Case USA 6254 Stag

[WelderBob]

Could this knife be a factory error or maybe a employee built. It looks right, I don't believe its been fooled with.

Thanks'
Bob

[Mumbleypeg]

From the picture I believe the original bone covers have been replaced. The pins should be spun, those appear to have been peined. And it doesn't look like Case stag to me. JMO.

Ken

[WelderBob]

Some more pictures, I have seen stag like this on USA knives. Why would you use chunky stag if re-handling.

[jmh58]

I am with Ken.. Should be a 5 and not a 6 also.... John

[peanut740]

I agree with Ken also.

[XX Case XX]

I am with Ken.. Should be a 5 and not a 6 also.... John

Agreed.

__________
Mike

[Modern Slip Joints]

While I was not sharp enough to spot the the different pin installation my gut reaction was that it does not look like Case stag. Chunkiness is not the issue. I have a bunch of Case stag knives and none of them have nearly the whole surface covered with that dark brown color. Usually Case's stag is blacker in its grooves and low spots. Also, I do not remember seeing a Case that had bark below the level of a bolster for that much of the width of the bolster. I see that on Queen's knives but not Case's. However, that's just a gut reaction and I've been wrong before.

[Eye Brand Man]

Defiantly the original bone handles have been replaced with this stag. Not a factory stag knife IMHO.

[WelderBob]

Thanks for the input guys...

[Mumbleypeg]

Some more pictures, I have seen stag like this on USA knives. Why would you use chunky stag if re-handling.

Sorry to be slow responding Bob. The primary "tell" on the knife is the peined pins. That by itself is enough to make me wary of the handle covers.

The appearance of the stag is secondary to the pins, which is why I said it was just an opinion and was regarding the aesthic appearance, not the thickness. From your initial post I couldn't see the thickness, but it just doesn't look like Case stag to me - hard to put into words exactly what that means but the other guys said it pretty well. If you look at enough "honest" knives, you get a sort of "6th sense" about it - what it looks like, how it's hafted and fit. Maybe not always right but usually it is. Hope that makes sense.

As for the thickness and why thick (chunky) stag, you can buy thick stag for a fairly reasonable price from some sources. Many people like it thick so I suppose that's why it was used. Plus that is period-correct for a U.S.A. or dotted knife.

Here's a link to one seller with some good info about stag that is an interesting and educational read, especially regarding color and the affects of sanding/hafting - starts out black, then brown and so on to lighter colors as more material is removed. https://www.knifehandles.com/stag-horn- ... amber-stag

Ken

[WelderBob]

Ken, I'm believer in the "6th sense", but I lack experience with Case so your comments on the pins and others on the stag was appreciated, made me look harder at the knife. So I get the magnifier out and in the well I see some things that don't look right, I get a magnet and test the pins, and they are magnetic, well I'm smart enough to know thats not right. Now I can take the knife to its owner with some facts. Neither one of us had a clue on this, but I figured you guys would point us in the right direction...

[rea1eye]

All you guys are a bag of knowledge!

Bob