Bowie knife blade source?

45-70

45-70

Joined
Jul 10, 2003
Messages
1,601
Hi all,

Knowing this is about the worldliest group on the net, anyone know where I can buy a blade in this design?

ham_gal_knife06.jpg
 
So-called coffin bowie... pretty sure. CVA had a kit, years ago. Try googling that name...
 
I like the looks of that Bark River! It sure is pricey though, and I dont care for A2. Ill have to try and make one myself.
 
the handle style is a coffin, but I got an email saying the blade looks like a sheffield style.
 
Atlanta Cutlery sells the kit. I bought one and it turned out pretty good. I gave it to my grandson. :)
 
$130.00 for a Bark River Natchez ain't bad at all. That's one Bowie I wouldn't mind owning myself.:D
I've heard that A-2 at 58 to 60 is just pretty damned good too.:D ;)
And all the Bark River knives are convex edged, can't beat that most anywhere else.
 
You know, I have been doing Bowie research myself lately. I know that pic. It is one of James Black's knives.
It is very similar to the "Bowie #1" except for the size.
Black did fantastic handles, but his blades didnt seem very fancy.
Rezin made the bigger, curvier "cherokee rose" style blades, but his handles were sucky.

There is much speculation about the old Bowie knives, but I believe that he would have been like us and had one of each!
 
45-70 said:
I still really really want just the blade, I have a piece of ebony that I can use for a handle...
Click to expand...
45-70 the best bet is to make your own blank from a good sized file and finish it to your specs.
The Bark River Natchez Bowie is a well balanced looking knife and you could use their measurements to achive the same.
Go to any good farm and ranch supply where farrier tools are sold and pick yourself up a nice horseshoe rasp, or preferably a large file with smaller teeth.
You'll have to grind all the teeth off being careful not to get it too hot. Then when you have your blank put it in the oven at 375* for an hour and draw it back to a nice light straw color. Golden brown is at the extreme range of softness you'd want to go.
Then using a heat sink on the blade you can draw the handle area back to a deep blue color which will permit drilling holes for the handle pins.
If I was wanting to put my own handle on I'd write to Bark River and see if I could purchase a blade only, that is if A-2 would work for you.

After Sams post I checked out the AC kits and didn't see the knife, probably discontinued.:(
Sams how hard was the edge on the kit you bought?
Would a file cut it or would it just skate across the edge?
 
Another alternative would be too purchase one of the larger Norwegian Laminated Blades from Crazy Crow that has a similar shape and reshape it to the blade configuration you want.
You can't beat those blades for making a really nice knife with excellent performance and edge holding abilities!!!!:D :cool: :D
 
DannyinJapan said:
You know, I have been doing Bowie research myself lately.
Click to expand...

Dixie gun works has lots of things to look at. I will continue looking, sooner or later, something will say "ME ME ME", just when I'm the shortest on cash, and have to wait.
 
Yvsa, I never would have thought about keeping the files temper. Its a good idea though for those without a forge. Unfortunately you will really have a tough time grinding. Files are like what, 70 Rc. I dunno for sure, but theyre HARD and brittle. If you can get to a forge, I would anneal it in vermiculate, grind it and then heat treat it.

If you keep the file hard, shape it, use a blow torch to do a soft back draw, then temper at at least 375 for a couple cycles.

Or better still, buy a chunk of annealed 0-1 from jantz. The stuff grinds like butter.

Or best of all, do as Yvsa says and get just the blade from bark river. They seem like a nice smaller company and would probally do it for you.
 
I was just flipping through my Jantz catalog (you guys are likely thinking that I work for jantz :), I dont ) and saw a knife called the Natchez, that looks pretty similar. Its just the blade, and is made from secret Solingen steel, wow! Its spine is a little bulbous but not bad, and you could file it off. Its item SSB1002, if they still have it. $50.
 
Jebadiah_Smith said:
I was just flipping through my Jantz catalog (you guys are likely thinking that I work for jantz :), I dont ) and saw a knife called the Natchez, that looks pretty similar. Its just the blade, and is made from secret Solingen steel, wow! Its spine is a little bulbous but not bad, and you could file it off. Its item SSB1002, if they still have it. $50.
Click to expand...

They also make a knife called a "Cumberland" that is on my list of things to get.
 
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