Nice gun.... the reason why I like the Ruger is because it is the old larger frame. I can put some loads that would blow up a new model Vaquero or a Colt/Uberti/Pietta.
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A thread by the new guy. I like Bowie Knives plus a side rant about "Cheaper Blades".
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The Buck 124 is a nice knife. It isn't a Bowie, but it is Bowie inspired in its design and is a heck of a knife.It's my understanding that, for a knife to be considered a "Bowie", it has to have a blade >9.5".
Despite that, if you're looking for a Bowie'esque knife that has all the goodies (*strength, performance, value, etc.), and an amazing and proven heat-treat (*and hollow grind), I'd go with the Buck 124 "Frontiersman"...hands-down...
This thing ^^^ is an underestimated BEAST, and a straight-up PERFORMER. (*Look-up some of @Enzo’s Woodshop's posts. He's probably used his 124 more than anyone)
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Do some more digging on those here before you pull the trigger... IIRC there were reports of the grinds being horribly off on some samples, putting them in the "send'em straight back'" category. Or try to get some pics of the actual knife you buy, if possible.
Ok - I really hate to admit to this since it seems sacrilegious - having such a piece of Americana made in China - but - my Bowie is the Old Timer (discontinued?) Bowie.
In all fairness, I bought it more as a wall decoration than I did as a knife.
I mounted it to a plaque via some magnets I glued it to the plaque that holds it in place so I can remove it and run around the house screaming like a banshee and waving it around and chasing the dogs like they were part of Santa Anna's army.
In all fairness, I bought it more as a wall decoration than I did as a knife.
I mounted it to a plaque via some magnets I glued it to the plaque that holds it in place so I can remove it and run around the house screaming like a banshee and waving it around and chasing the dogs like they were part of Santa Anna's army.
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I will agree with the "under $40", but nothing beyond that.
I have a PAL RH-36. Great knife.
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A little off topic but have you ground either side of the guard down? Or even considered it?
The 9"+ blade length is from the Bagwell and Lynn Thompson school of thought that came about in the 70's, early 80's. Historically, Bowies got lighter and smaller as firearms improve and states urbanized. Mid Civil War - 1880's tends to show a lot more smaller examples - e.g. - San Francisco styles, smaller Sheffield imports, etc.... There were still big knives offered, but there was definitely a shrinkage of the Bowie.
Nope and I won't
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Don't judge a knife by its form and function around here rather than price tag or you may get jumped by a gang of pessimistic knife purists.My days of playing woodcraft is long and over. If I have to carve my own shelter or do skinning to ensure my survival. Things went wrong.... HORRIBLY WRONG.And I stilloved through and remember Hurricane Andrew, Hurricane Katrina, and Hurricane Michael.
And that's why I said cheap isn't bad. Chasing steel is mentally fun. But a good 440 that is heat treated is all and good. My Buck 119 for example has been around me for close to thirty years now. Still going strong and it is a properly heat treated 440. That knife has been beaten and abused.
Like I said... chasing the perfect steel is fun. But a good cheap knife that is well made ain't bad either.
Look at the GLOCK 78 & 81 series of knives.
Under $40 new and they're good, strong knives.
But yes, spears are damn good. History has proven that multiple times. But, much like modern handguns vs long guns. Carrying a spear is a pain. Knives are carried due to their convenience. Same reason why handguns are carried daily versus long guns.
Just so you know, some people consider "Paki" a derogatory term.I know that just about every post is a rehash of an earlier topic that has been discussed at one point or another. But that's the wonderful thing about the internet! Anyways, while I'm new here, I'm not new to some ideas. I like knives, saps. blackjacks, firearms, etc.... But today I want to discuss the Bowie Knife. Why? Because the Bowie Knife is part of Americana. It is part of the national mythos much like the Colt Single Action Army and M1 Garand.
I've had some cheap Paki made Bowies in my younger years, but recently, I went and got myself a Bear & Son's Cutlery CB00 Bowie.
