Custom Stag Case Peanut

[orvet]

A while back Bob (just bob) sent me a few pieces of stag that were warped and some were twisted. I soaked them for a couple of weeks to soften them up, then clamped them on some steel bars to straighten them out. This is same method I had used before on some stag that came from the Henckel’s factory, however this time my method failed me. I had to flatten the back side of the stag pieces on a belt sander in order to get pieces large enough piece for a knife handle.

This 1978 Case Peanut seemed to me to be the perfect canvas for these two magnificent pieces of stag. The stag pieces were badly warped but I was able to flatten the backside of a couple of them on my belt sander so that I could get two pieces long enough to rehandle this knife.

The blades in this knife are so small I did not etch them with my logo, though I did put my initials and the year on the inside of the mark-side liner. I also didn’t put the shield back on it because of the ridges and valleys in this stag. I would have to take the highest rigid down over 1/8”just to put the stag on top of the valley, then I would need to inlay the shield even deeper so that it would not be knocked off. Sometimes shields are right for handles and sometimes they are not. This was an instance where I felt the depth at which I would’ve had to cut in order to inlay the shield, would have made the whole knife look wrong.

I want to give a shout out to Bob and say “Thank you for the stag Bob!”
I hope you enjoy the pictures.

[montemojo]

And another beautiful creation, you have the eye of an artist Dale. I will be needing some work in the near future. That's if you're not to busy.

Monte

[glennbad]

Stunning work, Dale. Absolutely love it!

[Colonel26]

Wow! That's a real looker there!

[orvet]

Thanks guys, glad you like it.
There seems to be something simple yet elegant about natural stag, at least to my eye.

[philco]

Beautiful work my friend.

[rea1eye]

First of all beautiful work.

Secondly, the narration shows careful thought before you went to work on that peanut.
A+

I have gotten very fond of stag. The last 3 knives I purchased are stag. There is something
to the touch and look that no other material can measure up to stag.

Bob

[just bob]

Those handles look like they were specifically made for that knife Dale. I have been experimenting with some of the boomerang shaped pcs. of stag I have left. You can heat them in a microwave for a few minutes and bend them in a U shape and still they won't stay flat if you clamp them down. A little on the Internet about boiling stag in 1/2 water and 1/2 vinegar. I may try that. I saw a guy flattening some I think over boiling water with a grate on top of the pan and then a pan lid over the grate and stag. Maybe steam is the trick? Had a wild idea about finding an old George Foreman grill at Goodwill and wrapping the stag in aluminum foil and heating it off and on for a few hours. If anyone has found an idiot proof method of flattening stag please post it for my benefit. Good job Dale on the knife.