Cold Steel Drop Forged Bowie

M

me2

Joined
Oct 11, 2003
Messages
5,085
I just got one of these and put it to some use today. I must say its performance was a little disappointing. I was using it to break down some brush for a bonfire in the back. The cutting action was abrupt. That seems the best description. It would bounce out of cuts and vibrate pretty noticeably. The cuts were also fairly shallow.

On the up side, this knife is extremely strong. It’s a single piece of 52100, with good radiating at all the corners. The spine is substantial, at about 0.20” thick. The edge took no damage from chopping branches up to an inch and a half in diameter. The coating held up very well overall though it did show some wear near the edge, which is basically unavoidable.

I really want to like the knife. I’m just not sure what it’s meant to do.
 
I’d need to get some measurements, but a regrind wouldn’t hurt. The edge bevel seems fairly obtuse as well. Changing both would improve things. The bevel is pretty uneven. Before rebeveling, one would need to even the edge bevel out.

The handle is a little on the small side. One thing common with all metal handles is they are uncomfortable in the cold. It’s been atypically cold here for the last week or so. While breaking up some of the brush I would leave it in the chopping block to tend the fire. Then when picking it back up it would take a minute to warm up. Leaving it too close to the fire pit has the opposite problem. It would heat up quickly and be uncomfortable on the other end, especially with cold hands.

If it were intended as a dedicated fighting Bowie, I would think the clip would be at least beveled even if it wasn’t sharp. I need to add a lanyard for some more security too.

Familiarity with one’s tools is often overlooked. I have an old 12” Barong machete I’ve been using for 15 years. It’s been modified heavily to do what I want, but it would cut circles around the Bowie in its stock form.
 
I measured the edge thickness at 0.05” at the top of the bevel. The bevel is 0.099” wide. If my math is right, that is a chunky 14 degree bevel. I’ll try to sharpen it on my Sharpmaker and see if the 20 degree slots will hit it. The edge bevel is good but the thickness will have to come down somehow.
 
I'll agree with you that the handle is a bit diminutive for a working knife, and the shock can reverberate something fierce. But, in my experience, even a thin paracord wrap will help make the handle more comfortable and grippy. I added a Turk's head at the pommel for a little extra security when chopping and it has made the knife vastly more comfortable to chop with.

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Mine also came with a pretty obtuse edge. I have not fully rectified that yet; I'm just sharpening it up every so often after use and thinning the edge a little bit more each time.

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If I could start over from the beginning, I think I would like to try wrapping the handle with that spongey tennis racket tape first, then do a paracord wrap, to thicken the grip and disperse some of those shock waves. That said, it's still a fun knife to use. Not the best chopper, but pretty good for a knife so narrow and pointy.
 
I have the bronze first gen...handle is no bueno without wrapping it up so I don't use it much.

Got a second gen with the inserts and now it's tolerable.

Kinda a weird knife. It's an awesome blade shape and steel choice but the handle just kills it for me.

This knife would be pretty decent with full slab side scales.
 
me2 said:
I’m a little spoiled I’ll admit. I’ll try the paracord wrap. Some extra thickness and padding wouldn’t hurt.
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MolokaiRider said:
I have the bronze first gen...handle is no bueno without wrapping it up so I don't use it much.

Got a second gen with the inserts and now it's tolerable.

Kinda a weird knife. It's an awesome blade shape and steel choice but the handle just kills it for me.

This knife would be pretty decent with full slab side scales.
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Agreed. I filled in the voids in my first gen handles with some strips of old boot leather before wrapping it. Certainly comfortable now, but woefully unbalanced by the heavy handle. Bummer, because it could be a stellar little Bowie to carry IWB.

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I did the same with my Gen 1 Survivalist and have the same gripes (see second from right, and please forgive my horrendous attempt at a finger choil).

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I ordered a spare one of each of these. Someday I'll work up the gumption to thin down the tangs and afix some decent scales to the handles.
 
With Trail Master and Gurkha Kukri , I've cut down medium sized trees .

Not easy fun , but doable .

The DF Bowie , is a medium chopper at best , IMO . Great fighter and general utility field knife . :cool:
 
me2 said:
I measured the edge thickness at 0.05” at the top of the bevel. The bevel is 0.099” wide. If my math is right, that is a chunky 14 degree bevel. I’ll try to sharpen it on my Sharpmaker and see if the 20 degree slots will hit it. The edge bevel is good but the thickness will have to come down somehow.
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Your math is good but your conclusion, maybe not so much. 14 degrees per side is not really chunky at all. 20 degrees per side like on the Sharpmaker is more obtuse than that. You’ll get a microbevel quick.
 
I have knives with edge thicknesses of half that at the top of the bevel with 12 degree edges. That qualifies as chunky. Besides I think I measured it wrong. No microbevel was achieved.
 
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