All About Pocket Knives

I see a lot of stag knives advertised as torched stag. Can someone tell me the difference in torched stag and regular? How about identifying it from regular stag? How can I tell for sure?

The heat is used to darken the scales. I believe because most folks think it has a "richer" look when darkened. Sometimes a dye may be used in conjunction, or instead of heat.

First knife is stag...second one is torched stag.
Hope that shows you OK.

Bill

Thanks that helps a lot. Still with a lot of knives it seems hard to tell. Some stag looks torched when the books don't indicate that it is. Thanks, Tom

'Torched' Stag does appear richer and brings out the highlites of the material, I think.

Here is a story, unsubstanciated, that I read somewhere about torched stag... It seems that when the Indians go to harvest the dropped antlers of the sambar stag, they set the grasses on fire to make it easier to find the things. Of course the stag is then more naturally torched, showing evidence of being burned. Hence, when a knife maker or hafter puts Sambar Stag handles on a knife, he burns it somewhat with a torch to give it the more natural, 'harvested' look. I'll bookmark this explanation of the term 'torched' with stating again, that I don't know if it is true or not.

Phil

ps, Bill, you have an eclectic, interesting collection of knives. Seeing as how we both spend too much time over in the Schrade forum, that brand is all I am used to seeing from you.

You know Phil,

I've heard that the burning of the grasses you mentioned was also one of the reasons used for setting up the limiting/embargo of Sambar stag. Well, that, and the ability to manipulate pricing

I don't really have that many Schrades, as that forum, and folks like yourself, really introduced me to the brand. But, I like them as good quality, honest knives/tools.

I'll try to continue to share some of my eclectic (perfect discription) collection, as it seems appropriate.

Bill