Best production Bowie?

Well, I own both the CS Trailmaster and the Ontario Helles Belle and my take is just about as the others.
If you are looking for a trail tool, for hacking and chopping, the CS would be better. If you are looking for a modern version of the early fighting bowies, Helles Belle all the way. I tend to like my Helles Belle a lot more because it seems to scream Bowie! But I do not need to use it as a field tool, since I have other items beter suited for those chores. It is owned for the pleasure of having it, and its ability as a fighter. Good luck in your search.
 
I know it isn't a fighting knife, more of a camp knife, but would the 10 inch Marbles Trailmaker be considered a bowie?
 
Just to lend to the confusion, it's my understanding that, though the currently accepted typical "bowie blade" is a clip point, drop points and upswept points are found on many blades made during the 1800s and labeled "bowies." I think "bowie" is one of those terms that has been diluted by application to many different designs.
 
I have a CS Trailmaster and I have handled the Camillus/Fisk bowie. Anyone want a use CS at a reasonable price? The Camillus is hands down the winner between the two! The Trailmaster is nice but just not on the same level. I think anyone that handles both will agree that the balance and size of the Fisk knife will be much more useful. The only drawback I saw was that you wouldn't want to marr it any, it looked too nice to use.
 
Okay, I throw in my vote too. And it goes to Bagwell's Hell's Belle, except that I would like to have it in damascus of the raindrop pattern.

:D
 
Any reason why a bowies false edge shouldn't be ... well, a real edge? With modern heat treatmen you could easily harden the false edge (and then sharpen it) while leaving the back soft. Of course, that's more a question that pertains to customs...

JD
 
OK, I am just a little:confused: :confused: :confused: The Bowie knife is a fighting style utility knife. The Blade length can vary???
Thanks for all the great info, but............................. :confused: wolf
 
It's a misleading term.
A "False Edge" IS sharpened. If it's not sharpened, it's properly called a "swedge."

The confusion stems from it's origin in old French Language Fencing terms that crossed over in the early days of New Orleans Bowie Duelling. The primary or leading edge of a sword was called the "true" edge, and conversly, the back or secondary edge was referred to as the "false" edge.

<b>Wolfmann,</b>

Be flexible! :D

I strongly suspect that in "days of old" those men who lived the sort of life where a bowie duel was an ever present possibility, the idea of using that knife for "utility" was something they didn't do unless they had to and they probably tried very hard to make sure they never had to.

Today however, we are not likely to be invited out to "The Duelling Oak" or "The Sandbar" for an afternoon of organized one-on-one mayhem, so the idea of using that Bowie for utility work is not quite so abhorent as it once was.

Personally, my fighters are fighters, and my utility knives can be fighters if they need to be.
;)

A good example of this is Bill Bagwell himself. IIRC, his EDC is a Hell's Belle (hand made by himself of course) a Cold Steel Voyager for heavier utility jobs, and a stockman pattern pocket knife for small jobs. (trimming nails and the like.)
 
Hi Wolfmann,

I generally accept the Bowie as an offensive weapon. The Bowie's with an eye toward utility work seem to evolve into camp knives, but then that raise's the question, "what is a camp knife?", which is a whole new can of worm's. I don't think the Bowie question will ever be answered sucessfully:) IMHO. For a more Historical overview you may want to ask in Bernard Levine's forum.

Tom,

You might want to look at custom maker's, the Saber style bowie shown is very similar to Persian style fighter's offered by some.

Hope this help's :D !!!
 
Originally posted by Ken Cook
In production Bowies, I've got to ditto Hugh Fuller here.
The Ontario Hell's Belle is IT!

And a big ditto to Mr. Cook and his comments...and a teaser pic for him!! I won this knife\sheath combo in a raffle on another forum. Gotta thank Ontario Knife Company and Mike at RiverCity Sheaths for their generous donations.
Stay Safe,
Clyde
View
 
I guess that's what makes horse racing.
Although I'm sure the Hell's Bell is a quality knife and I took a look at it, it sure never rang my bell and I never considered buying one.

Now if some manufacturer would only make a quality Searles Bowie I'd be very happy.

Searles Bowies
 
Just finished a book on the "Bowie Knife".
According to this author, Rezin Bowie's
knife was what Jim Bowie used in the Vidalia
sandbar fight. What became known as the
"Bowie knife" was made after that fight. Jim
Bowie went to visit James Black, a famous
blacksmith in south Arkansas. He took with
him a wooden knife pattern he had whittled for
James Black to use when making his knife. Mr.
Black then made two knives, one exactly like
the pattern Jim Bowie had left him, and one
slightly different. Jim Bowie liked the slightly
different one better and took it. While riding
out of town, he was attacked by 3 assasins hired
by an enemy of his from the Vidalia sandbar fight.
Jim Bowie decapitated the first assailant with one
swipe of his new "Bowie Knife". The second
assailant then stabbed him in the leg. Bowie
responded by disemboweling him. The third would-be
assasin fled. Bowie gave chase and caught him with
a blow to the back of his head which split his skull.
After that James Black was flooded with orders for
a knife like the one that "Jim Bowie had made", which
eventually just became to be called a "Bowie knife".
The "Bowie knife" had a guard, the famous second cutting
edge near the tip or point of the blade, the slightly
up-swept tip or point, and a thin strip of brass on
the back-side or upper side of the knife (for the
purpose of 'catching' blades that bit into it. The
blade length seems uncertain, although around in the
neighborhood of 9-11" is what most authorities seem
to agree on. James Black had a method of forging
steel that has been described as "American Damascus"
but the exact techniques he used went with him to the
grave.
 
