Always Wanted An AK Bowie

M

munk

Joined
Mar 22, 2002
Messages
15,742
And Now I Have One.

What the heck do you do with it?

At 27 plus ozs, this is end heavy to the extreme. I'm not much for sandbar fighting on the Brazos River, or get into many alley fights in Hong Kong. Even so, there have to be faster blades.
The Rose balances a whole lot better, and is longer too. On the other hand, you should be able to use the Bowie as a pry bar in an emergency....you know; one of those National Emergencies after all civilian owned pry bars have been confiscated?

I'm wondering if the recent AK Bowies actually have an advantage over the older ones; I've seen a lot of 24 oz offereings and that may actually handle better while retaining the strength of the older style.

I've proposed HI Lawn Darts with AK Bowies; what other uses do they have?
You can chop wood, but a regular Khuk probably does a better job. Seems like you could do all types of 'camp chores' with one, even to cutting bones on a large animal like an Elk. So, I guess for general portability, the shorter length makes it easier to lug around. Honestly though, it feels heavier than many Khuks of the same weight because the balance is end heavy.

A slab of steel with a point on it. What's not to like, eh?
Rusty owned two of these I think. (not entirely sure. When I visited I pulled one out of a bucket and I thought he said he had another too) It was only the last year Rusty finally got a Rose, and when he did, he wasn't sure what to do with that.

The AK Bowie has got to be tougher than a Rose.

Well, I'll put her through some paces soon. It's rained here for a week and when it dries out I'll try some wood cutting.

Any of you AK Bowie owners have input?

Seems like if a guy was a knife thrower you should be able to throw this sucker. No, I'm not going to try.

Last night watching TV while laying on the couch I laid the Bowie on my belly. Seemed to exert a calming influence.


munk
 
munk said:
What the heck do you do with it?
Click to expand...
Take it out to compare when other people brag about how tough their knives are? :D

In all seriousness, the AK Bowie is probably a good option for those that want an HI quality product but can't get used to the unfamiliar shape of the khukuri.
 
I see the Rose as a dedicated fighter. Sure, you could do other things with it, but why?

:D
 
Oh, I think the Rose could save your life as a wilderness blade. It's tough enough, isn't it?


btw, Spectre, thanks for letting me return to my 'movie marathon' yesterday. I really was in a solitary mood. You're great for understanding! Hell, if you were here, we might have watched them together.


munk
 
The tip does seem rather delicate for size, neh?

'S okay. I really had lots of schoolwork to do, anyway. :)
 
Forgot to mention; 9 out of 10 sociopathic mass murderers prefer the AK Bowie to any other product available. Also, Hollywood should be discovering this soon- they can feature the AK Bowie- what the Desert Eagle is to semi autos the AK Bowie is to other outdoor knives.

Lines like; "I'll split your breast bone easy as peel'n a grape', or "I only eat the liver," come to mind.

I'll never get rid of it. It is too fantastic a slab of wonderous metal to push it aside just because it's heavy and ungainly. I'm ungainly myself but no-one's tried selling me at a garage sale yet.

Yeah, Spectre, I suspect you're right about the tip of the Rose- but it's designed for flesh. Skinning or cutting. Use the shank of the blade for harder work. NO prybar- the Rose. I'm glad I have a wonderful Rose but I don't do any knife fighting.


munk
 
I thought about advertising you a bit...but without the product available for impulse buyers...

I did a lot of chopping yesterday...the AK Bowie wows people...that's probably what it is best at.

.
 
...regarding munk sales- I strongly suspect my absence would help any possible sale.

The AK is a cleaver. I guess the knife fighting boys would say a faster better balanced blade will get in and strike a blow before the AK can get up to speed. And a first strike with anything, particularly a knife, is probably more important than a heavy blow never landed.

I still say if the AK Bowie made by HI had a flat edge profile instead of a gently curved one it would do double duty as a kitchen cleaver and be twice as useful as is currently.


munk
 
munk, portability/packability is one reason some'll take the bowie over a khuk- it takes up less room, gives you that good feeling of having an HI with you, and best of all, has a cho.

I clean fish with mine... :eek: Somebody said it packed well on a motorcycle.

Cleaver it is... Personally I wouldn't throw it. And it makes the basis of an awesome custom knife...

Rusty's was an older one with fullers? Bura makes most of them, I think, mine's a Kumar but all new ones seem like clones.


Ad Astra
 
It has the old style tooled scabbard, but whether it originally came with it who knows? It has the old style deep fullers. The Kami sign is rising sun- but the lines are so well done I must ask myself if Kesar really did it. Maybe so. I have a chitlangi allegedly by Kesar but I don't think so. The flag does not face the right way. Actually, it doesn't face the right way for anyone. The lines on it are wavy and inconsistant.

Kesar has done some great stuff. And he's even made some heavy specimens before.

In the end, we are left with Bill's headache-not always knowing who made what. The initialed stuff may look amaturish in english letters, but at least we can tell who's who.


munk
 
I like my AK Bowie. I picked up an abused one by Bura. Someone had hacked metal with it, and left it soaking in dead fish (at least that's how Uncle Bill described it). Dan cleaned it up nicely, and I got a new sheath from Terry for it. Mine is missing the heavy fullering that the "classic" ones have and seems a little petite, probably because a lot of metal had to be taken off to convex it after the abuse. It is one of the best choppers I own, definitely the best for its size.
As for the size, I've taken it hiking, it rides on the hip real well. I put an ugly mustard patina on it to save against rust. It's great design, but It's not really a fighter. But it would do the job.
 
