Enjoyed the red stag link. Is this red stag?

[41yrcollk]

Been lightly cleaned, not a fan of cleaning but flesh only etch lightly visible, but I kept It because of the handles. Red stag or not? Thanks

[XxTestedxX]

IMO looks like its a stag knife that picked up red from a carrying case, or maybe even someone attempting to apply a dye.

It may be the pictures, but the knife looks a little odd. The pin placement seems to be different than the typical distance with the bolster.

If you have another of the same pattern you should compare the pin placement, the placement is similar to post 70's

also, the handle and shield fitment isn't the best, but this isn't completely uncommon on case knives, but more uncommon on pre 70's


please let me know what ya think

[Quick Steel]

To the best of my knowledge, which is always questionable, Red Stag refers to the common European deer which commonly is used on knife scales of German manufacture. It is not red in color.

[Mumbleypeg]

For some reason there have been several recent threads asking about red stag. viewtopic.php?f=4&t=66543. viewtopic.php?f=4&t=66275. I’m not claiming any expertise, just summarizing my understanding of the various posts made in those recent breads.

Based on the responses it seems there is Red Stag, the species of deer native to Europe, which no one so far seems to know whether its antlers have ever been used for knife handles or if so by which makers. The consensus is that Case never used any antlers from the Red Stag deer species.

Then there is what some collector’s have called red stag, which seems to be related mainly. if not exclusively to pre- 1980s Case knives having by happenstance (not intentionally), some red coloring in the stag.

And again on some more recent Case knives which were apparently marketed by Case as being “Red Stag”. Which most opinions seem to be that it is dyed to give it a red color.

As regards the OP knife, I agree the pin spacing appears different than the XX era 5347. For comparison here is a picture of an honest-for-sure XX 5347 from my pile. Its pins appear to be closer to the bolsters than the OP knife, but I don’t know when that change was made. I am also re-posting the OP knife in the same orientation to allow easier comparisons. I don’t think I answered the question, probably just muddied the water.

Ken

[Quick Steel]

Ken, the European Red stag antlers are extensively used as knife scales. Virtually any German Bulldog knife will be from Red Stag, unless Sambar is specified.

[Mumbleypeg]

Thanks QS. That's the first definitive post I've seen regarding the use of stag from the Red Deer species. It seems when the question of "red stag" arises there is confusion what it refers to stag having a red color, or stag from a Red Deer.

Ken

[41yrcollk]

I agree that the pin placement is suspect. Thanks again for picking that out. I included an attachment next to other xx 47s