Bowie knives

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37up

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Jun 16, 2002
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Sorry to stray into this territory, but i really don't know much about anything when it comes to knives!

Can anyone recommend me a good start on bowie knives? I really don't have a thousand to spend on any custom jobs, are there any tough as nails production bowie knives out there?

Is stainless steel appropriate for a bowie? I like larger sized bowie knives...

thanks for the info guys, appreciate it!

-D
 
Well.
I don't know.

#1 HI makes a bowie.
Check out 'Ang Khola Bowie' on the sale site under 'Special Items'.

#2 Search this forum for:
bowie

#3 Search 'All' the forums for:
stainless bowie
Or for a more focused search,
search just the 'Blade Discussion Forum' & then the 'Shop Talk Forum'

Then if you have a more specific question,
please ask.

Best.
 
Would have to agree with the AK Bowie. It's definitely tough as nails although not really traditional. Fallkniven makes some that are absolutely great. They are stainless steel laminates and come with the much touted convex edge. There are many cheaper alternatives, but you get what you pay for.
Research seems to indicate that the real first Bowie of the Sandbar brawl fame was probably more like a big Butcher/Kitchen knife than the fancy designs of today.
Check out the AK Bowie. Can't go wrong and Uncle Bill has a great return policy if you don't like it. Haven't returned anything yet myself. The HI is handmade and like no other out there either.:D

Here's a link:Fallkniven Bowie

A couple of others that are great are the Cherokee Rose designed by Yvsa and the Uncle Bill Especiale(UBE). You can go to the HI wesite and look those up. They both are great bowie style knives.

Through the Fallkniven in for comparison. Don't have one but have the HI models. So guess you know my top pick.
 
A virgin walks into the Cantina and says

I like larger sized bowie knives...
Click to expand...

Take it easy on him guys...this is a person who still thinks of a large knife in terms of inches and ounces...;)

Welcome Dave...yes, I think HI can help you find a large bowie that is custom made, hand forged and differentially hardened.

A thousand dollars? What...you want a dozen??? :D
 
Some interesting stuff if you follow all the links on this thread.

British Blades forum Bowie post

Ontario sells 4 or more versions of the Hell's Belle most around 150 at discount.
They also sell the frontiersman( 11" blade ) and Spec plus Marine Raider bowie for 45-55 bucks. I sent the Marine Raider and Survival Bowie and 2 other knives to Cliff Stamp ( I think one was a Bolo ) to test to failure. Didn't like the Survival bowie, did like the Marine Riader. Not preety but good buy for the money.

I think Camillus is still producing the old "Western" bowies.
 
The AK Bowie is definitely as tough as nails. It is a little monster and feels indestructible.
If you are looking for a more traditional Bowie, Cold Steel's Laredo Bowie is pretty nice and tough for the price.
In the Knife Exchange, Robert Hankins makes some tough, traditional Bowies.
Also Mineral Mountain Hatchet Works, and Eight Dollar Mountain Foundry. I also really like the Camillus OVB Fisk Bowie, but it is a little on the thin side.
 
You could get a Cold Steel trailmaster factory second for a hundred bux US. Though I don't like the handle, it's not a bad knife.

If I had some skill, I'd pour a little deet on the kraton handle and make a new one from wood.
 
If you're not concerned about traditional looks, get a Becker Knife and Tool BK9. All black and tactical looking, (which does nothing for me but is practical), very well made and a great knife for twice the price,(hope Camillus dont read this and get any ideas;) )
 
The AK Bowie isnt a knife-its a halberd blade with a short handle. Indestructable? Looking at the one I had I would say...YES!

A knife for a big man with big hands though if its going to be used.
 
Originally posted by Mr.BadExample
The AK Bowie is definitely as tough as nails. It is a little monster and feels indestructible.
If you are looking for a more traditional Bowie, Cold Steel's Laredo Bowie is pretty nice and tough for the price.
In the Knife Exchange, Robert Hankins makes some tough, traditional Bowies.
Also Mineral Mountain Hatchet Works, and Eight Dollar Mountain Foundry. I also really like the Camillus OVB Fisk Bowie, but it is a little on the thin side.
Click to expand...

I got a Mineral Mountain Survival bowie off e bay (10" blade) and was trying it out this weekend and I was less than impressed. This knife has a 7" handle. I found that the handle was so big that it threw the place on the blade where maximum force could be exerted with minimum effort to be well behind the belly of the blade. Also the large handle was uncomfortable.

I took it out and chopped up some logs with it. I compared it with a 12" Pen Knife Khukuri.

Despite being hollow ground the edge angle on the Bowie is so steep it had a tendency to glance off. Also penetration into the wood wasn't very good, especially when you get down in the cut.

The little Pen Knife ate into the wood with every cut. Even deep down in the notch where you don't have much room it was still moving wood.

When I finished, a little stropping and the Pen knife shaved. The Bowie was shaving when I started, but I still have not got it back to where it was yet. Interesting something made very crudely in a third world country seemed to have better steel than something made with modern technology.

Maybe my bowie is an exception. I have another on order with them so I'll report back, but right now, for me the jury is still out on Mineral Mountain.
 
Since Bowies are not Uncle Bill's mainstay (although I definitely plan on getting myself an AK Bowie as soon as I can), I don't mind mentioning and recommending this knife to you:

I ordered a gorgeous Bowie from A.G Russell, called thw 1861 pattern Bowie. Ebony Rucarta handles and 8 1/4" blade. They have since offered the same knife in Burgundy Rucarta, and now he has it in an incredible Maple Burl handle. He has since also offered a 7 1/2" version. He sells these things as fast as Uncle Bill can sell his specials, but usually once a run is gone it's hard to get more for months, or years or ever.

You can check it out at www.agrussell.com. Just do a search for the word "Bowie."

Regards,

Svashtar
 
By the way, the A.G. Russell link I gave you will show at least a dozen other beautiful Bowies for sale. Check out the Fisk southwest Bowie with desert Ironwood handle, and quite a few others.

Still, the most unique "bowie" I have seen, with the most murderous blade,(although I'n not quite sure I would call it a Bowie exactly) is the HI AK Bowie right here.

Regards,

Svashtar
 
Some have called it a halberd with a handle for good reason.

Whoever said never bring a knife to a gun fight probably hadn't seen the HI Bowie. I'm more scared of being dismembered than shot.
 
I took my HI Bird and Trout ( aka the AK bowie ) and filed and ground the handle till it fit my hand. This is despite the full tang and slab handles.

Only on this forum would a bowie with 8+" blade and spine thickness or 7/16" to 1/2"
be referred to as a "bird and trout".

This should scream somethimg about the kind af knives we USUALLY discuss to you.

:D ;) :D
 
Originally posted by Rusty .....Only on this forum would a bowie with 8+" blade and spine thickness or 7/16" to 1/2" be referred to as a "bird and trout".
Click to expand...
Maybe we should call it a "Shark & Emu" knife?
 
How about the H.I. Cherokee Rose for only $245.00?:rolleyes: :D

Now -That's- a Bowie Knife!!!!:p :D
 
thanks guys!

obviously i should do more homework and i appreciate the patience.

-D
 
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