2012 BladeForums Best Bowie - Here are your finalists - Vote for the winner!

Cast your vote for the 2012 BladeForums Best Bowie

  • Jason Knight, MS Blade Show Best Bowie

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Sam Lurquin Damascus Tsavo Bowie

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Kyle Royer, MS Shadow of the West Bowie

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Mike Ruth Jr., J.S. Fire Stag Bowie

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Gerhard Wieland Toruk Bowie

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    0
  • Poll closed .
It is really interesting to me that none of the really ornate knives made it. Several of the Royer/Sfreddo/White/Cook bowies that had unreal levels of artistry in both design and execution did not make the final list. I guess after all is considered, a "best bowie" selection is more of a gut reaction, but each appreciator of custom knives has their own criterion and none are more right than others.

As the Royer Shadow of the West was the only one of my seven that made the final vote, it was an easy choice for me, although not my favorite of all. The Ruth Fire Stag bowie was easily my second choice of the finalists: perfect lines and proportions with gorgeous stag and ladder damascus.

Congrats to the fabulous five finalists!
 
black mamba said:
It is really interesting to me that none of the really ornate knives made it. Several of the Royer/Sfreddo/White/Cook bowies that had unreal levels of artistry in both design and execution did not make the final list. I guess after all is considered, a "best bowie" selection is more of a gut reaction, but each appreciator of custom knives has their own criterion and none are more right than others.
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I was also surprised that some of the more elaborate bowies didn't make the finals, but your last point explains it - as well as hi-lighting the defining element of this particular "best of" competition.

And such a result is by no means confined to the forums. I recall at the Spirit of Steel show many years ago when a knife that I was scheduled to take delivery of was entered for the Best Bowie award. It won. Against some stiff competition by a number of ABS Master Smiths with spectacular damascus entries. It was a plain carbon steel ironwood handled bowie by Brett Gatlin. Wonderfully executed, but as plain as can be. Truth is, you never know what will strike a chord with the judges, whether they be one, three or a couple hundred.

Thanks again for all the comments guys, and keep 'em coming. This would be a lot less interesting if all we had to watch was a bar graph. Lots of good insight across the board. Lots of valid reasons for choosing any of these 5.
 
Congratulations to all the winners.

Thank you for this great thread. Lorien and Roger.

I've voted for Jason Knight...
I like stag and personally I favor the simpler lines...

Regards
 
This...

RonNewton said:
All spectacular pieces and congrats to all. I had to go with Kyle's because it screams such precision. All the dark colors really flipped my switch. His extensive wire inlay work on this piece is a near flawless as can be done.
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and this...

Bruce Bump said:
All are fine examples of what a bowie should be. I too chose the Royer bowie for much of the same reasons as Rons post above. This is an extremely well done knife using some of the most difficult fit and finishes. The design didnt just happen by accident to come out right, there is some serious time and thought involved in this one. Well done Kyle.
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Had to go with the Royer. Exquisite field of finalists.
 
This one is easy for me. I don't like damascus and I love blued fixtures. Indeed, these are all wonderful pieces (even if they ARE Bowies:D:D), but the only one that fits my criteria is Kyle's - and it's a dark, sleek beauty, too. If I was voting on my favorite maker of the bunch, however, it would be Mikey, though!

Bob
 
I voted for Sam's knife, I may be borrowing Roger's phrase here.... It spoke to me. That subtle upswing to the tip does it to me every time. :cool: I too was stunned to see that none of the exquisitely embellished knives moved into the finals. I personally am usually drawn to a refined simplicity inclusive of form function and power. Make your statement and get out of the way. Absolutely amazing array of incredible knives this year! :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: Thanks again to Roger and Lorien.... Have a great New Year all my friends! :D
 
Hello,
I vote for photo nuber 2 , Samuel Lurquin Tsavo damascus bowie ,
Thank you,
Dirk Bourguignon
 
Congratulations to all of the finalists. This is a very difficult choice as I can find justification in each piece for why it would be worthy of winning.

In the end I'm going with Gerhard Wieland's Bowie. There's just something about it that resonates with me...though it represents a departure in terms of my usual taste.

It has a certain quality conjoining the practical with the conceptual that I find appealing while retaining a an ergonomic and aesthetic flow that just seems to set it somewhat apart from the other choices.

That said, I'd happily welcome any of these fine pieces into my home and heart.
 
I believe this is the closest I have seen the top 3

I am also surprised but pleased to see what the top 5 are for this year
 
I'd like to say that I voted for Jason's bowie because it was my favorite of the group.

I voted for Jason's Bowie because I see so much of Jason's work in Samuel's, and I feel it proper to give credit to the originator of a "look" first, and foremost.

Does this make sense?

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
I chose the Kyle Royer because it's to me what a bowie should be - mean, elegant, no nonsense, deadly and drop dead gorgeous. Many of the knives I nominated are far more complex and ornate than any of these final five, mostly they where included for their craftsmanship and beauty, not their bowie-ness. All of the final five are of course amazing and formidable pieces, but two of them being recurves makes them not particularly my taste, so that leaves two besides the Royer. The Mike Ruth is definitely my second choice, not making first because I'm not the largest fan of stag as a handle material and the ladder pattern damascus for me just kills the lines of the beautiful blade profile. If that handle would have been a dark wood and the blade something like that amazing Lisch Fighting Dragons knife it would have been a very close call for me. The Toruk is a fine knife with some incredible craftsmanship and out of the box thinking, just not my particular cup of tea. One question I always keep in mind and it may be wrong but I think it anyway when I vote is: "would I buy that if I had the money or need?" That question's answer is an indubitable YES for the Royer.
 
Norbert, you are a gentleman and conduct yourself always with class. Thank you for your participation on this forum.

Will
 
This is a hard choice. I like both Kyle Royer and Mike Ruth's knives . In the end I voted for Royer's shadow of the west Bowie.

Steve
 
i voted for jason knight's bowie. actually for the upper one... jim's photograph is a nice example of what happens when you take pictures from different angles. i like the proportions of the upper knife, handle and blade length are nicely balanced and the handle has an appealing flare, whereas the handle to blade ratio in the lower knife doesn't look right to me and the handle is a bit lank. if i only saw the second picture i would not have voted for this knife.

i like all of the finalists very much, basically, first and foremost and whatever, but heck, i will never ever acquire a taste for hardening lines on damascus!

best regards,
hans
 
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