Good production bowie knife - makes?

M

MHall52

Joined
Oct 18, 2008
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Any suggestions? I like the polished blade, western type looks of the Ontario Bagwell series, but was wondering if there are other good production makes which are quite heavy duty, and are not meant only as wall displays.
Price -- under $200.00 which does narrow the choices.
 
The Ontario Bagwells look nice but they are stainless steel I have some and used to carry one but I bent the tip and I think for the money there are better pieces if you are really going to use it. If you like a western look try and find an older carbon V cold steel laredo. They where and are good knives for the money.
 
Cold Steel would probably hold up better under some actual use such as light chopping?
 
I've been looking for a good affordable bowie myself... I was looking at the bark river 1855 model and the blackjack classic model 7... anyone have any experience with either of these?
 
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i bought a case bowie on ebay pretty cheap so ive been beating it up and it is actually a pretty tough knife. just kinda big.
 
love4steel said:
I've been looking for a good affordable bowie myself... I was looking at the bark river 1855 model and the blackjack classic model 7... anyone have any experience with either of these?
Click to expand...

I have heard good things about both . I have the Black Jack mine is old wicked sharp convex edge and good steel if they still are making them that way
 
I bought a Hen and Rooster Bowie that is Huge. Its Bone slab handles and Full solid tang and Soligen steel in Germany. I love that knife. Also it has a nice leather sheath. You can get them for a 100,00 bucks. There the Western classic type bowie.
 
The CS Laredo in SK-5 is a lot of knife for the money. Being very familiar with the performance of the Carbon V version, I had to do a test for myself on the SK-5 version since the price was cut in half. Performance was NOT cut in half. The Carbon V version holds an edge a little longer, but other than that, there is no difference. SK-5 Laredo performs very well in any use you'd want to put a Bowie to. I think it's a bargain.
 
There is a nice Boker Magnum Bowie, in fact it was the Magnum knife of the year 2008.
Check it out:
02mag2008.jpg
 
I'd get a browning crowell/barker bowie for a little over $100.
 
If you are looking for pure function as opposed to looks, consider the Ranger RD-9 (9.5" blade) for $119. Blade is 5160 spring steel which to me is much more appropriate to a large bowie than any stainless steel.
http://www.rangerknives.com/Knives/index.html

Another possibility would be a bowie by Mineral Mountain (Ted Frizzell) but they start at around $240, so just over your budget. They are also 5160 steel. I've had one for years and like it--again, not the prettiest but a great chopper, well designed for function.http://www.mineralmountain.com/wrbowie.htm
 
The Cold Steel Laredo should be able to take whatever you throw at it as long as it's what a knife is designed for.

If you're willing to get a knife that doesn't look like a traditional bowie but can take a serious beating, you might want to look into Scrap Yard Knives Son of Dogfather (SOD). I think it sells for around $120.
 
Push it up to $225 and you can get a Johh Greco hard usin' Bowie like this coffin handle. Not the longest blade out there, but it's a handmade knife v. "production"

http://www.grecoknives.com/

Alamo_Bowie_with_coffin_style_handle_in_stag_640_wide.png
 
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