Favorite bowies?

wazu013 said:
I found this knife under a trailer home that I had to demolish. It's a Pakistan copy of a Western 49. I had to clean it up a little and sharpen it. I'm sure it was a very low priced item but it has a full tang and crazy hard steel, what ever it is. I actually use it to trim trees and split kindling without the edge rolling over.
Just a funny story,
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I had one of those during my last year of High School. We were putting on a play (Dracula). This was only a year after Francis Ford Coppola's version came out in theaters. Still fresh in everyone's minds. Brought it into school one day. (That was right before teachers would start freaking out over pen-knives in school.) Drama teacher knew all about it. He didn't care. I re-enacted the scene where Lucy talks about how big it is, and pulls out Quincey's Bowie knife from its sheath, with a lovely young, short Asian girl named Angie. She was sweet and fun, and kind-hearted. Ah, good times, good times....

Sadly I also remember my clone of the Western Bowie was just junk. Seems you ended up with a good one.

Wish I had picked up the Gerber Bowie with the tombstone shaped Kraton handle back before they got discontinued.
 
Monocrom said:
Wish I had picked up the Gerber Bowie with the tombstone shaped Kraton handle back before they got discontinued.
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Not 'tombstone shaped handle.'

its called a coffin handle and it was/is the now discontinued Gerber Utility Bowie made in Italy.



Pic added.
 
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Ebbtide said:
Here are two "rescues" that I bought for around $60...
Added some elbow grease & TLC...


Western 46-8

And a Western 49 that I did the "Bagwell Mods" to...


There are deals to be found, "The Cutting Edge" had a W49 for a pittance. It needed a lot of TLC but, for me at least, it's half the fun.

ETA: Lets throw in a classic as well. These come up now and then. The Buck General.
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I was wondering if someone was gonna mention the Buck it is in sturdy knife and I love the forever warranty.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
 
ManRay said:
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My ColdSteel trailmaster is my favorite bowie, and my favorite knife to boot!
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Nice sheath! Patriot Leather?
 
This older Brend will be here soon.

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BladeScout said:
Not 'tombstone shaped handle.'

its called a coffin handle and it was/is the now discontinued Gerber Utility Bowie made in Italy.



Pic added.
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I just wonder, what is the reason for factories like Gerber discontinuing such a great looking models of knives like one pictured above or BMF models? Was there anything wrong with these knives?Especially when current offer on Gerber list doesn't cover any knives of this category.....If the knife is good and there is a demand for it, why stop making it? Anybody can explain?
 
Seriousbladeno1 said:
I just wonder, what is the reason for factories like Gerber discontinuing such a great looking models of knives like one pictured above or BMF models? Was there anything wrong with these knives?Especially when current offer on Gerber list doesn't cover any knives of this category.....If the knife is good and there is a demand for it, why stop making it? Anybody can explain?
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Being a business, I suspect that the demand either wasn't strong enough, or perhaps costs involved in making those models became too prohibitive. Someone at Gerber perhaps decided the models wouldn't sell nearly as well if the needed price hikes were implamented. Likely one or the other, as far as reasons go. With any business, it boils down to $$$.
 
Seriousbladeno1 said:
I just wonder, what is the reason for factories like Gerber discontinuing such a great looking models of knives like one pictured above or BMF models? Was there anything wrong with these knives?Especially when current offer on Gerber list doesn't cover any knives of this category.....If the knife is good and there is a demand for it, why stop making it? Anybody can explain?
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Because there is not a demand for it. Simple. Econ 101.
 
Monocrom said:
Being a business, I suspect that the demand either wasn't strong enough, or perhaps costs involved in making those models became too prohibitive. Someone at Gerber perhaps decided the models wouldn't sell nearly as well if the needed price hikes were implamented. Likely one or the other, as far as reasons go. With any business, it boils down to $$$.
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Exactly. Gerber isnt "after" the small group of people in this thread, or even on this forum.

