EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – My grandfather would have loved this knife.
That’s what I kept on thinking the entire time I got to carry around the RoseCraft Blades Stinking Creek Sowbelly with stag handles.
The natural, genuine stag handles, of course, are the standout feature for this knife, but it is so much more than that, conjuring up a nostalgic feel of simpler times.
Like all of RoseCraft’s offerings, this knife blends functionality and craftsmanship with an affordable price tag, especially when you factor in the natural materials.
My grandfather, who spent a lifetime working in construction, mines and farms, would have appreciated all that.
The Stinking Creek Sowbelly is one of two knives I recently received from the RoseCraft pass-around group to carry around and try out for about a week.
I also got the Sequatchie River Muskrat at the same time. I profiled that knife recently. Here is a link.
Note: RoseCraft loves to name its traditional knives after bodies of water in the Tennessee area.
Let’s start with the handles, the feature that makes this knife stand apart from the crowd. The handles are made from genuine red deer stag material, giving the knife an authentic, down-to-earth feel.
And because of the natural materials, each knife has a totally distinct and individual look and feel.
The one I got to check out had handles that had a slightly “wood grain” look to the bone.
The knife weighs in at 3 ounces, which is surprisingly light for a knife with stag handles, but it still feels like it has some heft to it.
Overall, the stag handles are a winner and give this knife a nostalgic feel.
I can picture my grandfather using this knife on a fishing trip or around his apple orchard in Washington state later in his life.
Sticking with the handle, it has a slight bow to it, not a symmetrical bow like the Obed Creek Bow Trapper. Instead, the bow is at the far end of the knife, away from the blade.
This subtle bend gives the knife a great feel in your hand and helps it follow the natural contour of your grip.
The stag gives this knife some artistic flair, but the bow in the handle makes this knife seem like it was made with just you in mind.
It’s a combination of craftsmanship and practicality, which seems to be a RoseCraft calling card.
And of course, my own biases come into play a bit here. I love single-bladed traditional jackknives, and this knife falls squarely into that category.
This knife comes with what they are calling a 2.7-inch “modified” clip-point blade, which came screaming sharp out of the box, despite making some previous stops in the pass-around group.
At less than 3 inches, the blade is just about the perfect EDC size, in my humble opinion. The blade also comes out of the knife with a slight downward tilt, which makes it a natural for utility or draw cuts, like opening boxes.
A clip point is super useful. It is great for piercing, opening letters and tackling other everyday carry tasks. I used it to tear open a Sam’s Club-sized bag of dog food.
Again, a very versatile blade that grandpa would have liked.
The walk and talk (the way the knife opens and closes) is super snappy and having a half stop is a great safety feature on a slipjoint knife (no lock).
The blade is deployed with a nail nick which is toward the front end. The initial opening is a little stiff or strong but once you get it moving, it glides easily to the half-stop position and then you can open it from there.
When you close it, the blade has a great snap from the half-stop position.
Here is a look at some numbers: 6.6 inches when open, 3.875 inches when closed and like I said, weighs in at a mere 3 ounces.
Numbers, as usual, only tell part of the story.
As you expect with RoseCraft, the fit and finish of this knife is immaculate. The pins and bolsters all meld seamlessly with the stag handles, no small feat when working with a natural material like this.
The backspring and blade centering are perfect.
It is just a flawless knife with a great retro vibe to it.
Definitely a knife that would have brought a knowing smile of satisfaction to my grandfather’s face as he whittled a stick or peeled the skin off an apple using this blade.
One thing of note: There is no shield on the “show” side of the handle.
The knife is currently listed for $79.99 on the RoseCraft website, which seems like a really fair price considering the natural stag material and its craftsmanship.
The Stinking Creek Sowbelly is also available in black sandalwood for $61.99 at the RoseCraft site.
Here is a link to the stag version and a link for the sandalwood version.
The Sowbelly is also available in stag and sandalwood at C. Risner Cutlery, for the same price. Here is a link to the stag and to the wood version.
Here are some YouTube channels on knives and EDC that I find fun and informative:
The Cutting Edge (formerly Last Chance Knives)
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