I am not a "knife collector"...I don't have a theme, so my little bunch of knives just reflects what I think is attractive looking (to my way of thinking) to me...
[For example, that Sunfish/Elephant's Toenail]
So here's my question...I just got this little whittler in today, from eBay [no other bids; I got it for Opening Bid], it's "Sambar Stag" and I think it is quite attractive, the way the Sambar scales have been sanded to fit the handle...I also like the way the bolsters have been designed & executed, uneven lengths etc....
But if I didn't know it was Sambar scales, I wouldn't have guessed...because most cutlers leave the outer layer of antler on...The epidermis or whatever it is called...
Now this is kind of important to me, because Buck will be doing a 110 w/Sambar Stag scales later this year for a special order, and I'm looking to place my order...
But I *like* the sanded Sambar more than I do the "raw" antler treatment...
Now I don't know shinola about Stag, so maybe Sambar is the only stag that actually sands down whitish-colored...but I wouldn't like a knife with brown or beige sanded scales...
And I'd have to think hard if I wanted a Buck 110 with "raw" stag scales...
What's your opinions on this???
Left natural it does not look like anything else 