Just got a Ontario Hell's Belle - comparison to a khukuri

Originally posted by Yvsa


We haven't needed the Bowie for many years to do what it was designed for, but I still and always will believe that anyone who wants to should be able and allowed to carry any of the Bowie's he or she wants to and anywhere they want to.
But then I believe a man ought to be able to own and shoot a Bazooka if he wanted one.:)
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I couldn't agree with you more. I personally love Kraton on my CS knives, and think stag is ugly. I get flamed sometimes, but too bad. It's what I think, and what I like. If everyone else in the world disagrees, fine, go buy stag, more power to you. I don't want to stop anyone from buying what they want, I just don't want one. And that's ok.

From what I've read, the original Bowie(s) looked like overgrown kitchen knives, and the later ones had all the nice curves. I still think that the Western W49 is the nicest looking Bowie I've ever seen, and perhaps not the most practical or the best performer, but I like it! YMMV.

P.S. There is NO such thing as an ugly Khukuri!!!

:p :D
 
Originally posted by swede79


Yvsa wrote:
"But then I believe a man ought to be able to own and shoot a Bazooka if he wanted one"

I couldn't agree with you more. I personally love Kraton on my CS knives, and think stag is ugly. I get flamed sometimes, but too bad. It's what I think, and what I like.

From what I've read, the original Bowie(s) looked like overgrown kitchen knives, and the later ones had all the nice curves. I still think that the Western W49 is the nicest looking Bowie I've ever seen, and perhaps not the most practical or the best performer, but I like it! YMMV.

(P.S. There is NO such thing as an ugly Khukuri!!!)
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"(P.S. There is NO such thing as an ugly Khukuri!!!)"
Swede I have one of those cheap India Janawar Katnes that I bet even you would say is ugly!!!!LMRRAO!!!!
I'm even more surprised since I've learned a bit about khukuris that it wasn't chrome plated!!!!:D

"But I like it!!!!"

And that's the reason there are so many styles of knives no matter whether a Bowie, Khukuri or whatever lays
between!!!!
It doesn't matter which I think is ugly or beautiful and I wouldn't let either stop me from getting any kind of knife.
After all I did wind up with a UBE due to my younger Bro Finn's enthusiasm.:)
My main consideration in buying a knife is if it is useable for me. Hell I know there's no man that can use all the khukuris I have, but the bottom line is that given the opportunity I would use each and every one of them for some task or another.

And as pretty as I think they are I wouldn't have any practical use for one of the Ontario Bowies. But in reality if I could get a really good deal like Kmark did that might have just enough arm twisting to make me buy one.
I have some other knives I bought 'just because' that have no practical use.;)
They do however have some historical meaning.

I have one of the Case made 'Western W49's' and I rather like it myself. Sorta an all around conception of what most people think a Bowie should look like.
I'm not real sure just how many companies made this style of Bowie.
Mine's one of the impractical ones as it has the brass back pinned in place from the sharpened clip back to the brass guard. (I think the clip is sharpened on that one, it's been awhile since I had it out.;))
And those brass backs have to be one of the phonyiest things I've ever seen!!!!
Yea, it does the job of keeping a sharpened edge from slideing down the blade and perhaps cutting the wielder, but it's otherwise worthless IMO.
If I were really gonna use the knife I would remove the brass and cut the guards of a bit, probably take the top one off to the handle.
Dayumed sure makes it more versatile as well as a more efficeient fighting knife.

Swede for me the jury is still out on the rubber handle knives. I agree that it's fairly comfortable for short time use, but I find it chafeing for long term use.
I swore I would never buy another rubber handled knife and yet I got a Busse Basic #9 that I'm Reeeaaalll FOND of!!!!:D
My main complaint with the rubber is that moisture can and does get under it causeing rust problems. (Hasn't happened with the Busse yet, but would expect it to be no different.)
At least it has on my Trailmaster and SRK. I do like the Carbon V though.
And when it's had a really nice thourough cold blue job done on it the 'instant' rust problem just about goes away.
One of these days I will get around to putting the old Christmas Tree Micarta slabs on my Traimaster with a new steel guard, the way it should have been to begin with IMO.:)
I keep a lot of rust preventive sprayed under the handles of my few CS knives.

Kinda strange too as there was a time I didn't like stag either. I thought it was too brittle to make good knife handles from.
And now I love stag for it's durability. I do agree that not all stag is pretty, actually to me some stag handles don't have what it takes to move me.
Bone is an entirely different story!!!! I love some bone handles as much as I do Ivory and in some instances would prefer it on a working knife.:)
 
You guys have too many knives. Why don't you send me some so we can have the same amount of cutlery.
Naw... that would be communism. I'm a capitalist. Send me money instead. :D :)
 
Doggone it, Yvsa, now I have to go home and peel back the rubber to check on my tang. You done gone and made me paranoid. I've never held Micarta, but I do like the looks of it. Everyone raves about it, so I'm gonna have to try one... I'm not sure about bones, but a real nice wood handle usually catches my eye.

