When I was young and lived in Central Florida, I worked for a gov't. pollution control agency for 3 1/2 years. One of our jobs was gathering fish from certain lakes for sampling by the Biologist and the Chemist in our lab. They were testing for heavy metal, pesticides, etc... We obtained the samples by using a "shocking boat", 220 volts in the water and dipped 'em up. The gar fish was the most difficult to obtain a sample of flesh after it was caught. We used a hatchet along the back bone to cut through the scales and then used a pair of tin snips after the original cut to obtain an inch cube of flesh for the lab.
Folks used to catch them on hook and line, not intentionally, and would toss them on the bank. The scales would be just as tough as ever even after laying on the bank for weeks. (Some folks claim they are a real delicacy.)
I suppose the knife folks have figured a way to stabilize them and that handle sure looks great. I'm with you fellers on the cost.
Treefarmer
it's most certainly not in my budget.
did you land him yourself, and if so how long did he fight? 
Thx! 
Some wonderful urban striper fishing though.
I thought that handsome devil laying behind that monster might have been you! 
