The Commando Stag Story

For more than two decades, we've been putting genuine stag handles on Puma knives. Real antler—the kind that was once on a bull elk's head, polished smooth by time and terrain. There's nothing quite like it: the grip, the character, the knowledge that every knife is unique because every rack is unique.

But then the market shifted. Dog chew companies discovered what we've known all along—antlers are exceptional. Demand exploded. Prices followed. What was once a sustainable material for knife makers became a commodity chase, driving costs through the roof and threatening the very thing that made stag handles special.

When the Market Changed

The rise in stag prices wasn't just disappointing—it was a threat to craftsmanship. We started seeing stag-handled knives becoming luxury items rather than working tools. And while we've never been opposed to premium products, we've also never believed that a hunter should have to choose between authenticity and affordability.

Worse, we saw the same pattern emerging that had devastated elephant and rhino populations. Not the legal, managed harvest we've always supported, but the shadow of black market poaching—where demand creates desperation, and desperation creates exploitation. Could elk and deer face similar pressure?

The Hunt for an Alternative

We started researching synthetic alternatives. The criteria were strict: the material had to resist shrinking and swelling in temperature extremes, couldn't crack or chip under hard use, and needed to be workable enough to grind to various scale designs. Most importantly, it had to look and feel like the real thing—not like plastic trying to be something it wasn't.

That led us to Polyoxymethylene (POM)—better known as Delrin. This wasn't some new-age polymer; it's been around for over 50 years. Knife manufacturers have been using POM derivatives for decades because of its exceptional properties:

• Dimensional stability across temperature and humidity ranges
• High durability with excellent resistance to impact, cracking, and chipping
• Consistent texture that can be molded to exact specifications
• Reasonable tensile strength for long-term handle integrity
• Versatile finishing that accepts stains and treatments

But here was the problem: the "POM stag" already on the market looked fake. Too smooth, too uniform, too obviously synthetic. It didn't have the organic variation of real antler. It didn't have the texture that gives you purchase when your hands are cold and wet. It didn't have soul.

We needed a prototype. We needed the real thing to model perfection.

Enter: The Commando Bull

Tom stood there in awe. This wasn't just a big rack—this was a once-in-a-lifetime set of antlers. But he wouldn't tag a dead bull. He still had days left in his hunt, and he had his principles. So he marked the GPS coordinates on his topo map and made himself a promise: he'd return in spring when the snow melted and pack out that rack.

The Quest

April: Tom hiked back in, snowshoes strapped on, cross-country skis on his pack. Found the spot. The bull was still there—buried under six feet of snow. He marked it again and headed out.

May: Third attempt. The snow had finally melted enough to expose one antler. His heart sank—rodents had chewed it to pieces. The exposed side was destroyed, eaten away by varmints who'd found it first.

But the other side was still buried. Still perfect. Still untouched.

From Treasure to Template

For 25 years, that antler lived in Tom's man cave. Every hunting season, every gear prep session, every fish camp planning meeting—the Commando Bull was there. It became part of our story. A reminder that the backcountry gives and takes on its own terms.

One day, standing in Tom's garage, I picked up the antler. Turned it over in my hands. Felt the texture—the rough patches, the smooth sections, the natural variations that only real antler has. That's when it hit me.

This was the prototype I'd been looking for.

Engineering Authenticity

We removed a section of the antler that captured multiple textures—the rough grip zones, the smooth polished areas, the subtle organic variations that make real stag unmistakable. Then we sent it to the mold maker.

Multiple attempts. Multiple failures. You can't rush perfection, and you can't fake authenticity. But eventually, we got it right.

The result: Commando Stag POM handles that look, feel, and perform like naturally shed antler. Each handle carries the texture of that legendary bull from Commando Bowl—the grip that kept him alive for decades in unforgiving country.

Commando Stag Today

These handles appear exclusively on Puma SGB, Puma XP, and High Country knives. They're made from premium POM material that won't shrink, swell, crack, or chip. They're stained to match the natural color variation of genuine stag. And they carry the HC mark—a copyrighted stamp that guarantees you're getting the authentic Commando Stag material, not some inferior imitation.

This isn't just a handle material. It's proof that when the market shifts, we don't compromise—we innovate. When prices rise, we don't chase profits—we chase solutions. And when a hunting buddy trusts you with 25 years of history, you do it justice.

The Commando Bull may be gone, but his legacy lives on in every knife that carries his texture. That's the kind of story we build into our products. That's the Puma way.