GEC prototype

GECTECHMAN · Post by **GECTECHMAN** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 8:51 pm

I was at a knife show last week and got the opportunity to look at some great knives. I find myself especially drawn to the old style knives. One such knife was a Cattaraugus. Although it was Stag it was not Fat stag. What can I say I liked it. Well, anyway I brought up the Cattaraugus in a conversation with my Boss Bill Howard today and he told me about how hard it was to purchase stag like the kind used to make that knife. He referred to the stag available today as Clunky Stag. It is very hard to work with and it is hard to produce a high quality production knife when using it. Then he reached in his drawer and pulled out a new prototype Stag knife made from a special supply of old style stag. Fortunately for us he was called away and I snatched it up to get a couple of pictures.
Enjoy.

MITCH RAPP · Post by **MITCH RAPP** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 8:56 pm

YUM! YUM!

marcinek · Post by **marcinek** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 9:00 pm

I am enjoying!

Thanks, G'MAN!...now get that beauty back before the boss catches you!

justold52 · Post by **justold52** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 11:31 pm

Jeff nice of you to go out on the limb and give use a peek of the upcoming knives.

Thank you and nice photo too.

This made me think...

Do you know what a branch manager is ??

A monkey standing on a limb....

mikek · Post by **mikek** » Sat Aug 04, 2007 12:24 am

WOW!! Is that baby ever nice !!

orvet · Post by **orvet** » Sat Aug 04, 2007 12:29 am

Awesome old stag!
Are those going to be available any time soon?
I think I must have one!

Dale

Hukk · Post by **Hukk** » Sat Aug 04, 2007 3:32 am

That is some real sweet stag. You hardly ever see stag like that. Even a lot of stag I've seen that were Sambar came from a game ranch, not India. Then it was amber dyed to improve it. I have some at the shop. Center seems a bit more pithy than the old stuff. I keep hearing rumors of some stashed here and there, occassionly I see a real nice piece, then they want $75.00 for it.

GECTECHMAN · Post by **GECTECHMAN** » Sat Aug 04, 2007 1:05 pm

There is a Stag Called Chital, it has a somewhat smaller antler than Sambar but has a very appealing look, and is solid through the antler. Unfortunately it is all just mixed in with the Sambar and sold as such.

Edgewise · Post by **Edgewise** » Sat Aug 04, 2007 1:38 pm

Believe it or not, I don't really know the difference.
So thanks, GECTECHMAN, for showing what good stag should look like.
And of course, with beautiful scales, the less bolsters the better. I never was a fan of double bolsters.
Maybe that's why the barlow is so appealing.
Those blades look a bit different too. Is that big one a spey blade?
Makes you wonder if these new pocket knives are designed principally to do an effective job or to look good.
In any case, I don't think that the modern, commercial spey blades look like anything on this forum, do they?

Hukk · Post by **Hukk** » Sat Aug 04, 2007 4:05 pm

GECTECHMAN wrote:There is a Stag Called Chital, it has a somewhat smaller antler than Sambar but has a very appealing look, and is solid through the antler. Unfortunately it is all just mixed in with the Sambar and sold as such.

Yeah, I heard that why they went to the term India Stag. People assume it's Sambar but it is really Chital. As far as I'm concerned, I'll use Chital in a heart beat. I've seen some great looking Chital Stag, call it Chital Stag, it'll stand on it's own against Sambar. Marketing

El Lobo · Post by **El Lobo** » Sat Aug 04, 2007 4:48 pm

Hey.....

Have use guyz ever seen that SandBar stag?? It is real hard to find laying around as sheds, in my experience.

Whooops.....wrong thread...sorry.

Bill

GECTECHMAN · Post by **GECTECHMAN** » Sat Aug 04, 2007 11:16 pm

marcinek wrote:I am enjoying!

Thanks, G'MAN!...now get that beauty back before the boss catches you!

I actually took it home to take better pictures. He knew I took it though. Although he did warn me he better not see it on Ebay. Ill bet I could get say $450 for it. 1 of 1.

GECTECHMAN · Post by **GECTECHMAN** » Sat Aug 04, 2007 11:25 pm

Hukk wrote: Yeah, I heard that why they went to the term India Stag. People assume it's Sambar but it is really Chital. As far as I'm concerned, I'll use Chital in a heart beat. I've seen some great looking Chital Stag, call it Chital Stag, it'll stand on it's own against Sambar. Marketing

India now has a ban on exporting any Stag. They are pushing hand jigged imitation stag. Picture a guy sitting on the floor with a dremel tool jigging away.

One question raised is if someone will think that this stag is Immitation because it is not the "Clunky" kind being sold today.

Hukk · Post by **Hukk** » Sat Aug 04, 2007 11:53 pm

Yes, that ban has been in place for several years, since 1999 or even ealier I think. One story is that they banned the import I hear because of the practice of setting grass fires to make it easier to find the antlers. But the tiger shares the same habitat as the sambar and the Indian Government banned the practice due to destruction of tiger habitat. (I don't think this has anything to do with torched stag but some folks do).

