Budget Bowies

[LEGION 12]

If you like the Ontario Bagwell bowies, you'll have to get lucky and have patience to score one for under $300. They're getting harder and harder to find and they were made with soft stainless steel. You'll probably be better off spending around $100 on a Cold Steel Laredo or Trailmaster bowie, or an old Gerber coffin handled bowie.

I actually had one of those Ontario Bowies sold it just for that reason.

 

[GB940Rookie]

Another vote for Cold Steel. The Frontier Bowie felt like a good blade for the money. Never owned one though.

 

[Rupestris]

https://www.knifecenter.com/item/CN...rbon-steel-blade-micarta-handles-kydex-sheath

Strip the blade on this one? Maybe a custom rehandle too?

 

[thebrain]

Cold steel 1917 Bowie???

 

[dirc]

If you want a 'classic' bowie, with clip point etc, then the suggestions already made are good.

If you want a plain large knife which is extremely inexpensive, uses a great variety of carbon steel, 80crv2, you should get a large Terävä Jääkäripuukko
14 cm blade, (about 5.5") and it should cost about $50

I know it's not a bowie

 

[redcanoe]

Buck 119 or 120

 

[Pilsner]

Is the BK9 off the table, Rich? On the Becker forum people have taken off the thumb ramp and done other mods. It is a cracking knife with a satisfying 9” blade!

I took the coating off mine, put some wooden scales on it and a leather sheath. Great blade, to be honest. I might just take that ramp off sooner or later....

 

[Uncle Timbo]

I don't know if these are considered Bowie's or not. It's a PAL Hunting knife. WWII era. Stamped RH. Remington Hunting. IDK what the steel is in these is but it's pretty darn good. I've had this one since the early 70's. You can find these for under a hundo. Stacked leather handle an all.

 

[Rupestris]

Is the BK9 off the table, Rich? On the Becker forum people have taken off the thumb ramp and done other mods. It is a cracking knife with a satisfying 9” blade!

I took the coating off mine, put some wooden scales on it and a leather sheath. Great blade, to be honest. I might just take that ramp off sooner or later....

I had a BK7 and it was a great "camp knife". I wish they'd put the longer clip of the 7 on the 9.

Rich, if that Condor looks like a potential winner, I'd be happy to help out with the stripping/polishing/rehandling project.

 

[Pilsner]

I had a BK7 and it was a great "camp knife". I wish they'd put the longer clip of the 7 on the 9.

Rich, if that Condor looks like a potential winner, I'd be happy to help out with the stripping/polishing/rehandling project.

Yer a good man, Rupe.

 

[Man with no name]

Great suggestions looking for something with this blade shape , the elongated clip point is something I really like .

I like it too. What is it, brand, mfg?

 

[Ebbtide]

If you like the Ontario Bagwell bowies, you'll have to get lucky and have patience to score one for under $300. They're getting harder and harder to find and they were made with soft stainless steel. You'll probably be better off spending around $100 on a Cold Steel Laredo or Trailmaster bowie, or an old Gerber coffin handled bowie.

Please tell us more about this soft stainless steel. I don't remember anything about that when the knives first came out. Plenty of complaints about stainless for a bowie. But nothing about soft stainless.

There is a Western 49 in the for sale pages here just begging to be Bagwell-ized.
Or a Buck 120 General might fit the bill.

 

[jstrange]

Great suggestions looking for something with this blade shape , the elongated clip point is something I really like .

Who makes that one? I like it.

Get one of these and do some modifications. Probably closer to the original Bowie than a lot of those shown.

Save yourself a $140 bucks too.

 

[Fonedork]

Please tell us more about this soft stainless steel. I don't remember anything about that when the knives first came out. Plenty of complaints about stainless for a bowie. But nothing about soft stainless.

There is a Western 49 in the for sale pages here just begging to be Bagwell-ized.
Or a Buck 120 General might fit the bill.

Soft as in, hardened to low 50s. Here are two old threads which are directly on point that might interest you.

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/ontario-qs13-steel.214590/

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/ontario-bagwell-steel.156400/

 

[Hard Knocks]

The Buck 124 might deserve a look. Fits the budget, albeit at the top end, but maybe not as traditional as you'd want?

 

[BeerButtChicken]

Slightly above your budget but very nice: https://www.knifeworks.com/fixed-bl...-5-8-overall-w-brown-leather-belt-sheath.html

 

[Ebbtide]

Thanks for the links.

Personally I don't think low 50s is a problem in a knife that is a weapon (or more realistically, a wall hanger).
Would it be better for the weapon to bend than break? Would it be better for the edge to roll or blow out chunks?
I tend to go with the the pros on matters like this and since Mr Bagwell essentially wrote the book on modern bowie knives, and he made the decision to put his name on them, it is probably the best compromise for its intended uses.
Is it as good as his forged MS pieces? No, of course not.
Is it a good smasher basher camp toy/tool? Probably not as well.
A well made affordable Bagwell designed Bowie with a decent compromise in steel selection and hardness? Sure.

If you are looking for a big knife to play choppy choppy with that would be the wrong choice.
Then get a big camp knife like the Browning Crowell Competition knife.

I wouldn't be surprised if the OP found one at his price point with a little patience.

 

[007Airman]

I have the cold steel trailmaster. Good bang for the buck, don't like the handle but have ideas for a replacement after having seen options on the net.