All About Pocket Knives

Would like to know every ones thoughts on whether stag handled knives have a future. Why i ask this is for a couple of reasons, i recently ordered a knife online which would normally be in stock. I had a return email saying that Stag Handled knives are now made to order due to the availability of Stag, or lack of it, and there would be a 4 week wait did i want to go ahead with the order. I have just read else where that GEC is one of the only knife makers that have first grade stag in supply, and that most other manufacturers are using second cut and basically what would normally be classed as seconds. I have seen photos from last century of some of the old knife companies having piles of deer and stag antler going up to the roof, those days would be gone. Has any one noticed the decline in stag being used in knife scales now compared to days gone by. Take care all, and have a good weekend.

Most of the stag used in cutlery has been sambar stag, mostly from India. Some years back the Indian government put limits on how many deer could be killed for their antlers and this has caused a world wide shortage in quality stag. The international demand for sambar stag had begun to make the deer population reach dangerously low levels and had to be regulated to ensure the survival of the species. It has also made the price of the sambar stag increase a lot. Sambar stag doesn't have a pithy center as do the antlers of most other deer and elk species so it is much more suitable for knife scales and handles.

Gunsil wrote: ↑Sat Nov 07, 2020 10:18 pm Most of the stag used in cutlery has been sambar stag, mostly from India. Some years back the Indian government put limits on how many deer could be killed for their antlers and this has caused a world wide shortage in quality stag. The international demand for sambar stag had begun to make the deer population reach dangerously low levels and had to be regulated to ensure the survival of the species. It has also made the price of the sambar stag increase a lot. Sambar stag doesn't have a pithy center as do the antlers of most other deer and elk species so it is much more suitable for knife scales and handles.

Thanks for that comprehensive explanation.

Sambar deer shed their antlers annually. I don't know why they would kill them, for their antlers. I do know there has been a shortage of quality stag.

Cudgee here’s an older thread about stag availability. viewtopic.php?f=4&t=66336. And another viewtopic.php?f=2&t=62308&start=15#p735255

Ken

Thanks Ken.

cudgee wrote: ↑Sat Nov 07, 2020 11:05 pm Thanks Ken.

You might find this thread entertaining. viewtopic.php?f=21&t=1180 I’ve read it a few times and enjoy it. Without some knowledge of American history (specifically Jim Bowie, of Bowie Knife fame) the “tongue-in-cheek” satire might not make much sense though. Nice tribute to the wit of AAPK members, several of whom are no longer with us.

Ken

Mumbleypeg wrote: ↑Sat Nov 07, 2020 11:12 pm

cudgee wrote: ↑Sat Nov 07, 2020 11:05 pm Thanks Ken.

You might find this thread entertaining. viewtopic.php?f=21&t=1180 I’ve read it a few times and enjoy it. Without some knowledge of American history (specifically Jim Bowie, of Bowie Knife fame) the “tongue-in-cheek” satire might not make much sense though. Nice tribute to the wit of AAPK members, several of whom are no longer with us.

Ken

Very funny, and growing up on American TV shows over here and serials such as " Davey Crockett " and " Daniel Boone ' and westerns saw the tongue in cheek satire of which you spoke.

The future of stag may be in doubt. The future of B.S. perseveres!

Ken

Mumbleypeg wrote: ↑Sat Nov 07, 2020 11:27 pm The future of stag may be in doubt. The future of B.S. perseveres!

Ken