Bowie knife experiences?

she might like a Spyderco Street Beat :cool:
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My wife's choice of the Bowies I posted pictures of earlier, due to it's feel and balance, was the Puma #116396 'Original Bowie'. You can shop around and find it for $100-$130++ - pretty decent for a handmade German knife of any size. It comes with a very functional sheath. The SS blade isn't a high tech powder - it's 'Soligen D1,4'. It holds a fair edge - and is easily improved. The Sambar Stag handle is a little smaller than I like, probably why my wife likes it. Mine has a home.

Stainz
 
good suggestions.

a new one i've been carrying is the 12 inch Cold Steel Bowie Machete.

it is very light, and made of strong 1055 steel.

at less than twenty bucks, it is at least a good bowie to familiarize oneself with, for the dynamics of a long blade with a similar silhuette to something much heavier.

i love 'em.

vec
 
I recently bought one of the new smith and wesson bowies of ebay for about $30, is 440 stainless, and has a smallish handle that might be perfect for your wife
 
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.

I guess it depends on what she wants. I was going to recommend the Recon Scout as a nice 7.5 inch Bowie. I've always like the ergonomics of it.

As for the steels, I would take the Carbon V over A2 or VG 10 in a knife of that size. I have found CS's heat treat in Carbon V to be very good. The lack of radiusing is a concern, so far, I haven't had any problems, but other have. The Fallknivens in VG10 look nice also, but I doubt they'd be as tough. Are they radiused well? I've never seen one cut open.

5160 might be tougher than Carbon V, but the new steel, SK5, I've heard is close to 1084, which should be pretty tough also. They both will exhibit less edge holding than Carbon V, as always, it's a trade off.
 
I guess it depends on what she wants. I was going to recommend the Recon Scout as a nice 7.5 inch Bowie. I've always like the ergonomics of it.

As for the steels, I would take the Carbon V over A2 or VG 10 in a knife of that size. I have found CS's heat treat in Carbon V to be very good. The lack of radiusing is a concern, so far, I haven't had any problems, but other have. The Fallknivens in VG10 look nice also, but I doubt they'd be as tough. Are they radiused well? I've never seen one cut open.

5160 might be tougher than Carbon V, but the new steel, SK5, I've heard is close to 1084, which should be pretty tough also. They both will exhibit less edge holding than Carbon V, as always, it's a trade off.

that might be painting with a broad brush.

i think the alloy/edge-dilemmas might not be true anymore, with new heat-treat techniques.

if Cold Steel is anything, it is consistent with its heat treats.

everything is too new to make an informed decision, by my lights.


the Cold Steel machetes are made in 1055, which quenches at around RC 65.


Fallknivens are convex ground, IIRC.


vec
 
You could very well be right. I like VG10 a lot, I'm just more comfortable with a non-stainless for a Bowie that will be taking impacts. If there's any new data, I'd love to see it!
 
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