Show us your Amber Stag

[Kevin Jones]

A question on another forum got me to thinking how popular "Amber" stag is today. It's actually up there with premium ancient ivory as my handle material of choice for knives in my collection.

So let's your Amber Stag. I will start us off:
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc138/10456kja/LovelessNPBootSM.jpg

http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc138/10456kja/FiskAmberStagSendero3.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r105/10456kaj/SteveDunnPhotos001-1.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r105/10456kaj/FiskKnives005.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r105/10456kaj/FiskKnives001.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r105/10456kaj/Handcock-FiskPhotos001.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r105/10456kaj/DeanWildernessHunter.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r105/10456kaj/Fisk2007BladeShowBestBowie-1.jpg

[Jon Brand]

This was a recent graduation present from my folks. I'm not sure but I think it counts as Amber??

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/loadyourfirearms/fisk1.jpg

[Marcel Dierijck]

I have only one knife with amber stag in my collection.....but it's a real nice one.

http://www.fototime.com/CBECD279A0AA7F9/orig.jpg

Marcel

[Kevin Jones]

Marcel, that's a great looking piece of gnarly amber stag to go along with a great Terry Vandeventer Bowie.

Jon that Sendero is definitely amber stag and is very similar to mine. I had to go check my case to be sure it was still there. ;) :D

[Steven Garsson]

http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/3218/knifedeaneldiabolo.jpg (http://img7.imageshack.us/i/knifedeaneldiabolo.jpg/)

Dean El Diablo

http://img248.imageshack.us/img248/2086/knifelovelessandschmidt.jpg (http://img248.imageshack.us/i/knifelovelessandschmidt.jpg/)

Loveless Big Bear and pearl Schmidt folder

http://img248.imageshack.us/img248/5609/knifeyoungii.jpg (http://img248.imageshack.us/i/knifeyoungii.jpg/)

John Young Dirk

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson

[Jerry Manuel]

Like that Big Bear Steven -

[Steven Garsson]

Like that Big Bear Steven -

Wish it was mine, Jerry, comes from Dave Ellis.:o

I own the other two stag handled pieces.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson

[Kevin Jones]

This isn't my knife unfortunately, but is a very GOOD example of premium Amber Stag.
Seems like some of the best Amber Stag comes out of the Loveless and Steve Johnson shops. This is also a very good example of Joe Mason's beautiful engraving and one of my favorite Steve Johnson hunters.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r105/10456kaj/standard.jpg

[Jerry Manuel]

Dave is known for getting rare and unusual Loveless'. I haven't asked him but wondered if Kevin's first came from Dave. So far every Loveless I have bought came from J W Denton in Georgia . He also keeps a good selection.

Great Johnson piece Kevin . I don't think you could do much better than that. Fine lines and exceptional fit and finish.

Thanks guys for all the photos of some really beautifull knives . I think the new forum is getting off to a great start and will only get better

[Joe Mandt]

So far every Loveless I have bought.......
Criminy, Jerry. I couldn't afford ONE Loveless. When you start talking about multiple ones, I am no longer even on the sideline watching....probably not even in the parking lot!!!!:D

[Russ Andrews]

From Last year....
W2, 416SS mounts, and Stag.

Russ
eraii.com

[Jerry Manuel]

Sure you can Joe . It all depends on who you buy from . I did a lot of research before I found the right guy -

[Jon Brand]

Great knife Russ..

[Kevin Jones]

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r105/10456kaj/sambar2000.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r105/10456kaj/SambarDeer.jpg

[Kevin Jones]

I have a question regarding Samber Stag as I tried to do a little research on the Sambar Deer.
I have found that they are not only indigenous to India (like I thought), however can be found in the Himalayan Mountain areas, Burma, Thailand, Indochina, the Malay Peninsula, southern China, Taiwan and the islands of Sumatra and Borneo in Indonesia and even Australia.
So why does India's band on the export of Sambar Stag have such a great impact on the world's supply of Samber Stag handle material? Can't the sheds be harvested in other areas/countries?

[Rob Connally]

Here's a Game Master I was fortunate to acquire from Jerry at the Blade Show this year. It showed up in this month's Blade mag. Always a thrill seeing a part of the collection published. Sheath is by Paul and is a beauty!

Kevin, that's quite a collection of Fisk's!!! Fantastic!

http://i379.photobucket.com/albums/oo240/robconnally/FiskGameMasterBlade09.jpg

[Charles Vestal]

I have a question regarding Samber Stag as I tried to do a little research on the Sambar Deer.
I have found that they are not only indigenous to India (like I thought), however can be found in the Himalayan Mountain areas, Burma, Thailand, Indochina, the Malay Peninsula, southern China, Taiwan and the islands of Sumatra and Borneo in Indonesia and even Australia.
So why does India's band on the export of Sambar Stag have such a great impact on the world's supply of Samber Stag handle material? Can't the sheds be harvested in other areas/countries?


Hello Kevin,

Culpepper is getting Sambar Stag from, I believe Mongolia, so there are other countries exporting Stag.

I have read that the Sambar Stag from India is of a higher quality and larger peices are easier to find. There must be a larger population of the Sambar in India.

Take care

Charles

[Kevin Jones]

Hello Kevin,

Culpepper is getting Sambar Stag from, I believe Mongolia, so there are other countries exporting Stag.

