Why choose stag?

A

adoboyo

Joined
Aug 20, 2012
Messages
31
I'm looking into getting a Northwoods Fremont Jack because that blade shape is just plain beautiful to me. But, there is only stag covers available. Personally, I find stag to be rather ugly, but not all the time. And in a knife like that, I might just bite the bullet.

So why choose stag? Does it look better with age? Is it durable? Etc..pretty much, can anyone sell me on stag or should I just move on?
 
It is a personal choice based on looks and the feel of natural handle materials. Stag is generally durable, not really prone to chipping. But it will wear with use and age, and gain a patina with much use and handling. Being a natural material, it can also vary widely in appearance. Most new stag is dyed and/or scorched to enhance the visual appearance of the natural texture. Really, no one needs to "sell you on it". You either like the appearance or you don't.
 
I find stag and bone handle nicely, they give me a good grip. Stag will not slip around in my hand. I like the look of natural materials, and the texture of stag, like the distinct grain of some woods especially appeals to me.
 
Codger_64 said:
It is a personal choice based on looks and the feel of natural handle materials. Stag is generally durable, not really prone to chipping. But it will wear with use and age, and gain a patina with much use and handling. Being a natural material, it can also vary widely in appearance. Most new stag is dyed and/or scorched to enhance the visual appearance of the natural texture. Really, no one needs to "sell you on it". You either like the appearance or you don't.
Click to expand...

This :)
Personally, I never really loved stag, but it's only a matter of taste.
If you're willing to (at least) give it a try, then go for it...otherwise, wait until you find the same knife in another handle material.

Fausto
:cool:
 
If your not 100% sold on stag then wait it out they have hundreds coming in soon including micarta. Give them a call and get a update.
 
Stag was originally the choice for Hunting and Fighting knives for a very good reason. Unlike Bone or Wood handle materials, Stag does NOT get slippery when covered in blood. When field dressing game, or butchering livestock, or in a fight to the finish in earlier times, it would be a very desirable quality to not lose your grip on your knife.
 
I really like stag myself but have noticed that heft of a standard (wood scaled) version of the exact same knife, that I had custom-ordered in stag, is lighter and with better balance as a consequence. This is no big deal in my case since it is a belt knife used for entirely for hunting and fishing. Stag cleans up quite nicely as long as you don't let guts and gore dry on to them.
 
I think the main draw of stag is the gnarly, variable, non-slip texture of it. Some like smoother, some with lots of "popcorn" bumps and dips, some with deep troughs, some with fat handles and some very slim. Then there is different coloration, some dyed, some burnt, some left natural. Much of the bone jigging has been done to replicate the grippy texture of stag. And it seems to be more durable than bone, because you see lots of chipped and cracked bone, but very few stag handles crack.

With all that said, it's still a matter of choice. If you see one you like, grab it!
 
black mamba said:
I think the main draw of stag is the gnarly, variable, non-slip texture of it. Some like smoother, some with lots of "popcorn" bumps and dips, some with deep troughs, some with fat handles and some very slim. Then there is different coloration, some dyed, some burnt, some left natural. Much of the bone jigging has been done to replicate the grippy texture of stag. And it seems to be more durable than bone, because you see lots of chipped and cracked bone, but very few stag handles crack.

With all that said, it's still a matter of choice. If you see one you like, grab it!
Click to expand...

Well said, Jeff. So many choices in stag. It's by far my favorite handle/cover material.
 
I think Stag done right is a great handle material. Only problem is I need to hold it in-hand to see if I like it. My Case Copperlock in burnt stag has the ugliest stag I have seen, but it feels ok in my hand. My GEC Half-Congress has beautiful burnt stag that feels great in my hand. Sadly I just don't carry that knife much. I always keep an eye out for good stag on knives I like.
 
Not a big fan of stag myself. Others love it. If stag is done in a specific manner then I like it about as well as bone. If you like it and are willing to pay the price premium, go for it. I won't buy stag online without pics from both sides and the top/bottom. I despise "fat" stag, I don't like popcorn, and I want the handles symmetrical. Others have the exact opposite preferences.

That's why they make more than one kind. Make up your own mind.
 
I like stag on some knives, and don't on others. To me it can look pretty fussy on smaller knives, especially if the pattern is of the rougher variety.

On the other hand, finer grained, well finished stag reminds me of being a kid at the sporting goods store looking into the Puma case. I loved my Case and Bokers with their dyed bone handles and machine jigging, but the real stag on the Puma knives was incredible. When I see some really nice stag that is well fitted and finished on a knife, I still have that feeling.

No doubt long ago stag was the sign of a well made knife. To this day it seems that most of the vintage/antique/old knives only have wood handles if they are truly older working knives, not manufactured as upper end or collectibles.

I still remember (when looking at my 35 year old Schrade Golden Spike!) that the appearance of stag on a knife added such class that along came "Stagalon". I remember how excited the knife dealers were by Stagalon, and the first time I saw it. I happened to have a medium Boker stockman in my pocket with real stag, and side by side, it made the Stagalon look pretty bad.

Can't beat the real thing, although I have seen some heavily treated bone that is a pretty good substitute.

Robert
 
I like stag if its good. Otherwise it's not worth the premium.

- Christian
 
adoboyo said:
So why choose stag?
Click to expand...

because I Love it!
DSC_2569_1200__21156.1382470959.1280.1280.jpg


however, Im very picky and wont buy a knife without a spine shot to show the thickness, I dont care for stag that is fatter than the bolsters

here is one I consider well matched for thickness
IMG_1091.JPG


fwiw, Jigged Bone used to be called Stagged Bone, sometimes listed in old catalogs simply as Stag... I would venture a guess that stag was always the premium material.

In terms of wear, Stag is also bone. And another thing I like about Stag, is that the animal does not necessarily need to be killed to get a knife handle, unlike the shin bone of cows.. Im not a big fan of dead cow shin..
 
I only have one knife with inorganic scales, one of the Case celluloid peanuts, all the rest are ivory, stag, bone or horn material. I have one camel bone but I doubt they killed the camel to acquire the material
 
I like stag on 4" fixed blade knives but but not on pocket knives because it makes them thick.I like smoother stag but most others seem to like so called popcorn stag that they call gnarly.
 
jon_slider said:
And another thing I like about Stag, is that the animal does not necessarily need to be killed to get a knife handle, unlike the shin bone of cows.. Im not a big fan of dead cow shin..
Click to expand...

That's another reason I don't normally like bone handles. I mean I do have one, but prefer wood or even stag for that fact alone. I like the fact that most stag is pretty much picked up from a field unlike bone, where you truly don't know if the cow was deceased before.

With that said, I did find a rendition of stag that I do like in a #47 Viper so I jumped on it. It looks quite cool since it has some orange lines and I noticed that both sides of the cover look pretty close. I admit, I'm still weary if I'll even like it, but it does look pretty cool and the wife even thought so without even knowing what it is. I guess we'll see when I receive it :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top