Ok, i'm sure most of you know that the AKB is my favorite blade by HI. While imperfect in many ways, I consider the AKB to be the kami's version of a SAK or "survival knife". It's a Jack of All Trades, master of none kind of blade... much like myself. It outchops for its size. Not as well as a khuk, but seems to eat other bowies for breakfast. wide enough to use it to dig, thick enough to pry with, thin enough edge to slice. It has a poll hard enough to hammer in tent pegs. It has a spine to edge taper that allows it to be battoned through wood fairly easily. It has a lanyard hole for all kinds of retention/boat anchor kinds of applications.
All of these can be a valid arguments for why the AKB is my favorite. However, to be honest, i like the fact that it is what it is and that's all that it is. A fairly ugly knife with the bare minimum. The rose is beautiful and magic, the AKB is all business. I like beautiful, romanic blades...but i also like packable bombproof blades that i KNOW will pull my arse out of the fire if the need should arise.
The AKB ain't a fighting knife, to be sure. But IMHO that's like saying a tire iron isn't a weapon either...i know of a few people who have been on both ends and would argue that's not the case;)

Jake
 
At 27 plus ozs, this is end heavy to the extreme.
Click to expand...

Munk
If you start moving your body instead of just trying to move the knife, then 27 oz will be nothing and more than fast enough in a fight.
You probably weigh 150 pounds or more, right?
Your most powerful muscles are in your legs. Hold on to that knife and move your body with your strong legs.
That's how it works.
That is Budo taijutsu.
That's how little 4 foot tall Samurai used 4 foot long giant swords in battle.
Not with their arm muscles, with their whole body.
 
Danny, my legs are strong enough. I appreciate the advice.

If it was all legs, there'd be no purpose for a lighter blade.




munk
 
If it was all legs, there'd be no purpose for a lighter blade.
Click to expand...

You're coming at this the wrong way. It doesnt matter what size or weight the blade is. The point is that you move your body correctly and whatever knife you have in your hand is brought to life by your whole body movement.
I know this is strange sounding to a Western ear, it was hard for me at first.
We tend to think of "right tool for the job" kind of paradigms when we look at knives in regards to fighting, and they all do have some advantages in some situations, but the core, the heart of the matter is YOU.

If you move yourself correctly, employing your own power in a unified way, then any knife will only be amplified in its abilities.
Gosh this is hard to put into words. I'll tell you what they told me.
"Move your ass and your head will follow."

Which is bigger, your Bowie or your Butt?

If you move your butt with your big leg muscles, I guarantee you that bowie will follow.

Have you ever heard of the "hara"? That special area in your belly, two inches beneath your belly button? Put your mind there when you move, not in the point of your knife. Move your hara and the knife will come with you.
Forget about the knife...
 
I'm sorry, Danny, I don't believe you. Oh, I certainly believe the AK Bowie is a deadly instrument, I just don't believe if two people were equal in ability, the one with the lighter, longer Rose would lose to the AK Bowie. We would all have King Arther's sword, if this were true, and not admire the Japanese Katana so much.




munk
 
Hmmm, you still have the "weapon focus" mind going on. That's ok, it takes time to understand. You don't have to believe me, but 3,000 year history of this Art ought to suggest that there Is something to it.
This way of fighting is older than any known religion.
That's gotta say something, right?

In any event, a lot of people overestimate the Japanese sword and underestimate the Western swords. Furthermore, many westerners, from movies, tend to misunderstand the usage of Japanese weapons, as do many Japanese.

Quite often the katana and tachi were not even sharpened along their length except for the last few inches. What does that tell you? It tells you that the thrust was used just as much with the katana as with a western sword.
My katana is just as wide and heavy as any western saber or broadsword.
How would I use it? parry and thrust, for the most part.
Yes, that is Japanese swordfighting. That aint all of it, but it Is a part of it.
The ninja knew a thing or two about fighting and they tended to use smaller swords. They do provide an advantage inside houses and in the bush.

Two people of equal skill, someone has a longer weapon?
Sure, the longer weapon guy has an advantage.

Again, however, it is irrelevant.

The question is can you use an AK bowie to fight with. The answer is yes, as long as you move your body correctly. Your body in motion carries a tremendous amount of power, more than enough to effectively use the stout AK bowie.
You can use its mass as an advantage.
A Rose might bounce off of an AK bowie in flight, like a baseball bunt.
 
Danny, I appreciate the info that the AK Bowie is a formidable tool. I appreciate the leg movement concept.

If this were all there was, though, why did the Samurai not have huge, heavy European long swords? Because the Katana can strike before that heavier sword can get into motion.

I am going to take your advice about body movement. I was trying too hard to move the thing with my wrists. Thank you.



munk
 
I think they are good choppers. But not that good as a knife. I think just because of the massiveness they have a heavy cool factor, but pound for pound I think the khukuri is a better all around tool.

I sold mine because I really like the khukuris better. More practical for me. However why anyone would pay two or three hundred for a custom quarter inch "camp knife" from some maker when you can get an AK bowie for a hundred is beyond me.

I think what you said, Munk, about cutting bones and stuff that might be a point where it beats out a khukuri. I'm sure there's some other uses it excels at I just don't do very often.
 
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