Big Southern Bowie

RMLamey

RMLamey

Joined
Nov 13, 1998
Messages
2,598
Finally finished this up for a very patient customer. Sometimes I like making these very low point, no belly Bowies. This one is forged 1095, SS guard, Curly Maple handle (still needs finish coats). Blade length is 11-3/4" x 2", overeall length is 17".

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Very cool. With that low point, maybe you could call it the Redneck Seax:D
 
jdm61 said:
Very cool. With that low point, maybe you could call it the Redneck Seax:D
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Absolutely true.... Ive discovered in making a few of these really low point Bowies that the Seax was no accident, there are some advantages in that low point;)
 
Nice work, but I never understood the appeal of those blade shapes. I find them completely fugly...
 
Joss said:
Nice work, but I never understood the appeal of those blade shapes. I find them completely fugly...
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Joss, not that I care for the blade shape itself (The hamon and work on it are excellent, however,) but from what little I understand, the saex was a thrusting weapon: the lowered point is actually in line with a thrust motion, unlike the upswept tip of a traditional bowie that is used in a sweeping/slashing motion...
 
joeshredd said:
Joss, not that I care for the blade shape itself (The hamon and work on it are excellent, however,) but from what little I understand, the saex was a thrusting weapon: the lowered point is actually in line with a thrust motion, unlike the upswept tip of a traditional bowie that is used in a sweeping/slashing motion...
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The bowies I have have made have all had the point lined up with the center line of the handle so that it can be an effective thrusting knife.
 
that low point is much more effective in thrusting and takes less articulation of the wrist etc. I also find that it "cleaves" much better than a higher tipped blade. Dont get me wrong, I also enjoy higher tipped Bowies with some belly, but there is a place for the lower point/no belly blades... guess you actually have to use one to actually feel the difference.

Here is a more traditional Bowie style blade done this week, just to prove im not totally biased :rolleyes:

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Nice!

I love my Lamey low point "whacker". The blade shape works well and looks bad. :D
 
Matt, those are awesome. Everything coming out of your forge has me drooling too.

Jim.
 
Critics of the blade shape should take a close look at most of the Bagwell fighter patterns like Helle's Belle's and Fortress models along with the John Smith Inner City bowies. These knives typically have little to no belly and low point in comparison to what we are used to in "all around" knives for good reason. They are really heavyweight daggers that can chop..they pierce like daggers, but chop like bowies.

I think the perspective of the picture also exaggerates the profile a bit. Matt, do you have a straight on picture of one of these?

Some makers also change the profile a bit by adding a deeper swedge, but Matt has the edge geometry spot on.
 
Anthony Lombardo said:
Critics of the blade shape should take a close look at most of the Bagwell fighter patterns like Helle's Belle's and Fortress models along with the John Smith Inner City bowies. These knives typically have little to no belly and low point in comparison to what we are used to in "all around" knives for good reason. They are really heavyweight daggers that can chop..they pierce like daggers, but chop like bowies.

I think the perspective of the picture also exaggerates the profile a bit. Matt, do you have a straight on picture of one of these?

Some makers also change the profile a bit by adding a deeper swedge, but Matt has the edge geometry spot on.
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This particular knife has even less belly that the Bagwell's but you are correct. I have two bowies in progress right now with straight clips and low points, but not quite that low. I forged them with a lower point based on what I have read by Mr. Bagwell.
 
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