Dan,
It is my understanding that the crow's beak butt cap interferes with the proper installation of the finger grips, more specifically, the "final" finger grip. In the past the shop did cut finger grips in stag handles with crow's beaks. They also had more time to do this. They also did a worse job on soldering the hilts. I guess everything is a compromise...Best, Capt. Chris
P.S. "Flanged" butt caps cannot be ordered with a handle that has finger grips installed. A "scalloped" butt cap or a "coolie" (smooth) cap "can" be ordered with finger grips on hunting knives of 1/4" stock. Model #2's. etc. cannot....CCS