Fighter Style Bowie

stephanfowler

stephanfowler

Joined
Nov 14, 2005
Messages
1,464
While I do Sincerely enjoy Kumbaya :rolleyes:

Please give me your most honest opinion (I'm a big boy, I can take it)

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1084 (thanks Aldo) blade, Hand rubbed Satin

6.5" tip to guard

416 Stainless hardware w. Desert Ironwood

I decided to do a little filework to this one, the balance is about dead perfect, about 1/8" back from the guard



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Hi Stephan.

I think this is a really nice knife. I like the overall lines, the faceted handle and the filed fittings. I particularly like the fact that you included a detailed butt cap on this piece. All the details combine to give this piece a real "presentation" look. Good stuff.

If I were to make one change, it wold be to make the guard and butt cap just a bit thinner. I don't doubt that tactile balance of the piece is spot on, but feel there is perhaps just a touch too much visual mass - collectiively - with the fittings that perhaps aesthetically overmatch the fairly small, slender blade to a small degree. It should go without saying that the foregoing reflects my own subjective preferences, nothing more.

Overall I think it's really well done and I thank you for showing your work here and hope to see more.

Roger
 
Count another vote in favor of those nice handle facets! I personally prefer something labeled "fighter" to have a more slender point for stickin', but you seem to have a done a nice job on the style you chose. Are the fittings mirror finished, or is that an artifact of the photo?
 
Good job, Stephan. The guard looks a little thick and maybe take the edge off the dropped edge, otherwise no complaints... :thumbup:
 
I love the knife. :thumbup: It is deserving of a MUCH better series of photos, but I am not soliciting your work.

Part and parcel of making and selling knives is showing them on the internet. Don't 'apologize for the lousy pics'. Learn how to take decent ones, as a skillset required for final presentation, not an afterthought. The information has been spelled out repeatedly in the Gallery.

We only get one chance to be bowled over with a first impression. Make it stick.

Only because you asked. ;) :thumbup:

Coop
 
i love it.....i'd agree with roger about the guard though...i don't know if it looks too thick or too wide but it seems a little off......i love the handle an i love the buttcap too......really nice package....just needs a nice sheath to go along with it now.......i agree with coop on the photos....i suck at photos but i have found indoors to use alot of light and no flash or go outside on a day that is not too sunny and just use the natural light outside......it took me like 3 days to figure out how to turnoff my flash but it works great....ryan
 
Love the overall shape of the knife and a BEAUTIFUL handle!

For me, the guard and butt (though well done) seems a bit heavy for the knife...

-Michael
 
Love the handle, and proportions length wise. I will echo the sentiments on the thickness of the guard.

Stephen
 
I like it a lot! I agree with the above re: "visual mass of the buttcap/handle". BUT (no pun intended) -- while visually it may not be ideal, from a usage standpoint I prefer a little more "meat" to my grip and I be this feels great in the hand.

I would do satin finish on the handle because I personally don't really care for glossy wood.
 
Over all I like the knife also. Here are a few pointers I was given on some of my work. Guard thickness should be no more than the thickest part of the spine, finish all fittings to the same degree (the spacer does not seem to have the same finish as the guard) if they are the same material. The flute in the wood behind the spacer seems to be a bit too close to the spacer it has a few chips in the transition area. These a nit picky observations. Like I said in the beginning I like the knife.
 
I will echo the comments about the thickness of the guard. If I had the ability to file a grove like that, I would probably put the guard on the platen after I filed it and thin out both sides. Otherwise, very nice. And Coop.....at least his pictures are better than mine:eek:
 
I really like this knife as well. Thin the guard and round off the point on the dropped edge and I would like it even more. Good job.
 
A few have mentioned the point on the dropped edge of the choil now. FWIW, I prefer it the way it is, rather than rounding it off. :)
 
From a much less experienced point of view:

I like the handle, guard and cap just the way they are, but think they need a slightly larger blade. I like the blade just fine too, just for me, a slight disconnect on the scale of the two. Could be the photos, too (perspective-wise).

Still a very nice knife, thanks for posting!

Edited to add: After looking at it some more, I have to agree with thinning the guard a bit. Really great handle, though!
 
HOLY CRAP STEVE!!!!!!! That is really sweet!!!

Of course, I could have told you it was a piece of CRAP and offered you 20 bucks for it, but you've got my name at the top of the thread.....might look bad:)
 
Steve I have admired your work for a while. I really like the knife. My only thought is if the guard and fittings had the same finish as the blade would blend better. I'm not sure about the guard.I think I would have to hold it in hand to give an oppinion. Sometimes outside of the box is good. Excellent work
 
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