AK Bowie Modifications

ferguson

ferguson

Joined
Feb 21, 2001
Messages
4,238
Seeing what Dan and others have done to the AK Bowie got me to thinking. For a while, I've wondered what the Bowie would look like with a pommel. It's a very practical user as is. Recently I got one in a trade, with some very nice horn with white streaks on one side.

First thing was to square off the horn slabs so they would make a nice joint with the pommel. Two pieces of angle iron with 1/4" bolts made a guide to square the horn off. A hack saw blade with the "set" ground off on one side did the cutting. The blade was smoothed off on the side that went against the guide. The horn cuts easily. Then 2 pieces of Pakkawood from http://www.fibronproducts.com/ were cut, drilled and epoxied on. The tang was roughed up with a grinder for the epoxy to hold. A 1/4" piece of stainless steel tubing was used for a thong hole, and it was roughed up too.

Now Pakkawood has a reputation for being ugly, and most of it is. But I like the winewood color, as it is natural wood, with a nice rosewood color. I wanted something for the pommel that wouldn't split if dropped.

The epoxy was colored with a little red and a little black epoxy dye. A spring clamp held it overnight to set up. To keep the clamp from getting glued, I wrapped the pommell with wax paper before clamping.
 
This morning I shaped the pommel with the belt sander. Then hand sanded with 220-600. The horn was sanded up to 1000 to get the scratches out. The pakkawood doesn't require any finish, as the wood is impregnated with a resin under heat and pressure, similar to stabilized wood. The horn and pommel were buffed with "Scratchless Pink" buffing compound on a loose cotton buff. Here are the results. I kinda like it. :)

Thanks for looking!

Steve
 

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Wild lookin'. Nice work. The pommel will help keep it in your hand. That's the kind of knife that should have its own name.

Horn with feather grain is beautiful- wish I knew how to work it.

Hopefully I will have a shop again by summer- want to make a custom Lochaber axe- the sawed off shotgun of the middle ages.


Ad Astra :eek:
 
Steve,
Great work! I like the contrasts in color and texture. You added classy looks to a good user. :D :cool:
 
Looks great, Steve. How did it affect the balance? Can you take a pic with it balancing on your finger? I bet that pommel sure helps the swing too...
 
Daniel Koster said:
Can you take a pic with it balancing on your finger? I bet that pommel sure helps the swing too...
Click to expand...

Whoa! That's hard to do! Balancing a heavy razor sharp knife in one hand, and fumbling with a camera with the other. :eek: You're just messing with me, right? ;)

Don't think the balance was affected much, maybe an ounce? It feels much more secure in the hand though.

Thanks for the comments guys.

Steve
 
two things I've noticed from putting a weighted and curved pommel on my knives:

1 - the extra weight better balances the knife
2 - the curve at the back better facilitates draw cutting

I have also had this repeated to me by customers...


Great work you've done, Steve. Superb idea and easy for others to copy.
 
Steve,
I have always thought of pakkawod as inherently ugly, but that's a really gorgeous looking piece. Great work!
Berk
 
Nice. I've always thought that one would look good with it kind of ground into a bird head shape and then the grips extended to cover that part. I like the bevels you put in there.
 
Wow, ferguson... I feel bad that I just gave mine a mustard patina and roughed up the horn with 220 grit. Yours is a real beauty!
 
Thanks again guys. This stuff is fun. :)

Decided the mirror polished blade didn't fit the bowie, so I etched it. The dark hardened area in the sweet spot is not the only hardened area of the blade. There are very subtle lighter areas that extend to the tip, and a third of the way up towards the spine. They just don't show up in the picture.

Steve

BowieEtched1024.jpg
 
Neat mod an that Bowie, Feguson!

Has anybody ever done the full works by putting a full guard and pommel on an HI Bowie?

It would take a lot of work...just wondering...

Shane
 
:) Nice work. Using my skill, I think I'll put something on mine too. It'll probably just be a loop of string. :rolleyes:
 
I worry about you Bruise...I really do...

...but then I looked at your idea and then at the pic of the Bowie...It would be great to have hollow rivets on the handle instead of solid rivets...that way for those of us who do like a loop of string you could put it in different positions...ALA a Wayne Goddard article recently...

Just a thought...prolly for another thread..a loop of string is a great idea Bruise...

Shane
 
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