I really wanna thank you guys for bringing this down a few notches so I NOW have the entire concept understood (Also just printed all this and started a Bowie chapter in my BF loose-leaf binders). I needed to look at this and be more "flexible". I had the image of the Traditional "Bowie knife" and was just stuck on what I thought was a Bowie is a Bowie, all look alike, just made with different stock and handle material, but everything else was Exact. Today, I researched the bowie knife and now come away quite a bit more intelligent than Yesterday. For this, I thank you all ONCE again:D :D ;) wolf
 
The story about James Black forging the first Bowie related in Thorp's book "Bowie Knife" is apparently false. It was told to garner sympathy for Black, who was recently blinded. The story then made it's way down to Thorp, who receited it in his book. One will notice no Bowie's resemble Thorp's Before the Randall made Bowie, circa 1950's. That is not to say it isn't a nice design.

There is a nice article in Knive's 2000, titled "Great Bowie knives I've known" by BRL.
 
PHIL,
Thanks, I read that and now walk away with even more knowledge and alot more pages in Volume three, the new section called "Bowie knives" I appreciate your efforts to help out a NEWBIE. I am now very HUNGRY to know more of the Legendary "Bowie Knives". but, was this story TRUE?:confused: I want to follow this up with more information, considering that within a 48 hour period, you "Masters" (Do not fret Phil, see me in W&C later:rolleyes: )have taken someone who only knew the name "Bowie" and started him on a path that now has a wealth of far mor information and KNOWLEDGE than when I began.
BUT, I still remain just a little confused over the concept of taking a "Bowie knife of the REAL" and putting some "twists to it, while maintaing the long-standing history". Yes, figure that statement out and then you will have my answer to my confusion.:eek: But, I do thank you for helping me to start to really understand, but I have a LOT MORE to learn.I have just scratched the surface so I am thirsty for MORE..GIMME MORE!!!!!!.......wolf:D
 
Hi Wolf,

The topic is just to vast to cover in one thread IMHO:) . I'm including a list of book's, Etc... that should help you in your search.

1) LGK4
2) Knifemaker's of old San Francisco.
3) Knives 81-2000, 98, 2000 have really good info on this subject.
4) Various magazine article's (Blade, Fighting Knives, and Knife World, would probably be the best, TK also.)

Most of these book's can be found on Ebay cheap:D .

Hope this help's!!!:D
 
Hi Wolf,

This should give you a brief overview of Bowie development.

1) 1820's-40's- The Bowie knife was invented, after it's use at the Vidalia Sandbar fight, and Alamo demand for the Bowie is in full force. Private maker's, Blacksmith's, and importer's fill the demand. These knives range from plain, to ornate, in a vast array of style's.

2) 1846-1870's- The Mexican war, and Gold Rush cause the need for more knives. We see the first American factory knives coming from the North East (Ames,etc...), Knives get incresingly more standardized. Imported knives, both well done, and cheap pour into the market. In Califonia, a new style of Bowie develop's. The San Francisco style Bowie is born. The Civil War Cause's the development of large D-guard knives, you also see small cheap Bowie's as well.

3) 1880-1900. The taming of the West, and the lessening need for large knives cause's the development of the Bowie style hunting knife ( for an example look at the German "original bowie" pattern).

4) Early 1900's- Webster Marble develop's the Trailmaker- probably the first of the camp knife style Bowie's.

5) 1940's The book " Bowie Knife", and film "The Iron Mistress" cause massive design's to develop.

If someone see's errors please point them out
:)

Hope this helps a bit!!!:D
 
Okay wolf, you seem to be on a mission here with a passion to learn so I'll add a book that will help you understand the man behind the knife, James Bowie. If you get a feel for the man it may help get a feel for the knife he would use. The best book I've read on Bowie has to be "Three Roads to the Alamo"...The lives and fortunes of Crockett, Bowie & Travis by William C. Davis, this book will give you insights into their lives like you won't believe. There's not a lot of speculation here on what the knife may have looked like, but you will come away with the feeling that you know everything about these men. It will help you seperate what is fact, fiction and legend with whatever else you read on the Bowie Knife.

BTW, if I ever see NEWBIE in another one of your posts I am going to have to hurt you. I admit you may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but after 8 months and 700+ posts you ain't a NEWBIE. So Knock It Off!
 
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