How much is true, I don't know. There are several stories out there, which story is true I don't know but the above seemed reasonable. There are also Sambar stag on New Zealand, Australia and other places as well. The quality of stag from all areas is not equal, some is considered poor, India by reputation had the best Sambar Stag antlers available.

GECTECHMAN · Post by **GECTECHMAN** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 1:33 am

Which do you prefer, Fat stag handles or Old style?

jonet143 · Post by **jonet143** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 2:04 am

i prefer stag on both side to look like they came from the same antler. as long as it's even on both sides and not as thin as bone scales.

Hukk · Post by **Hukk** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 4:29 am

GECTECHMAN wrote:Which do you prefer, Fat stag handles or Old style?

Great question cause it has no definitive answer. I like fat stag only on a knife that is capable of supporting it. Fat Stag on a knife that is less than 4 1/2 inches is a waste (toenail is an exception) and then I like gnarly popcorn stag. The model #23 is perfect in that it can support either with ease. (as long as we are not talking a fat center and tapering ends

) Only a couple of patterns pull that off well, some just pull it off. But, not my cup of tea, I just acknowledge it.

But on a smaller and finer knife, old style is perfect. Fat stag has it's place as does old style. If you are designing a knife, fat stag would not look good on these finer and smaller knives.

I put 2 examples below and Fat Stag on those, No even though the frames are almost 4 inches (both are 3 7/8 inches), fat stag is a waste. I like the stag on both, so I used these pictures, the stag is from the 80's even though 1 knife was made in 93.

I do admire both on a 4 1/2 #23 trapper, but if I'm making a fixed blade knife I do want fat stag. Only a few folders actually support fat stag well.

On the knives I used as an example, they could never pull off fat stag to my satisfaction.

Well the knife in thist thread has stag 1/2 inch accross the butt, not fat in the center, if that's what you're referring to. I can't see this knife not having nice thick fat slabs of stag. That's what makes this knife work as far as designed eye appeal. It could be thinner and still have excellent eye appeal. Fat Stag just needs to be used in the right place, once again, as far as we aren't talking about a fat center and tapering ends to the bolster.

http://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/kni ... php?t=4440

upnorth · Post by **upnorth** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 9:50 am

Hands down, I prefer the old style. Fat stag may serve a gripping purpose, but I find the look ungainly, and also obtrusive in the pocket. Give me slim well fitted stag, with texture right to the bolsters!

upnorth · Post by **upnorth** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 9:54 am

Who the Hukk is up at this hour??

Hukk · Post by **Hukk** » Sat Aug 11, 2007 11:00 pm

Great looking Warncliffe Whittler Charlie. I agree, putting fat stag on that knife would be just a disgusting thought to me. That is a beautiful knife with beautifull stag.

But to put old style stag on the knife below at 4 7/8 inches may have some beauty, but it would lose functionability. A big knife for a big job, fully open it is 8 3/4 inches, a mighty big folder. Earlier I estimated it was almost 1/2 inch thick, well I just measured and it is about 3/8+ a hair

thick at the butt. (Fat Butt

)

This is the place where I'll take the fat stag, it's 4 5/16 inches long. It is functional and fits my hand well. Big knives can take the fat stag, no on the other ones we posted, Old Style is the only way to go.

justold52 · Post by **justold52** » Sat Aug 11, 2007 11:26 pm

Well here I am going to go with what HUKK says...

I to agree with the fat stag on bigger knives.

I think all that white look at the bolsters take a way the look of nice stag.

If you can color it like Canal Street does on their dark amber I do like that a lot.

Hukk · Post by **Hukk** » Sat Aug 11, 2007 11:34 pm

Actually I think the BKC 149 first generation had color put on the stag, they look much nicer. This is a second generation BKC 149A and it was left natural, I agree, it's not as purty. Then there is a BKC 149B that is a thick greenbone that's a solid color and looks nice.

sunburst · Post by **sunburst** » Sun Aug 12, 2007 12:25 am

Here is the first generation BKC 149 you were talking about Hukk.

Hukk · Post by **Hukk** » Sun Aug 12, 2007 1:41 am

Those sure are great old knives. I'm sorry to see that Jim Parker changed them into a pure lockback in 1993. I like the lever release on those. Yeah, that one I'm sure you know was first released in 1981 and they made 188. That is one fine knife my friend.

justold52 · Post by **justold52** » Sun Aug 12, 2007 5:25 am

"That is one fine knife my friend"

Speaking of friends that knife sure would look good next to some of my GIRLS....

All About Pocket Knives

GEC prototype

GEC prototype

Which do you prefer, Fat stag handles or Old style?

Re: Which do you prefer, Fat stag handles or Old style?