Ram horn or Elk stag?

R

Redgoatee

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Dec 19, 2013
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I'm thinking of getting another custom 110 knife. But Im torn between which scales to get. It's between th elk stag and the ram horn. Cant decide which one. Elk stag and ram horn are the same price. So i can't use price to help me choice. I'm open to suggestions on which scales to get. I would like to hear if you guys would pick rams horn or Elk stag. I have the rest of the knife design picked out in my head. If I decide which way to go with the scales might be easier to choose to get the knife
 
My heart's desire was the ram's horn so when my older son needed a custom that is what I got. Outstanding rich scale material, semi-translucent, tough and unique vs other scale materials. I've had a elk antler custom 110 for years and it looks top drawer, subdued and understated. The ram's horn is a splash out while the elk is reserved. I would buy another ram's horn 110 before another elk stag. Tough choice but what fun for you. I matched the ram with brass and the elk with nickel silver. Ram with pins and elk without. And S30V, plain edge, every time without hesitation
 
I would definitely take ram's horn over elk. Not really a big fan of American elk covers.
 
See here's another example of the Ford and Chevy syndrome. I would rather have elk, because when I was good knee'd I chased them in three states. I never hunted a ram. But I would want them to closely match the sides...... 300
 
Not so fast guys! As these are both natural materials there are lots of variations to both. I think we should post some photo's of our Rams horn knives and elk scaled knives. That way Red beard can make up his own mind and not be swayed by others comments!

Oregon & Stumps....now your on the hook for some photo's. Once you guys give up some photo's I'll post some with my thoughts and comments;).

jb4570
 
Thanks jb4570. Was trying to decide by looking at some pictures. I've been looking at the elk stag thread on here. There's some pretty impressive knives on there. I haven't seen a ram horn thread like the elk thread. But I've seen random ram horn pictures. The few ram horn pictures I've seen have been interesting.
 
Here is the Elk custom shop 110, a terrific gift from my big Sister many years ago (the Ram custom shop 110 went to my older Son as a gift for lifetime achievement without stopping for photos, unfortunately)(you make me think jb and the result of that effort is I've only bought one custom shop 110 for myself and that was oak):



 
Ok Redgoatee aka Red Beard;),

Thanks Oregon for the photo of your awesome FG elk 110! It would seem that Mark is out playing in his work shop and has not time for posting right now. So here are my thoughts to the OPs question. But, remember I am only human so I may use my free will and change my mind at any time.

Elk Scales, Remember this like all natural materials comes with many color variations. Also, it comes with many outer texture variations as well. Forgive me for calling Elk scales stag as this seem to upset some of the folks who visit this watering hole from time to time. Now I like the stag on my knives to have good color and I also like a good outer bark, ruff, bumpy, and dark in color. However, more often than not Elk will be a light brown color with little a slight pebble texture. However, sometimes Elk scales like ant other stag will have almost no bark and be smooth and white like bone (I don't care for this look). As Elk like to fight each other and run there antlers they can get deep scratch's and discolored stains that may end up making your scales look like someone rubbed them on asphalt (this I don't like at all). Remember, we all have different likes and dislikes. In other words you may like what I don't like and visa versa.

The top knife here has the best looking dark Elk scales I have, the bottom knife is more often what Elk scales look like:




Below is a few more photos of Elk scales some are great and others only ok. But, as they are all Buck Knives they are all keepers:thumbup:











The top 110 in the next photo scales unknown, the 112 are great colored Elk!
 
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Ok, now my thoughts on Rams Horn. Just like Elk/stag many variations can be in Rams Horn. It can be almost smooth or wavy with deep ruts. Sometimes these ruts can have an almost dry flaky look that I don't care for. I like this material to be almost smooth as it is almost iridescent green like in color and very unique. I only have a few knives with this material.






 
Well Red Beard,

Now it's up to you and what you like. I would ask you to call the Buck Custom Shop and talk to the Knife builder and let him know just what you want. Also, if the CS knife is not what you expected send it back and they will fix it for you. They have for me, more than once.

I hope some more of the folks here at the Buck Forum will post some more Elk/Rams Horn Buck knives!
jb4570
 
Thanks everyone for all your advice. Im leaning towards the rams horn. Thanks jb for the advices about calling. I might just do tgat
 
Redgoatee said:
Thanks everyone for all your advice. Im leaning towards the rams horn. Thanks jb for the advices about calling. I might just do tgat
Click to expand...

That's awesome redgoatee,

Rams horn and what? brass frame or NK frame, pins or no pins? Also, don't forget to post lots of photo's here when you have it in hand!
jb4570
 
I guess I spoke too quickly in my post above. There is some elk stag that I really like.
What I don't care for is a kind of standard elk stag that you might get from Buck like the knife in my following picture. It's nice, but I would rather have ram's horn than this elk stag. It just looks too plain to my eyes.



What I do like is sun dried elk stag like in the pictures that gedlicks posted in the "All Stag And Ivory" thread…post 461. That is his Buck 970 dagger and I would place that right next to the best Sambar stag knife I own. It is a beautiful knife!!

I also like the stag on the knife the gedlicks posted in his next post #462 of that same thread. It is also nice stag that looks to have been sanded.

JB is another one that has some excellent elk stag.

I personally wouldn't order elk stag on a knife. I would have to see it first to make sure I liked it.

So…to break it down (and I know you didn't ask about Buck's Sambar stag offering), my first choice would always be Sambar stag, my second choice would be ram's horn and elk stag would be my third choice.

A person might get any one of those with covers that weren't really appealing to him though, so I guess it's a crap shoot and hope for a big smile when your new knife is delivered and you open the box to your perfect knife. :)
 
jb4570 said:
That's awesome redgoatee,

Rams horn and what? brass frame or NK frame, pins or no pins? Also, don't forget to post lots of photo's here when you have it in hand!
jb4570
Click to expand...

I was thinking nickel blosters, pins and the black oxide blade.
 
The truth about all the scale slabs made out of critters is getting both sides to match well. I would request that both sides of either scale your looking at try to be matched well enough that one side isn't semi-smooth and the other has deep grooves. I have seen and own some I am disappointed in the assemblers choices. This can occur in Rams horn as shown in one set of knife photo's above. I like both smoother elk and narly , near the skull, elk but I want both sides to be the same. So be aware....300
 
I finally decided on which knife to get. I went with the ram horn. With nickel blosters and pins. I also got black oxide 420hc blade. I called customer service and asked if I could get the ram horn scales as smooth as possible. The rep. I spoke too made a note of that on my order. But also told me there was no guarantees. I'm so excited to see how the knife turns out. I cant wait to get the knife now. I'll try to post pictures on here when I get the knife. I still would like to see other ram horn knives on here. If not on here maybe some one can start a ram horn picture thread.
 
Here is a photo I took about a month or two ago showing some Buck knives with BG-42 blades.

One of the few ram's horn knives I own is the second from the top.

 
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