Bowie knife experiences?

A

Agatsu

Joined
Dec 20, 2007
Messages
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I'm looking for a Bowie knife for my wife. She is an avid outdoorswoman. She is however quite petite. She has her heart set on a Bowie knife. Does anyone have any recommendations? She will be using it for camping/wilderness survival/bushcraft.
Thanks in advance.
 
Agatsu said:
I'm looking for a Bowie knife for my wife. She is an avid outdoorswoman. She is however quite petite. She has her heart set on a Bowie knife. Does anyone have any recommendations? She will be using it for camping/wilderness survival/bushcraft.
Thanks in advance.
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what is your price and size range? Seems like for her a 5-7 inch blade might be best. And there are plenty of knives that fit that bill. The ones I listed below are all in the 100 to 200 range and under and they are bank vault solid.

Falkniven A1
Ranger RD6
Bark River
Scrapyard has some great ones when you can find them.

Busse, Fehrman and Reeves all fall at a higher price range so not sure if you want to go there. Then you have a host of custom makers that can do it your way:thumbup:
 
None of those are actually bowies. for a bowie, you can try a cold steel trailmaster. (the black one not the silver) About $180
 
3wolves said:
None of those are actually bowies. for a bowie, you can try a cold steel trailmaster. (the black one not the silver) About $180
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oh, yah, for a small woman he's going to go with a 9.5 inch blade made of lesser materials than the ones I mentioned.

the knives I recommended are solid hard working knives that will spank a Cold Steel in every way.

Falkinvens are made of laminated VG10, which is way better than CS's laminated stuff or carbonV.

Bark River is made of A2, which again is leap years ahead of CS.

Ranger knives are made of 5160, again one of the tougher mid carbon steels available and way tougher than CarbonV.

also, quality control on these knives is way higher than CS.
 
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I sure do hope that she has learnt the correct methods of honing an outdoors knife.
IMHO, the use of havin' best knife in the world would come to a great end without the proper skills of basic maintenance.
Speakin' of which if one had the right sharpening materials, could help overcome greatly the inherent loss of keeness usually found in products ground from lesser steels.
Pardon me, but it's quite pointless to discuss the virtues of any one particular knife before she has had the opportunity to "get a true feel" of a couple knives at a knifestore or something...
 
Welcome to Bladeforums!

If "bowie knife" means more to her than just "big fixed blade", I would look at the Bark Rivers to start with, since they do a lot of traditional styles.

Search for "bowie" on A.G.Russell's site for an idea of the variations of the type, also.
 
Hey Agatsu, I suggest the Ka-Bar Short Heavy bowie for your wife. I own the large heavy bowie and its a workhorse in the field. Its the same specs just a shorter blade and overall length. Not the greatest for looks, but peforms very well for what she would be using it for. Also you can find it for under 50 bucks! specs: 7 3/8 blade, 12 5/8 overall, .236'' (6mm) thick, 1085 high carbon, flat grind, HRC 55-57.
 
For her size, I would recommend a smaller blade. Ray Laconico is a custom knifemaker here on BF, and he makes what he calls a "Baby Bowie", which is generally true to what we recognize as a bowie shape, but in a smaller package. He uses very nice materials and does top work.

If you contact him he would also very likely be happy to work with you on a design, and his prices are very reasonable.

Here is a pic of the one he did for me:
100_1029.jpg


Hope this helps. Let me know if you want contact info.

Andy
 
Below is a Bear MGC (Made in Jacksonville, AL.) Damascus Bowie. One like this is generally 'on sale' at Smokey Mountain Knife Works for ~$100-$130. The sheath is 'serviceable', if, like the knife, a bit pedestrian. Also, for relative scale, below it is a Buck 110 and Kershaw Leek, both with Damascus blades (The Leek's came from Bear's source here in Alabama!). Do not the relative size of the handle... pretty big for most ladies.

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A better sized handle is found on the handmade in Germany 'modern' styled Bowie, the Puma #11 6396 Bowie, available, if you shop around, for $100-$130 mail order. 'Sportsman's Guide' did list them at a good price, but their bean-counters felt Alabama (Like Florida and some others...) was not a good state to ship it to, so they refused to sell me another large Puma knife. I got it off Evil-Bay for less. Nice sheath, too. Proper 'modern' Bowie shaped blade - of a 'Soligen' SS. Seems to hold it's edge quite well, for the admittedly little use I've given it. Still, it's a ~6.75" blade - does she really need that? The new Bark River '1855 Hunting Bowie' looks and handles great, according to others. They start, mail order, around $200 and go up - from 154CM steel - with two handle options.

I guess my suggestion would be a 'proper' bushcraft-style knife - and a camp axe/hatchet. I still have my old red-handled Plumb 'camp hatchet' with belt holster - check your local Ace hardware - if they don't have it, they can order it... and it's US-made - like the Bear and Bark River knives.

One other suggestion, re a knife whose 'style' is very close to a 'modern' Bowie, if frugal is okay. The venerable Buck 119 - available at Wally World and Academy chains for <$37. It has a well-heat-treated 420HC 6" blade. It comes standard with a black phenolic handle, nylon sheath, and Al finger guard and pommel. You can get a rosewood and brass version (119BR) - with a leather sheath - for $65-$80 mail order. Les Stroud, the Science/Discovery channel's 'Survivorman' can often be seen with a basic one on his 'exploits'. I believe that was a 119 used on 'Psyche' a few weeks back, too. Popular... and available... and, made in the USA (Not the sheath!). There is also a longer (7.5" blade) version - the #120 - only available from Cabela's as a 'Pro Line' - ~$60. Good luck!

Stainz
 
Maybe SOG Bowie or Recon Bowie? These are not overly big.

However, watch for the quality of the sheath for any knife you are considering - it's just as important as the knife.
 
Here are the Bear MGC Bowie, traditional KaBar fighting knife, and the Puma Bowie. The next picture down depicts the Puma Bowie with a Buck 119 and Buck 120. The bottom is a group of 'bushcraft' sized knives that, with a camp hatchet/axe, may give better service.

IMG_0485_edited.jpg

IMG_0486_edited.jpg

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L-R above, a Buck 119, Benchmade BM201 Activator+ (D2), Bark River Huntsman (A2), and Bark River Gameskeeper (A2). The 119 is for scale size - and a great inexpensive knife.

Stainz
 
Take a look in the Wilderness & Survival subforum.
I think they may have discussed this once before.

I recommend the Gransfors Bruks Mini ;):D
 
Andrew Colglazier said:
For her size, I would recommend a smaller blade. Ray Laconico is a custom knifemaker here on BF, and he makes what he calls a "Baby Bowie", which is generally true to what we recognize as a bowie shape, but in a smaller package. He uses very nice materials and does top work.

If you contact him he would also very likely be happy to work with you on a design, and his prices are very reasonable.

Here is a pic of the one he did for me:
100_1029.jpg


Hope this helps. Let me know if you want contact info.

Andy
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that's a nice little knife:thumbup:

$100 damascus knife :p

Stick with quality not quantity.
 
I would give the Ranger RD6 a try or you may want to take a look at the Bark River Teddy. You can't go wrong with either.
 
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