AK Bowie

Cpl Punishment

Cpl Punishment

Joined
Jan 28, 2006
Messages
7,035
OK, here's a preliminary review of the AK Bowie from last Thursday's DOTD.

I had been wanting an AK Bowie for some time, but they usually come with horn handles, and I've come to prefer satisal over just about any other handle material. I didn't want to ask, in hopes that one would appear after my surgery, because I REEEEEAAAALLLLLY shouldn't have bought it. . .<sigh> Alas, my siren raised her voice and summoned my wallet from the dark, gloomy depths of my pocket. . .

Yangdu's pic:
7-16-09%20008.jpg


OK, as usual, Yangdu broke the law to get it here -- the law that says nothing can travel faster than light. What did Einstein know anyway?

First impression: "Geez, it's not that big." Yeah, ok, I know, it's 15 inches and 1.75 pounds of "not much", but when you're used to 20", 3+ pound kukris. . .

It's 9 1/2" of blade that is 7/16" thick!! That's 1/2" shorter but almost twice as thick as a Battle Mistress, for big knife fans. Feels twice as heavy, too. First thing I noticed is the big, slab-sided grips. I don't know how they got such simple grips to feel so good, and LOCK into place in my oversized gorilla mitts, I don't know. But it feels great. Also, very surprising for a knife of this size and weight, it feels lively I mean, this big, heavy brick of a knife is EASY to maneuver around with precision. I could be wrong, but I think this is the first blade I have made by Vim, but it won't be the last. This guy knows how to make knives!

The blade came sharp with none of the usual edge deformities. It won't shave, or push cut paper, but it has no problem draw cutting paper, cutting wood, palmettos fronds, fern stalks, etc (yes, I murder a lot of vegetation when I get a new blade). It cut up a pork chop quite well for breakfast, also. With the recurve of the blade, and thickness of the spine, I would not be surprised if this will chop as well as, if not better than a 15" Ang Khola kukri. It chops well, it batons well, it slices well. Not real nimble at notching and other fine work, but it does have the virtue of a very wide blade, which is easy to just grab it by the blade and do close work.

All in all, this is a great camp knife, or primary chopper for those who may not like kukris all that much, or just want a big knife today.
 
My absolute favorite HI product. I would love to get one in wood. I have/had one with horn grips that I gave/loaned to my dad. I need to replace it some day;)

I have never been a big fan of the angular lines on the slabs, but with the horn grips, I could just take a sharp knife and scrape the edges down a bit before I hit them with a little bit of buffing with some sandpaper.

great knife ya got there:thumbup:
 
I had the same issue with the "square-ness" of the grips but after a paracord wrap the handle fits my freekisly large hands quite well...

100_3449.jpg
 
Nice review, thank you
 
Thanks for the review. I have one with horn handles and it does not fit my small hands all that well. Maybe I should shave them down and paracord wrap?
 
Thanks for the review. I think I like the size of the AK Bowie better than the Cherokee Rose, which is huge. That looks like a good camp knife to me.
 
CPL PUNISHMENT:

Your rosewood handles appear very well done! I have 2 of the AK BOWIES, 1 of the regular size, 1 of the GIANT AK BOWIES. Both are "HORN" handles. I have only used the smaller AK BOWIE, and it does very well with small chores around the house. The NEW BONECUTTER has worked out better for me at house chores. MY 18" ANGKHOLA or M43 wourks out in the field at "overall" BEST (My opinion ONLY!). My TARWAR works BEST on Tall grass and other vegetation. I also have a 15" BAS attached to my backpack. It is there when I need to use it. Yes, "bigger" hands need "wider" handles for better fit!

Yours,

BLADESWEST
 
Here's some more pics.

First, the obligatory "stuck in a fence post" shot:
100_0107.jpg


In hand:
100_0105.jpg


This is what the edge looks like as it came -- MUCH better than most others I've gotten from HI:
100_0108.jpg


The pic of the 6" birch that fell to it was way to dark. But it took about a minute and a half to go through it. Much slower than my CAK, but faster than my Battle Mistress.

The edge, although it does not shave or push cut paper, went through these very light stalks with no problem, just a flick or the wrist:
100_0106.jpg


Increasingly, I'm coming to find that the oft sought after "razor's edge" is not necessary, except on a razor.
 
Great pics and review,Cpl!
I have to say, i like the looks of this with the Satisaal handles. It seems to make it more western/cowboy looking IMHO. I bet it'd make a bruiser of a Camp knife.

Cpl Punishment said:
that the oft sought after "razor's edge" is not necessary, except on a razor.
Click to expand...
My observation also. In fact, sharpening to a razors edge doesnt increase a khuks effectiveness by all that much and if anything increases the chances of edge rolling, deformation and chipping out.
 
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