- Joined
- May 25, 2011
- Messages
- 854
JK Improved Bowie
OAL 9.75 inches
Blade 5 inches
3/32 01 steel
Walnut handles
Stainless pins
Leather Sheath
When the subject of Bowie knives comes up I always think of those large fighting-style knives with double guards and a blade length just short of a small sword. My first thoughts always fall back to the many cowboy or mountain man type movies, and the knives generally featured in those films. In fact I am so conditioned to seeing that style of knife (in those types of movies) that Im almost disappointed when a movie actually portrays that period in a correct light.
Dont get me wrong; I have nothing against those large Bowie knives so frequently featured in the movies. I too find them oddly comforting and sometimes beautiful to the point of wanting one beyond reason.
Over the years I have owned a couple of large Bowie knives (the traditional kind) and while not the best of quality, they probably gave a pretty fair impression of the style. The problem was that the typical Bowie knife isnt really much good for anything but fighting and Ive never once (thank God) been in a real, honest to goodness, knife fight or showing off. Other, less fancy, knives proved to be superior for everyday use and were far less likely to get in the way while you were going about your daily routine.
I would have known that if I had bothered to pay attention to those around me. I grew up with real, tobacco-spitting, in the saddle all day long, cowboys being a common sight. Not one of them carried a large Bowie knife; instead they depended (most often) on pocket knives or the occasional small fixed blade.
Now that might be somewhat boring, and it certainly doesnt fit with the movie stereotypes, but it was practical and those cowboys were all about getting the job done with a minimum of fuss. Besides, if it came to a knife fight, they all carried guns.
Johns Improved Bowie is his version of the old Herters knife of the same name. George Herter was a circus-barker kind of guy: everything he sold was the absolute best and youd probably die fairly soon if you didnt buy it. Of course he had his thoughts about the knives he sold; some of which Ill list for your enjoyment:
How to Buy an Outdoor Knife by George Leonard Herter
An outdoor knife must be made for service--not show. Your life may depend on it. Real outdoor people realize that so-called sportsmen or outdoor knives have long been made for sale, not for use. The movies and television show their characters wearing fancy sheath knives. Knife makers advertised them and drugstore outdoorsmen bought them. Nothing marks a man to be a tenderfoot more than these showy useless knives.
Here are some of the duties a true woodsman knife must perform:
1. The knife must stay sharp for long periods of time without shapening. The steel should combine the best characteristics of electric furnace quality high carbon 1095 steel and high carbon 440 B stainless steel. The blade hardness, known among steel experts as 56 Rockwell C, should not be affected by atmospheric moisture, salt spray, fruit acids or blood. It should withstand extreme temperatures without becoming brittle, no matter how cold it may be. A good steel knife blade will "blue" or darken itself with use, making it pratically rustproof. If knife blade steel is really good, it will cut through nails without bending over the edge.
2. The knife must be shaped so it is ideal for cleaning and skinning game of all kinds, from rabbits to moose. The best shape for this is the improved Bowie.
3. The knife must have a handle long enough so that it fits a man's hand so pressure can be put on the blade when desired. On nearly all outdoor knives the handles are much too short. The handle of the knife must be made to last a lifetime. Leather handles rot and mildew, stag handles crack, plastic handles crack and are highly inflammable. African mineral-type woods are best, and they will stand all kinds of weather for a lifetime and more.
4. The blade of the knife must not be hollow ground. Hollow grinding weakens a blade so that the edge will bend or break under heavy usage. A wedge edge is the strongest and most durable ever designed.
5. The blade of the knife must be hand forged in order to give the steel maximum strength and hardness.
6. The blade of the knife must not have a blood groove. A blood groove is strictly advertising and badly weakens the blade. Professional butchers do not use them.
7. The knife must be easy to carry and light in weight. The blade length must be 4 inches long. Four inches is the length established for a woodsman knife by over 200 years of experience. Blades shorter are all right for Boy Scouts, but not for serious woodsmen, Longer than 4 inches is unnecessary and adds weight.