I have read that the Sambar Stag from India is of a higher quality and larger peices are easier to find. There must be a larger population of the Sambar in India.

Take care

Charles

Thank you Charles.
So it seems that the supply is not dried up after stockpiles are depleted as some have said. Though the best quality Samber may get harder to find in the years to come.

Here's a Game Master I was fortunate to acquire from Jerry at the Blade Show this year. It showed up in this month's Blade mag. Always a thrill seeing a part of the collection published. Sheath is by Paul and is a beauty!

That's one of my favorite Gamesmasters Rob, and a very good photo.

[Jon Brand]

When I saw that game master and heard that Rob picked it up, I really knew it was time for me to get a Fisk.

[Bob Betzner]

http://www.fototime.com/1430AE2AD633687/orig.jpg

OK, this one's been shown several times here and there, but in January will have a new owner because it's more or less a duplicate, so might as well post this amber stag one more time.

Best,
Bob

[Jerry Manuel]

Very nice piece Bob . No doubt the new owner will be pleased - Jerry

[Bob Betzner]

Very nice piece Bob . No doubt the new owner will be pleased - Jerry

Jerry - the new owner (once the New Year is upon is) happens to be a CKCA member. I imagine he will be sporting this same Coop image on the forum soon thereafter. I will leave it to him to announce. He and I also happen to share another maker in common, not just Curt.

Best,

Bob

[John White]

Here's a couple Amber Stag Hunters...

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh209/blackdog43_2008/DSC00568-1.jpg

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh209/blackdog43_2008/DSC00536.jpg

[Buddy Thomason]

I'm somewhat confused about the term "amber" stag. Amber is a natural dark yellow resin sometimes used as spacers in stacked handles. "Sambar" (sounds very similar) as has been noted, is a common name given to several types of large dark colored, maned Asian deer, especially the largest one which is found in India.

I've heard people use the following terms to describe stag antler that is reddish or rust colored.

AMBER
SAMBAR
SAND BAR

Sambar stag antler is known to be 'rusine' or reddish brown in coloration so it seems redundant or even incorrect to refer to it as amber. Since amber is quite yellow and hardly red at all, I think of 'amber stag' as antler that has been colored yellow by dying or burning with a torch. An example of amber colored stag might be Harvey Dean's Diablo Bowie:

http://www.fototime.com/8A943292925B64C/orig.jpg

I don't know how Harvey got this color and don't know the type of deer his antler handle material came from but many would say it's similar in color to amber.

Here's a view of an amber spacer for comparison. Bear in mind that this amber example is a little brighter yellow than most but is within the normal range.

http://www.fototime.com/1560E710854B44A/orig.jpg

So... I'm confused.

[Jerry Manuel]

To my way of thinking, stag comes in two forms . Either natural or dyed . I think Case burns the finish to get the look of their stag . Amber Stag I thought comes from the dying of natural Stag . So afterwards it becomes Amber Colored Stag. I've seen what Russ calls brown taper ( stag ) that has been dyed brown .
The Amber in the photo of the multi spacer knife handle is not Amber Stag but it is a piece of Amber, which is a totally different material -

[Eli Gautreaux]

What a great thread!


If I remember correctly, Harvey told me this hunter's stag was natural color:


http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i138/xamaneli/100_4212.jpg

[Jerry Manuel]

Those are both very nice Eli -

[RyanHays]

Here are two great Amber Stags in my collection.

Craig Camerer, JS and J.R. Cook, MS

Let me know what your thoughts are.

Ryan

[Jerry Manuel]

Good looking knives Ryan -

[Jon Brand]

Ryan, both look great. That Cook has a real interesting handle shape and a nice big peice of stag. I love the clamshell and temper line on the other.

[Don Hanson]

Here's a few...:)

http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff146/fishheadbug/blade-06-hamon-stag.jpg

http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff146/fishheadbug/slips08.jpg

http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff146/fishheadbug/amberstagbowie2.jpg

http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff146/fishheadbug/Coop-guardless-bowie.jpg

[Jerry Manuel]

All very nice Don, really like that first folder . . . Jerry

[Don Hanson]

Thanks, Jerry!

[Kevin Jones]

I really like the one that's looks like a variation of the Texas Toothpick slipoint design.

[Jon Brand]

I love the first one (linerlock). I handled that fire bowie in NY, and it one of the first I remember that sparked my interest in fixed blades.

[Don Hanson]

Thanks, Kevin. It's a slim trapper but the blade shape is very similar to a Texas toothpick.

Thanks Jon. I remember that NY show. I brought this big bowie home but sold it really quick :D

[Rob Connally]

Starting to feel like I have a Hanson knife fetish :eek: I lust for them all!

Out of this batch my favorites are the second folder and the second fixed. Too sweet for words.

[Don Hanson]

Thanks Rob. These are all 2 to 4 years old, guess I haven't used much stag lately.

[Kevin Jones]

Thanks, Kevin. It's a slim trapper but the blade shape is very similar to a Texas toothpick.


Yep, the blade was what I was referring to. Have you ever made a Texas Toothpick style folder?

[Don Hanson]

Kevin, I made a few toothpicks 15 years ago. The toothpick is the next pattern I want to add to my traditional line.