Big Bowie question

A

Augustus

Joined
May 13, 2003
Messages
28
Hello everyone.

I've finally found a Bowie for auction on ebay that excites me a bit. It's made by Mineral Mountain Hatchet Works....MMHW.

I have searched them here at BladeForums and found mostly good things, but not quite enough.

Since I'm not sure what this particular knife will wind up selling for as the seller claims it's not a standard piece, I don't want to make a big dollar mistake.

Please fill me in on these blades. Is it a "lifetime" piece, and a notch above some or most production Bowies?

I have also searched here for the 5160 steel it's made of and am happy with the results.

Thanks, Augustus
 
I doubt that you will find complaints about details of construction or overall quality. However with such a shallow hollow grind you are not going to get near the cutting and chopping ability of a knife with a high flat grind which you can find for much cheaper.

-Cliff
 
Well I just took another looksie at it.

I must bow to your expertise Cliff Stamp, but WOW – it sure LOOKS like a mean cutter and chopper!

But alas, we don’t buy our blades for looks – do we? Well... maybe just a little.

;)

Thanks for the response!
 
I have a MMHW White River bowie. I've found it to be a good chopper despite the hollow grind. No durability problems and no binding problems either.
--Josh
 
Did anyone else look at the other “Bowie” this seller has up?

HOLY MOTHER OF CRISCO !!!!!!!

They have it displayed next to a quarter. Got a feeling Cliff won’t take a fancy to that one either!

:D
 
Augustus :

it sure LOOKS like a mean cutter and chopper!
Click to expand...

The cutting performance will be significantly reduced because of the low hollow grind. As an example of such a direct comparison, Greg Davenport compared a TOPS Anaconada and a Busse Steel Heart, and found the the smaller Busse blade directly out cut and even out chopped the much larger and heavier TOPS knife. The difference was that the TOPS had a shallow sabre hollow grind and the Busse was a high flat grind.

Check out the Becker Combat Bowie. It has a 10" blade, high flat grind, a thin and acute edge and a decent heavy blade balance . It has about 75% of the chopping ability (penetration) wise of the Gransfors Bruks Wildlife hatchet, and it a very good cutting blade overall. The Battle Rat from Swamp Rat knifeworks is more blade heavy and is a significantly more powerful chopper while cutting just as well on most materials and a little better at others.

-Cliff
 
Dang if the ebay MMHW special doesn’t already have a bid on it.

Cliff Stamp, thanks for the info on Swamp Rat, Becker and Busse knives. I’ve already checked out their websites. And thanks also to Josh Feltman.

I suspect I’ll have to fight Sentinel for that other Bowie the seller has up for auection also – HA !! I'll just wear it to the next Medieval Renaissance Festival outing and fit right in!.

Just how much is a suit of armor or chainmail?

Augustus
 
That could very well be Augustus - He-he.

The tax refund is calling to me and mentioning something about adding to the collection. I have to assume it doesn't mean the wife's Beanie Baby one.

When it's as unique (and cheap?) as that one on ebay is, it may be time to act.

Still friends......
 
For another 25 bucks, why not just order a brand spankin' new one and modifiy it the way YOU want it, instead of the way whoever ordered this one wanted it. You'll be dealing with the maker and his marketer and have something that YOU designed. I've heard that these guys don't mind working with you. My 2 cents, YMMV.
 
Originally posted by Josh Feltman
I have a MMHW White River bowie. I've found it to be a good chopper despite the hollow grind. No durability problems and no binding problems either.
--Josh
Click to expand...

I missed this, Josh, since I don't own one of these, but the ebay seller is claiming that his knife is a modification of the Combat Bowie, when, on closer inspection, it is a slightly modified White River model. So, the seller, obviously, doesn't know his own knife.

If it were me, I'd steer clear of this auction.
 
OH MY GOD!!!! This poor seller's high bidder is a flake. He has 7 feedback with over 50% negatives. Run, hide, never accept a bid from this deadbeat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
I agree with Ichor. If you buy directly from MMHW, you can get a knife made to your specifications at a very reasonable price. I have seen some pictures of some wild designs they have made that IMO were hideous and not at all functional. Basically, I think they will make almost anything you want.
 
Originally posted by Chuck428
I agree with Ichor. If you buy directly from MMHW, you can get a knife made to your specifications at a very reasonable price.
Click to expand...

Agreed! :)
 
Mr. ichor, I believe you're pretty fast on the trigger.

I believe it is as described - an MMHW Combat Bowie. The blades of it and the White River are very similar and the difference is mostly in the handle.

This Bowie up for auction has a longer version of the Combat Bowie handle - without the finger groove. It also has the false edge shortened (or the spine lenghtened)- just as described.

Augustus
 
Yeah, from what I can tell, it looks like a combat bowie; the White River and Combat Bowie are pretty close. I would agree though that you are better off contacting MMHW directly--that way you can get exactly what you want.
--Josh
 
Thanks Josh,

But just LOOK at those grind lines, the finish and those beautiful gray handles!

This does look like exactly what I want! :D

Augustus
 
Originally posted by Cliff Stamp
The cutting performance will be significantly reduced because of the low hollow grind. As an example of such a direct comparison, Greg Davenport compared a TOPS Anaconada and a Busse Steel Heart, and found the the smaller Busse blade directly out cut and even out chopped the much larger and heavier TOPS knife. The difference was that the TOPS had a shallow sabre hollow grind and the Busse was a high flat grind.

-Cliff
Click to expand...

This debate keeps on going, but I keep hearing from people how hollow grinds chop better than flat. Cliff isn't the only person I've heard the "flat is better" argument on -and it does SOUND convincing- but my experience, as well as the experience of many others, says otherwise. Check out Unbreakable's comment on the Busse forum:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=245250&highlight=mineral+mountain

I think that hollow grinds done right may be better for chopping. Obviously there are a lot of other considerations/factors (like shape/geometery, edge, steel and HT), but I really do think that that good deep hollows excel at cutting AND chopping- so long as all the other elements are there. And BTW, MMHW grinds are NOT shallow. He uses a 14" wheel and they are deep and wide, although they may not look that way on such big knives.
 
Thanks for that information Kumdo. This knife is getting more ebay bids, so someone else must like it too.

Augustus
 
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