8. The knife should have no hilt as it only adds weight. If the knife blade is properly designed, that is slightly indented, you cannot cut your finger no matter how hard you thrust. You need only thrust in a hand to hand combat with a man or a wounded animal.
9. The knife must be capable of slicing bacon and cutting bread. It must be a comfortable knife for eating and cutting cooked meat.
Upon visiting the thread in which John first showed his Improved Bowie, I found my own post expressing my thoughts that this knife would be fantastic in the kitchen. Now that Ive owned that same knife for awhile, I can proudly attest to the fact that my original opinion was correct and remains the same yet today.
The Improved Bowie reminds me of a slightly shorter boning knife and it shines in that type of use. The thinness of the blade, coupled with the short height, makes it the perfect tool for carving meat from the bone, or separating the edible from the inedible. The blade slices through flesh effortlessly and the handle gives you great leverage and control as you gently move with the curve of a bone. The handles shape gives you great retention and the finger groove helps keep slippery hands from sliding up on the blade.
This knife would be an excellent choice if your outdoors activities include the need for skinning or butchering game. If fishing happens to be your thing, this Improved Bowie does a fine job of filleting fish: good enough that you dont really need a dedicated fillet knife unless you really want more blade flexibility.
While not a chopper, this knife would certainly be at ease as your camp kitchen knife that is carried all the time. The tip is well pointed and excels at drilling, and the thin blade makes for an excellent choice when it comes to carving wood. The spine is nicely squared and works wonderfully at scraping wood (to smooth it) and would certainly be well suited for scraping fibers or throwing sparks.
I find the Walnut handles to be amazingly beautiful. The wood reminds me of really fine furniture and it has a warmth to it that synthetic handles just dont have. In fact I think this knife, with a 4 inch blade, would make for a steak knife (set) that would be incredibly beautiful and useful. Toss in a 3 inch blade and another with a 7 inch blade and youve almost got a complete set of matched kitchen knives that would be the envy of the neighborhood.
I think ol George Herter himself would agree: this is a damn fine knife.
Johns forum: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php/830-JK-Handmade-Knives
Johns webpage: http://jkhandmadeknives.com/
A little more about George Herter: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/07/books/review/Collins-t.html
OAL 9.75 inches
Blade 5 inches
3/32 01 steel
Walnut handles
Stainless pins
Leather Sheath
When the subject of Bowie knives comes up I always think of those large fighting-style knives with double guards and a blade length just short of a small sword. My first thoughts always fall back to the many cowboy or mountain man type movies, and the knives generally featured in those films. In fact I am so conditioned to seeing that style of knife (in those types of movies) that Im almost disappointed when a movie actually portrays that period in a correct light.
Dont get me wrong; I have nothing against those large Bowie knives so frequently featured in the movies. I too find them oddly comforting and sometimes beautiful to the point of wanting one beyond reason.
Over the years I have owned a couple of large Bowie knives (the traditional kind) and while not the best of quality, they probably gave a pretty fair impression of the style. The problem was that the typical Bowie knife isnt really much good for anything but fighting and Ive never once (thank God) been in a real, honest to goodness, knife fight or showing off. Other, less fancy, knives proved to be superior for everyday use and were far less likely to get in the way while you were going about your daily routine.
I would have known that if I had bothered to pay attention to those around me. I grew up with real, tobacco-spitting, in the saddle all day long, cowboys being a common sight. Not one of them carried a large Bowie knife; instead they depended (most often) on pocket knives or the occasional small fixed blade.
Now that might be somewhat boring, and it certainly doesnt fit with the movie stereotypes, but it was practical and those cowboys were all about getting the job done with a minimum of fuss. Besides, if it came to a knife fight, they all carried guns.
Johns Improved Bowie is his version of the old Herters knife of the same name. George Herter was a circus-barker kind of guy: everything he sold was the absolute best and youd probably die fairly soon if you didnt buy it. Of course he had his thoughts about the knives he sold; some of which Ill list for your enjoyment:
How to Buy an Outdoor Knife by George Leonard Herter
An outdoor knife must be made for service--not show. Your life may depend on it. Real outdoor people realize that so-called sportsmen or outdoor knives have long been made for sale, not for use. The movies and television show their characters wearing fancy sheath knives. Knife makers advertised them and drugstore outdoorsmen bought them. Nothing marks a man to be a tenderfoot more than these showy useless knives.
