How to Order from Jim Crowell

Joined
Sep 8, 2006
Messages
314
Hi guys,

I'm a newbie in custom knives and is very interested in bowies made by Mr. Jim Crowell. Could anyone tell me how I can contact him to order one? And how long do I need to wait for one order? Thanks very much.

Bing D
 
Thank you for the info, Jose. But the link for Jim Crowell given by ABS website is directed to KnifeArt.com, and it only gives an 800- number for ordering from the company. Does Mr. Crowell himself have a website or an email? Thanks.
 
Your best bet is to give him a call. If you go to the ABS site again and click on ABS Mastersmiths you will find his phone number. You may have to scroll down the page until you start seeing the listings.
 
Bing

Jimmy's phone number is 870-746-4215. Give him a call he is a very nice guy.
I dont know how long his backlog is but it should not be to bad. Jimmy is one of the finest Mastersmith out there they dont get much better then him. Tell him Ralph said hello.

Ralph
 
Ralph, Hans, Keith, and Jose, thank you all for the sincere help. I'll contact Mr. Crowell as soon as possible. Actually I've never talked with a bladesmith before. But I believe it will be a pleasant talk. Thanks.

Bing D
 
Jim Crowell is one heck of a nice guy, on top being one of the best bladesmiths. Your phone conversation with him will be a nice one, I'm willing to wager.
 
Jim has held the Master rating since 1986, his was the first forged bowie I ever bought. His knives are very clean and fuctional. Definitely a veteran bladesmith. I remember him making pieces that were unusual for a bladesmith in the early 90s, examples being war hammers and a huge hunting sword.
 
Jim Crowell has taught more bladesmiths how to be Mastersmiths than almost anyone else except for Bill Moran. His influence can be seen in the knives of many other makers, particularly from the SW USA.

He is a gem of a guy and really warm and thoughtful human being.

You cannot go wrong with his knives. Period. There are makers who can build a simple, classic bowie knife as well as Jim Crowell but in my opinion there are none better (or sharper). None. Be prepared to wait.
 
I did not want to say it in my post before but Anthony is 100% right about Jimmy. I my mind there is no better bladesmith in the country then Jimmy.
 
Be prepared to wait.

A long wait can be an agonizing, but at least for me, when the wait is over and you get that special knife, it only adds to your appreciation.

Bing, if you really have an idea of all the specific details you're interested in, you can't beat a custom order, but there's also the option of going to a show or finding something that's already been made on the secondary market. That way you can get a feel for all the materials and the flow of the design. You do need to be quick though, make sure you show up early...:D
 
Jose, I've been to a blade show yet. I just started collecting knives from last Oct. The largest blade show is in Atlanta every June, right? Seems too far from my place:( But Blade West is OK for me:)

Not quite sure about the details I'm interested in, but I'm sure I like the simple but classic styles.

I'm also worried about the price of an order. I found in some dealers' website that a 9'' Crowell bowies are usually priced above one thousand dollars. So, how about directly ordering from Mr. Crowell?

And one more question, what time is most suitable to make a call to Mr. Crowell?

Thank you all for the help,
Bing D
 
Bing,

I saw a Jimmy Crowell bowie for sale a couple of days ago in the custom knives for sale section I think it was listed for $900.00. You would have to ask Jimmy about priceing but I think an eight or nine inch bowie would be in the $1100.00 to $1500.00 range but I don't know for sure. I was on the phone with him tonight I did not think to ask him about priceing. I know that he is going to be busy for the next few days but I am going to talk to him Thursday night, that might be a good time for you to call him. Try about 7:00PM west coast time.
 
Jose, I've been to a blade show yet. I just started collecting knives from last Oct. The largest blade show is in Atlanta every June, right? Seems too far from my place:( But Blade West is OK for me:)

Not quite sure about the details I'm interested in, but I'm sure I like the simple but classic styles.

I'm also worried about the price of an order. I found in some dealers' website that a 9'' Crowell bowies are usually priced above one thousand dollars. So, how about directly ordering from Mr. Crowell?

And one more question, what time is most suitable to make a call to Mr. Crowell?

Thank you all for the help,
Bing D


Bing, unless you see one of his knives in a configuration you really like, your best bet would be to place a custom order. The wait will be longer but you'll be cutting out the middleman and putting money directly in the maker's pocket. Being newly interested in custom knives it will also give you an opportunity to do your research and figure out exactly what features and style of knife you prefer. When the maker contacts you to let you know he's ready to work on your blade you can work out the specifics of the order. A nice large sized bowie from a MS will be expensive but it's definitely worth saving up for a special knife. Most of my early purchases, during my learning curve, are pretty well neglected, but the special ones always call you back and bring a smile to your face.
 
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