I got a question about the H.I. SW Bowie.

Yvsa

Yvsa

Joined
May 18, 1999
Messages
15,395
:
Well guys and gals I am getting pretty close on the final drawing needed before making the prototype of the Southwestern Bowie and I got to wondering.......

What would everyone prefer.... A chopper or a fighter?

I don't know how much control over either I will actually have as it is a matter of where the Bowie balances that makes it good for either task, but by the use of a longer handle and a steel pommel the fighter may just be possible.
The blade length, width and thickness also plays a big part in this.
We have to put up with the kami's little quirk's and their idea's, but that doesn't mean we can't try. And an e-mail sent to Uncle Bill that he can forward to Gelbu may have a bearing in what we decide.
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We have the best choppers in the world with the H.I.Khukuri's and the chopper would be easy, but I'm more inclined for a nice Big fighter if possible.

So what's y'all's choice if possible, a chopper or a fighter?

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>>>>---Yvsa-G@WebTV.net---->®

"VEGETARIAN".............
Indin word for lousy hunter.
 
Yvsa,
Interesting coincidence that you should ask just now. Here's what Bernard Levine, who knows a thing or two about Bowies, posted on his forum yesterday:
<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">"Every knife novice imagines that bowie knives are big and heavy -- the eBay term is "massive." But whether big or small, most real bowie knives are light and wieldy -- well balanced and quick. This is because they are weapons, not chopping tools. Real edged weapons are light and quick, or they would be self-defeating."</font>
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I go with Mr. Levine.
Berk

 
Fighter. Nice and fast. Like you said, Yvsa, we have great choppers already, and then there's the HI bird and trout, the AK Bowie already, if massive is what people are looking for.
 
Stretch that baby looooooooong! Make mine 5" handle x 15" blade!!! ( I'm asking for a *lot* so I'll end up getting *some* after all's said and done.
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[This message has been edited by Rusty (edited 02-27-2001).]
 
<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">... looooooooong! Make mine 5" handle x 15" blade ...</font>
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I'll love it Bro Rusty!

Yvsa --- Humbly I prefer it for "self defence" cum "hunting" purposes.

wa-(A)llaahu-aa'lam!
 
I also think that a quick handling FIGHTER would be a great idea.

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Defeat the fear of death and welcome the death of fear. G.Liddy
 
Non chopper, How many big chopping blades do YOU carry? :>

*do NOT slip and fall into the water!*

trader
 
i would rather enjoy owning a 20" fighter. with the size of the blade and zone hardened (5160?) carbon spring steel, wouldn't it chop pretty well anyways? i'm very inexperienced in blades, so just thinking out loud here. Yvsa, you think you could make an alternate version with a full tang(chiruwa)? if you did there is 100% chance that i will get one, with the peened stick tang, i'm only at 95.423%. no offense to traditionalist here. did i spell that right?


charels.

[This message has been edited by charels (edited 02-27-2001).]
 
:
Okay!!! Fighter it is!!!!
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Right now the drawing has a 13" blade and 6" handle, coming in at 19" oal.
The blade width right now is 2" to 2 1/4" wide at the top of the clip.
And Rusty believe me at this length you will have some left over!
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Looking at the drawing It Looks HUGE!! It could be another Bowie like Crocodile Dundee's.
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And Charels it might have to have a chiruwa style handle in order to get enough weight at the handle, although I would prefer the stick tang myself.
That's going to be the problem with a blade this long, the weight in the handle. However some of the problem may be averted by using a chiruwa tang and a steel pommel. It would be great if the pommel could be forged right into the tang, just don't know about looks though.

And we will possibly run into Uncle Bill's common problem of trying to do something from 12,000 miles away.
I can design 'til I'm blue in the face, but if the kamis change the slightest thing, which they are infamous for doing, we're liable to wind up with something very different than what the pic shows or what was intended.
It may take a couple or three tries before we get it like we want it.

Oh, and Charels if it's balanced like a fighter should be it won't be as good a chopper. The khukuris are balanced generally about 4" in front of the bolster, give or take an inch, just for that reason. A blade heavy knife always chops better whereas a knife thats neutrally balanced is very fast no matter the weight, swords are a good example of this.
Although it will no doubt cut something in two if so desired.
smile.gif


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>>>>---Yvsa-G@WebTV.net---->®

"VEGETARIAN".............
Indin word for lousy hunter.

[This message has been edited by Yvsa (edited 02-27-2001).]
 
fighter or chopper i'ma gonna get me a one a dem thangs.
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how thick will it be at its thickest point?
 
<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">how thick will it be at its thickest point?</font>
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That's going to be a crucial question. The Randall Model 12 "Raymond Thorp Bowie" has a 13" blade that is 1 5/8" wide, 5" handle, and weighs 20-26 ounces with a blade thickness of 1/4". Given the kamis' famous reluctance to do "thin" blades, weight could be a major factor.
 
:
I'm thinking 5/16" at the guard and a distal tapered blade to about 1/8 inch.
That may give us the weight we need towards the handle and keep the point light.
Berkley is very right about the kamis and thin blades.
I was surprised the YCS came in as thin as it did. Sanu followed the model perfectly as far as the blade. he just didn't put as much curve in the handle as I had in the model.

You can actually have a fairly heavy blade as Berk mentioned about the Randall and still have it feel a whole bunch lighter.
I got to handle a katana that Terry had and was both surprised and in awe of the balance it had.
And now I know exactly what the "Battle Bulge" on a katana is too.
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&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;---Yvsa-G@WebTV.net----&gt;®

"VEGETARIAN".............
Indin word for lousy hunter.
 
13" blade with 6" handle? Aw, gee-whiz, sob, sniffle.


CLOSE ENOUGH!!! I'LL TAKE IT!!!
 
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