Here are some of the duties a true woodsman knife must perform:
1. The knife must stay sharp for long periods of time without shapening. The steel should combine the best characteristics of electric furnace quality high carbon 1095 steel and high carbon 440 B stainless steel. The blade hardness, known among steel experts as 56 Rockwell C, should not be affected by atmospheric moisture, salt spray, fruit acids or blood. It should withstand extreme temperatures without becoming brittle, no matter how cold it may be. A good steel knife blade will "blue" or darken itself with use, making it pratically rustproof. If knife blade steel is really good, it will cut through nails without bending over the edge.
2. The knife must be shaped so it is ideal for cleaning and skinning game of all kinds, from rabbits to moose. The best shape for this is the improved Bowie.
3. The knife must have a handle long enough so that it fits a man's hand so pressure can be put on the blade when desired. On nearly all outdoor knives the handles are much too short. The handle of the knife must be made to last a lifetime. Leather handles rot and mildew, stag handles crack, plastic handles crack and are highly inflammable. African mineral-type woods are best, and they will stand all kinds of weather for a lifetime and more.
4. The blade of the knife must not be hollow ground. Hollow grinding weakens a blade so that the edge will bend or break under heavy usage. A wedge edge is the strongest and most durable ever designed.
5. The blade of the knife must be hand forged in order to give the steel maximum strength and hardness.
6. The blade of the knife must not have a blood groove. A blood groove is strictly advertising and badly weakens the blade. Professional butchers do not use them.
7. The knife must be easy to carry and light in weight. The blade length must be 4 inches long. Four inches is the length established for a woodsman knife by over 200 years of experience. Blades shorter are all right for Boy Scouts, but not for serious woodsmen, Longer than 4 inches is unnecessary and adds weight.
8. The knife should have no hilt as it only adds weight. If the knife blade is properly designed, that is slightly indented, you cannot cut your finger no matter how hard you thrust. You need only thrust in a hand to hand combat with a man or a wounded animal.
9. The knife must be capable of slicing bacon and cutting bread. It must be a comfortable knife for eating and cutting cooked meat.
Upon visiting the thread in which John first showed his Improved Bowie, I found my own post expressing my thoughts that this knife would be fantastic in the kitchen. Now that Ive owned that same knife for awhile, I can proudly attest to the fact that my original opinion was correct and remains the same yet today.
The Improved Bowie reminds me of a slightly shorter boning knife and it shines in that type of use. The thinness of the blade, coupled with the short height, makes it the perfect tool for carving meat from the bone, or separating the edible from the inedible. The blade slices through flesh effortlessly and the handle gives you great leverage and control as you gently move with the curve of a bone. The handles shape gives you great retention and the finger groove helps keep slippery hands from sliding up on the blade.
This knife would be an excellent choice if your outdoors activities include the need for skinning or butchering game. If fishing happens to be your thing, this Improved Bowie does a fine job of filleting fish: good enough that you dont really need a dedicated fillet knife unless you really want more blade flexibility.
While not a chopper, this knife would certainly be at ease as your camp kitchen knife that is carried all the time. The tip is well pointed and excels at drilling, and the thin blade makes for an excellent choice when it comes to carving wood. The spine is nicely squared and works wonderfully at scraping wood (to smooth it) and would certainly be well suited for scraping fibers or throwing sparks.
I find the Walnut handles to be amazingly beautiful. The wood reminds me of really fine furniture and it has a warmth to it that synthetic handles just dont have. In fact I think this knife, with a 4 inch blade, would make for a steak knife (set) that would be incredibly beautiful and useful. Toss in a 3 inch blade and another with a 7 inch blade and youve almost got a complete set of matched kitchen knives that would be the envy of the neighborhood.
I think ol George Herter himself would agree: this is a damn fine knife.
Johns forum: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php/830-JK-Handmade-Knives
Johns webpage: http://jkhandmadeknives.com/
A little more about George Herter: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/07/books/review/Collins-t.html
