Red stag

A place to ask or answer knife related questions.
Post Reply
winst
Posts: 170
Joined: Tue Sep 28, 2021 5:23 pm
Location: Hi Hat Ky
Contact:

Red stag

Post by winst »

Is it not true in order for a Case stag handle knife to be designated true red stag', the tang must be stamped "R" or "red stag"? I know we already have an "R" for other designations but......
User avatar
Mumbleypeg
Gold Tier
Gold Tier
Posts: 14305
Joined: Fri Apr 18, 2014 1:28 am
Location: Republic of Texas

Re: Red stag

Post by Mumbleypeg »

Depends on what you mean by “true red stag”. For many years stag was just stag - Case made no attempt to differentiate or market it by different colors. All of those were stamped with “generic” 5xxx pattern numbers. Some of the stag used had randomly occurring red colors - each knife was different. Some collectors sought those and the term “red stag” came into collector vocabulary, but at the time Case didn’t mark, or market, those any differently.

Dealers realized they could ask a premium for red stag, and often get it. At some point Case, by then attuned to (and catering to) the collector market, began dying some stag with various colors, including red. I’ve seen intentional marketing releases of stag series like “Midnight Stag”, etc. Someone (Steve Pfeiffer) may know the years when Case started to differentiate and market stag by color.

Here’s a couple of links to some examples of what AAPK members have opined to be “red stag”, including some that Case stamped R5xx.

https://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/kn ... g#p1122689

https://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/kn ... hp?t=66543

Ken
Member AKTI, TSRA, NRA.

If your religion requires that you hate someone, you need a new religion.

When the people fear their government, that is tyranny. When government fears the people, that is freedom.

https://www.akti.org/
winst
Posts: 170
Joined: Tue Sep 28, 2021 5:23 pm
Location: Hi Hat Ky
Contact:

Re: Red stag

Post by winst »

My query was in reference to so many knives being called "red stg" even with just a hint of the red spectrum as opposed to those that are designated "red stag" with tang stamps "R" or "red stag". I suppose that what I am alluding to is the morphing of red handles into the red stag just as shades of green became green bone if that makes any sense.
User avatar
Mumbleypeg
Gold Tier
Gold Tier
Posts: 14305
Joined: Fri Apr 18, 2014 1:28 am
Location: Republic of Texas

Re: Red stag

Post by Mumbleypeg »

Yes, we agree. Like many examples, what started as a thing among Case collectors spread to other brands including some stretching of the meaning of “red”. It’s all in the eye of the beholder. Dealers, especially those on eBay, are going to do anything to attract customers ($$$). In response Case did indeed at some time release ”Red Stag” series (which was dyed red), stamp R on the pattern numbers and market them as such. If you look through posts in the linked threads I provided you will see all kinds, all shades, of “red”, from various different makers. Including some Case knives having an R in the pattern number. ::handshake::

Ken
Member AKTI, TSRA, NRA.

If your religion requires that you hate someone, you need a new religion.

When the people fear their government, that is tyranny. When government fears the people, that is freedom.

https://www.akti.org/
User avatar
bestgear
Silver Tier
Silver Tier
Posts: 4764
Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2012 6:58 pm
Location: Oak Island NC
Contact:

Re: Red stag

Post by bestgear »

I have one “red stag” BSA Case knife (64090R SS) and clearly it is stag and clearly it has red tones. Did the stag on my knife come from a Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) or another species? I always thought the red designation was the species of deer and not the tone/color just as Sambar stag comes from the Rusa unicolor species. Interesting topic.
Tom
AAPK Administrator

Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Give boldly. Leave the rest to God.
User avatar
Mumbleypeg
Gold Tier
Gold Tier
Posts: 14305
Joined: Fri Apr 18, 2014 1:28 am
Location: Republic of Texas

Re: Red stag

Post by Mumbleypeg »

If you read through the posts in those threads I linked you’ll see there are some who have the opinion it comes from a species of deer called Red Stag. I don’t think (my opinion) so, at least not those made by Case. I know Case at one time dyed stag with colors and stamped “R” on the patterns. The web site knifedb.com ($) which is dedicated to Case knives, is searchable by pattern “designator”. A search there for “R5” finds several pages of examples, all stamped with patterns starting with R5. The earliest I see there are from 2009. Case released some other stag series that were dyed other colors. “Midnight Stag” comes to mind.

Ken
Member AKTI, TSRA, NRA.

If your religion requires that you hate someone, you need a new religion.

When the people fear their government, that is tyranny. When government fears the people, that is freedom.

https://www.akti.org/
User avatar
Steve Warden
Posts: 6454
Joined: Wed May 27, 2015 4:18 pm
Location: Cherry Hill, NJ

Re: Red stag

Post by Steve Warden »

Take care and God bless,

Steve
TSgt USAF, Retired
1980-2000

But any knife is better than no knife! ~ Mumbleypeg (aka Ken)
User avatar
Mumbleypeg
Gold Tier
Gold Tier
Posts: 14305
Joined: Fri Apr 18, 2014 1:28 am
Location: Republic of Texas

Re: Red stag

Post by Mumbleypeg »

Steve Warden wrote: Wed Jan 22, 2025 7:53 pm From Shephard Hills ___> https://casexx.com/Handle/DisplayHandle ... AutoID=104
Looks like they're still making it. I see the 2025 Baby Doc vault release available for pre-order in Red Stag. Wonder if those are SFO?

Ken

NM, answered my own question - they're available on the Case web site. https://caseknives.com/collections/red- ... s=e&_v=1.0
Member AKTI, TSRA, NRA.

If your religion requires that you hate someone, you need a new religion.

When the people fear their government, that is tyranny. When government fears the people, that is freedom.

https://www.akti.org/
User avatar
bestgear
Silver Tier
Silver Tier
Posts: 4764
Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2012 6:58 pm
Location: Oak Island NC
Contact:

Re: Red stag

Post by bestgear »

Hmmm, so “Genuine India Stag” isn’t red deer is it? It’s most likely Rusa unicolo (Sambar) stag? I can understand the confusion.
Tom
AAPK Administrator

Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Give boldly. Leave the rest to God.
Post Reply

Return to “Knife Related Q&A”