All About Pocket Knives

Last week I posted a Western folding hunter #062 with some stag and was asking for feedback on the color. I am looking for two or perhaps more distinct colors of stag that I can dye myself. I am in the experimental stage so you are likely to see some different colored stag coming from my shop as I get more deeply involved in the experimentation process.

This is a Western L48ABG that needed the leather handle replaced. It also needed to sheath. So, I experimented with both the dying of the stag and making and dying the sheath from a piece of leather. The leather I used was 6 oz cow hide. I did not try to match the stag color to the leather color, even when using the same dye, they do not turn out the same color.

One of the unintended side effects was the mottling in the color of the stag. I thought it was a unique affect and I like it. Of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and it is one of the most subjective things a knife maker or knife mechanic has to deal with. What is beautiful to me may be ugly to someone else and vice versa.

I would appreciate if you all would give me your honest feedback on the color of the stag.
Thanks in advance!

In my opinion the mottled effect on the stag in unattractive. Not natural. Just my opinion. Mike

I like everything about the way that stag turned out!
I like the color for sure!
The "mottled" look of the area on the top of the handle is not a problem. I think it looks NICE!

Great job Dale!

I like it!
The mottled look isn’t really an issue for me. I run across it occasionally in bone slabs and in my opinion it’s just part of working with natural/organic materials.
Jeff

Dale, I like the overall appearance of the knife. I am not a fan of the mottled look. I agree with Royal's reservations about the mosaic pins.

I really appreciate your feedback, it has been very helpful. I hope more people will I'm in here and let me know their opinions as well. I didn't figure everyone would like the mottled look on the stag, but it does sort of remind me Case's Appaloosa bone.

It's interesting that a couple of you or not fans of the Mosaic pins. I have gone back and forth on that myself. I mean stop using them as much because of the expense and the extra work they are to install.

Jeffinn wrote: ↑Mon Jan 10, 2022 8:11 pm I like it!
The mottled look isn’t really an issue for me. I run across it occasionally in bone slabs and in my opinion it’s just part of working with natural/organic materials.
Jeff

I am with you on that Jeff. At first when I saw it I didn't like it, but then my next thought was that's part of the natural materials, hard and soft spots in the stag.
One of the most interesting things to me about working with natural materials like bone and stag is that you never know what you're going to get until you're finished.

Thanks again for the great feedback guys! Please feel free to keep leaving your comments whether you like it or don't like it, I appreciate the comments because it helps me to through a different pair of eyes instead of my own.

Dale, I love the "mottled" stag on that knife. I do think mosaic pins have their place, like on something super fancy that's never going to get used as a knife, but I feel like there's a conflict between your rough'n ready stag handled western, and those pretty mosaic pins. Superb work as always!

Dale, I like the knife handle but I don't care for the color of the sheath. Seems like when I was a youngster, the russet colored sheaths just didn't ring my bell. I would prefer a darker brown if I were into fixed blades.
Again, the stag and it's fasteners look great!
Treefarmer

Great work. The mottled stag doesn't bother me at all. I like mosaic pins in some cases. Usually when used with artificial handle material, like G10 or carbon fiber, but at times with dark wood.

Do you make your own pins or do you outsource them? I like this pattern pin.

I notice you didn't etch your logo on the blade this time. Due to the narrow blade?

I like the mottled look. It almost makes me think of older stag that has worn in spots. (I mean that as a compliment - I prefer old worn handle material over brand new). Undyed stag looks almost like fake "stagalon" to me, so I much prefer the color. To me the mottling gives it that little bit "extra" that I love.
On the mosaic pins: I could take 'em or leave 'em, either way. I generally like mosaic pins, but I am not convinced that they "go with" stag. I don't think that they detract from it, but to me they add accent to smooth bone or wooden handles, while stag already has natural accents.
I guess I am saying that they don't look bad to me, but are probably not worth the extra effort.

I would dye the sheath a darker brown if it were mine. I do love the design of that sheath. It has good clean lined and looks made to last.

I'm OK with the stag, but I think the mosaic pins are really cool.

zzyzzogeton wrote: ↑Tue Jan 11, 2022 1:01 am Great work. The mottled stag doesn't bother me at all. I like mosaic pins in some cases. Usually when used with artificial handle material, like G10 or carbon fiber, but at times with dark wood.

Do you make your own pins or do you outsource them? I like this pattern pin.

I notice you didn't etch your logo on the blade this time. Due to the narrow blade?

Thank you ZZ, I always appreciate your comments. I guess I had sort of assumed that Mosaic pins were requirement on knives these days. Blingage seems to be where we are in our culture these days. I can see how mosaic pins do take away from the natural look of stag. If you have good stag and finish it properly adding a mosaic pin is just an example of gilding the lily. One of the reasons I don't like a lot of the synthetic handle material is the fact that they are very plain. It makes sense they would look better with the Mosaic pin.
I know you're not the first one to make the observation about stag and mosaic pins, but you did put it together nicely with mosaic pins working better on artificial materials. I appreciate everyone weighing in on this, because this is something I had not seen before.

I did not make the mosaic pins for that knife. For the record I have never made any mosaic pins and at my age I don't think I'll start now. I usually buy my pins at a knife show but we haven't had one for two years here in Oregon. I tried to get most of my pins from Sally Martin. Her and her husband Gene are friends of mine. He operates Provision Forge she makes mosaic pans, She calls that part of their business "Pins by Sally" If I'm not mistaken.
Here's the link to their website: https://customknife.com/

You are spot on with the question on the etch of the logo. The blade is so narrow I could not get a good catch even with my narrowest stencil but just has my name.

I'm learning a lot from every post that you guys make, so please keep it up. Even if you completely agree with what someone else's said please let me know because it does help me to understand better how people see my work. I see it one way and I know other people see you differently. The thing that stands out most to me on the knife that I have worked on are the flaws. I know where they are, and they dominate the knife In my eyes. Other people however Don't see the flaws often even when I point them out.

Guys, your feedback to me is invaluable, and I really appreciated!
Thank you all!

If you can find a pattern in what we said, then you are a smarter man than I. Our responses were all over the road!
It does prove two things though:
1 - you do great work. Everyone saw something that they liked.
2- you can't please everybody!

Have a great day, Dale!

Though I think sometimes mosaic pins make a knife look gaudy, on this knife they fit in really nice.

The mottled stag is fine. It doesn't detract from the overall look of the knife.

The sheath color is fine, sheaths don't have to match the knife.

I really like everything about the knife. To me the stag is perfect. I would carry that hunting for sure.

Nev

glennbad wrote: ↑Wed Jan 12, 2022 5:57 pm Though I think sometimes mosaic pins make a knife look gaudy, on this knife they fit in really nice.

The mottled stag is fine. It doesn't detract from the overall look of the knife.

The sheath color is fine, sheaths don't have to match the knife.

Thanks Glenn.
I went to a Knife & Gun show this morning. I showed pics of the mottled stag to a local knife maker and he got excited about it. He really liked it. It's one of those serendipitous things that happen without planning and you can love it or hate it depending on what you do with it. I wish I knew how to duplicated every time, but I think it has more to do with the density of the antler or bone than anything else.

Nev52 wrote: ↑Sat Jan 15, 2022 10:31 pm I would carry that hunting for sure.

Nev

Thanks Nev,
That is the greatest compliment any knife maker or a knife mechanic could get!