Why? Because it is a cheap replacement for the Randall that I traded away years ago for a S&W Revolver (wheel guns are my first love). But I got that Randall in another trade and in the end. While I understand and respect the quality that goes into such a knife (and I'll have another again at some point), it isn't a MUST HAVE for me.
So, about the Bear & Son's Bowie. Is it the best thing out there? Nope. But why did I get it? I can explain it for three reasons.
1. I wanted an American made knife since the Bowie is American (never mind the fact that Sheffield, UK made a ton of Bowies in the past for the US market).
2. I didn't want to spend an arm and a leg for the knife, but at the same time I didn't want another Paki made wall hanger.
3. I don't use my knives for bationing and clearing out the back forty of hardwood.
I own the vast majority of my knives for self-defense. Now, do I see myself getting into a fight like the Sandbar? Nope. Are my knives my primary self-defense tool? Nope. But are they viable self-defense tools? Yup. (I know the truth about knife fighting. The winner still gets cut up and rides to the hospital, the loser usually lies on the sidewalk thinking about his last few seconds before the blood stop reaching the brain.)
The Bear & Son's Bowie is a good blade for that intended task of being a self-defense knife for the price. It isn't the best steel, or the fanciest work.
But here's the truth, the vast majority of the medium grade blades out in the market today still beat the best of what was available for the vast majority of humanity's history. As a species, we haven't changed much over the centuries. Getting slashed or stuck still does the same thing. Even some cheap $5 Paki made boot dagger with crappy pig iron will make a person leak like a sieve if it is jammed into the carotid artery enough times.
Look at deer hunting. About 130 years ago, deer were being killed with rifles like Winchester Model 1873s in .44 WCF or something far less powerful. Now a days, some folks get bolt actions in .300 RUM at distances of under 100 yards. Have the deer in less than a century and a half evolved to have kevlar hides? Nope. But folks do it (hell, I'm a sucker for 9.3x62mm Mauser and I mostly hunt pesky little FL deer because it is such a interesting cartridge) and will continue to do it.
I'm just saying, that as the new guy here. Yes, we can chase the riddle of the perfect mythical piece of steel (and if I had the money to do so, I'd have a pile of high-end knives). But for the part, a knife doesn't have to break the bank to make a bad guy bleed or make him try to hold his innards in.
Okay, that side rant is done with.
Anyways, back to Bowie Knives. I like 'em, I know you folks like 'em too. So let's discuss the pros and cons of the various Bowies out there.
Most of the Bowie type knives that I have come across over the years are about one foot long with a 5” handle and a 7” blade. It’s like the 3 bears story: too long, too short, and just right.
View attachment 1910157View attachment 1910158View attachment 1910159
The range of steels available for Bowies include 440-A, 440-B and 440-C. The Carbon content increases as the alphabet progresses. A=0.7% Carbon, B=0.8% Carbon, and C=1% Carbon. The A is the softest and is good for chopping. The C has better edge retention but is prone to chipping when chopping. The B is in between. The top knife in the picture is a 440-A Linder. The bottom knife in the picture is a 440-C Buck. Randall used a lot of 440-B. Don’t have one.View attachment 1910161
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I've held off since the early 70's but I'm slowly considering it.
Henry Beige
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Nobody calls this a Bowie. But to my mind, it exudes Bowie-nature. Not a budger knife, though, and only 8 1/2”. For the budget, my vote goes to Old Hickory. Seven inches would seem to be plenty, but there is a 10-incher if you just have to have the length.
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coolbreezy37
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These two are a modern interpretation of the knife described in the Vidalia Sandbar Fight, as used by Jim Bowie.
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I'm pretty sure you haven't been on this forum long enough to know what any of our reactions will be.
The Glock knife is crap - poor and inconsistent heat treatment, mediocre steel, and shoddy fit and finish. The "purists" on this forum know a thing or three about knives. Just as we are willing to recommend something good, a smart man would also listen to any "stay clear" warnings as well. Chances are we have have first-hand experience with the knife in question.
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