One needs to realize that, probably, most of the money spent on knives is not spent by knife fans.
 
marcinek said:
Exactly. Gerber isnt "after" the small group of people in this thread, or even on this forum.

One needs to realize that, probably, most of the money spent on knives is not spent by knife fans.
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True. Would love to find that sweet Gerber Bowie somewhere though to buy. :(
 
Monocrom said:
True. Would love to find that sweet Gerber Bowie somewhere though to buy. :(
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Sure! But Gerber is making a gajillion times more money selling Paraframes and Bear Grylls nonsense to their market.

Its naive to think we drive the knife industry. Not to imply you are claiming that at all.
 
Seriousbladeno1 said:
Gotta love this classic! Top notch
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I'm curious what you feel is "classic" when it comes to Bowies. All the the knives in this thread are very, very cool, and are "Bowies," but, considering the long history of Bowies, many hardly seem classic to me.

You appear to be a Bowie fan, so I'm sure we are all interested in what you feel makes a Bowie "classic," and how it ties into actual Bowie era knives. :thumbup:
 
marcinek said:
Exactly. Gerber isnt "after" the small group of people in this thread, or even on this forum.

One needs to realize that, probably, most of the money spent on knives is not spent by knife fans.
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That's valid point you made. Altough it's clear that as production company is developing new models, some old ones must be discontinued (naturally those with lesser demand on market) , however I guess many would welcome few models to be made again, at least in limited runs....
 
If you ever get a chance, take a look at The Antique Bowie Knife Book, the examples from the the mid to late 1800's are truly incredible. The book commands a high price anymore, but a wealth of info and pics. They used to use a lot of gold quartz, ivory and abalone.
 
Seriousbladeno1 said:
That's valid point you made. Altough it's clear that as production company is developing new models, some old ones must be discontinued (naturally those with lesser demand on market) , however I guess many would welcome few models to be made again, at least in limited runs....
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If there was demand, and they could make money, they would. That is how business work. There isnt and they cant.

Why do you think they arent making them?
 
marcinek said:
I'm curious what you feel is "classic" when it comes to Bowies. All the the knives in this thread are very, very cool, and are "Bowies," but, considering the long history of Bowies, many hardly seem classic to me.

You appear to be a Bowie fan, so I'm sure we are all interested in what you feel makes a Bowie "classic," and how it ties into actual Bowie era knives. :thumbup:
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What I understand by term of "classic" Bowie style knife in my own words is the knife,which plain and simple design is reminiscent very much to old western style Bowie shaped blade (without any fancy,or modern additional features incorporated within blade or handle).Classic could also refer to such a knife made by well established,widely known manufacturer with rather long history in making knives and to particular model being tested and proved by many, over long period of time as very functional, effective design...Puma for example made such very well made classics (where I made comment you quoted) Randall and so on...
 
MT Damascus said:
If you ever get a chance, take a look at The Antique Bowie Knife Book, the examples from the the mid to late 1800's are truly incredible. The book commands a high price anymore, but a wealth of info and pics. They used to use a lot of gold quartz, ivory and abalone.
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They certainly were, particularly Samuel Bell knives.

Bowie era Bowies were weapons, not hunting knives, or woodsmans knives. They became "fancy" almost immediately.
 
Seriousbladeno1 said:
What I understand by term of "classic" Bowie style knife in my own words is the knife,which plain and simple design is reminiscent very much to old western style Bowie shaped blade (without any fancy,or modern additional features incorporated within blade or handle).Classic could also refer to such a knife made by well established,widely known manufacturer with rather long history in making knives and to particular model being tested and proved by many, over long period of time as very functional, effective design...Puma for example made such very well made classics (where I made comment you quoted) Randall and so on...
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Well,that's not at all historically correct, but it is intetesting to hear what you base your definition on.

My definition would involve what Bowie era Bowies looked like.
 
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