I believe, Sambar as it is very deeply grooved and might have been some older stock, but can't say for certain . It could be Père David, have not seen any so deeply grooved though. Other examples that I've seen shown on this Forum are usually rather smooth but not bad for it.

Much confusion surrounds 'Stag' some people are duped by words like Bonestag, or Stagbone- they're not antler but bone made to look like it- sometimes synthetics too. Then several deer ( cervidae) species are used for Stag handles,

Now somebody needs to show their newest Stag knife :cool:
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Thanks. Concerning availability of stag: I'm living half an hour from from Solingen. Knifemakers that do folders are Otter, Hartkopf, Klaas, Puma and Böker. Böker and Puma produce internationally, with a few or a very few knives being made in Solingen. The knifemakers in Albacete, Thiers and Maniago have kept bigger production volumes, different topic.
I like stag, but when checking on stag knives, usually they are "currently unavailable". A guy at Puma's workshop told me that "stag, we haven't got it". I don't know if the problem is reasonably priced supply or if there aren't any people left with the right skill-set. Could be both. Cutting the antler and matching the stag needs much more attention than using any other of the common handle materials.
Indian Sambar stag, which has the smallest spongy center zone, hasn't been exported since about the millennium. In a shrinking industry there must have been large stocks, but all that was left in old warehouses probably has been used up by now. Even GEC with their small runs is doing less Sambar, it seems.
That's why I was asking for the Pere David stag. Wikipedia says it is a rare animal mainly kept in parks. I've seen some stag handles from A. Wright & Son, they were more smooth and whiter than usual, color towards Reindeer, and not spongy. So that's the reason. Nice to know. From a Safari park in the U.K.?
A local change in hunting practice could have contributed to reducing the stag supply: A generation ago red deer was fed during winter (in Germany). This kept the deer population un-naturally high, desirable from a hunter's point of view, less so for peel and bite damage to young trees. Today red deer is only fed in rare exceptional winters. The feeding had a side effect in that many of the dropped antlers were found at the racks. When the animals were starting to drop the antlers, i.e. stags suddenly were missing an antler, the feed racks were fitted with some special wood rods that could snare the antlers. The stag then would shake his head, the antler would come off, and later could be picked up. A life stag produces 6-7 sets of antlers in average (guess), a dead one only 1. Now the antlers are dropped anywhere and everywhere they are hard to find, down to the dog. From a time-reward point of view it isn't worth to go looking.
 
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