My Western Bowie was made by (I think) the Western company that used to reside in Boulder, CO. I couldn't afford their regular prices, being in the Army, so I waited until I was shipped out to Europe, and ordered from the military overseas catalog. Serious discount. Had to travel 2000 miles to buy a knife an hour's drive up the road. Mine does not have the brass back or the sharpened false edge, but it sure is a nice looking Bowie... :D

I saw a picture that someone posted when they took all of the coating off of a Recon Scout, put a really gorgeous handle on it, and it is a striking knife, very well done. Made me want one. Or two.

Bruise, I think sending you money would be Socialist. No, that's the govt. sending you money. Sure, no problem, give me a call. The number to call is BR-549...:D :p ;)

Sorry for getting so far off topic, I like Bowies also, and enjoyed reading this one!
 
Originally posted by Yvsa
That was the point I was trying to make with the Ontario Bowies. The steel is done that way on purpose which, like I said, "what they're designed for and that's not a bad thing."
Personally I didn't have a problem with how they 'felt' in the hand. I can see where one might get uncomfortable if you really stabbed something hard with one, but how many times has anyone stabbed anything, let alone a soft human target?
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Sorry if I seemed obtuse, Yvsa. Methinks my brain was fogged when I read your post.

FWIW, Mike Sastre offers a "handle job" on Ontario Bagwells to make them more comfortable both for use and concealment. I don't know what the rate is but given his sheath work, I'm sure it's excellent. He offers this mainly to augment his "Southern Comfort" sheaths since they require the knife for individual fitting despite them being factory pieces.

Contact him at www.rivercitysheaths.com .
 
Spanish bowie anyone? It is one of my favourite patterns and I dont think there is a company making these anywhere.

I was thinking about getting one made for me in the UK by a maker in Sheffield, but I quite like the idea of an HI poduced one. If I can get a wooden model knocked up would it be possible to get one made by the kami? If so, anyone else like the idea?
 
http://alamo-de-parras.welkin.org/history/bios/bowie/knife_like_bowies.html

Click on the bowie knife names and some pictures will pop up on the screen for you. This pattern is supposed to be the one that Rezin Bowie gave to his brother James. Daniel Searles made a few models for him. Essentially it looks similar to a big kitchen knife.

As a matter of fact, I was not quite right about there not being a production version. The BK&T Fisk designed Magnum Camp knife is similar to a Spanish pattern bowie.

http://www.camillusknives.com/bkt.htm

I am sure it is a fine knife, but I am not so keen on the plastic handles and overall black finish. Something along those lines but a little more traditional is in order I think.
 
Thanks for the link. Good info on that link. I'll have to go back later.

I did a search for spanish bowie and the closest I got was David Bowie live in Spain :) or something like that. :p
 
Michael,

You might want to talk to Ivan Campos about getting one of these. They are done in the traditional Mediterranian style by local craftmen in Brazil.

n2s

44486392203_0_ALB.jpg
 
David Bowie, hmm. Not a fan.

N2S,

I've developed quite a liking to HI made choppers. If I dont get one knocked up by the kami I think I'll get one made by an exellent Sheffield maker I know of. After all, Sheffield has turned out more quality bowie's than any other place.
 
Thanks to MJJ for the interesting link.
Indeed the spanish bowie looks a lot like the mediterranean dirk (an utility / hunting knife shape popular in Spain and Italy in the old times). I like this kind of knives quite a lot. I have a Sorocabana knife I purchased from Ivan and I'm thinking of having a shorter and beefier version custom made when I 'll be back at home.
What I've found very interesting is the W. & S. Butcher knife, it really looks like the Italian army fighting knife in use during WWI and WWII, except for the nicer grip (those knives were quite ugly with wooden handle slabs).
Saluti
Fausto
 
The late nineteenth century Sheffield knives stand comparison with anything being made today. Why? They were forged from quality steel by master craftsmen. The finest woodworkers in England today look around flea markets for 19th century chisels. Why? Because they tell me that these old tools are the finest you can get-modern ones just dont compare.

The same can be said of HI's products. In application they can stand against anyone elses products-factory or otherwise. I dont know of a company making a finer field knife that HI.

A lot of the fancy steel and modern design blurb is designed to part the consumer from his or hers dollar. Unless you are in an environment that is highly corrosive, you dont need a 'stainless steel', ( I do have an SOG SEAL 2000 for use when I am in certain places-I live near the sea ). Unless you make a habit of stabbing people, then what use is the so called 'modern' tanto design? ( Have one of those as well by Cold Steel, but then I have practiced martial arts that use a knife ).

Fact is, the Spanish bowie design is age old. The Vikings among others used this pattern. It maintained constant use as a pattern for hundreds of years-when people used a knife all the time. Just like the Khukri, it is a timeless design.

That is why I think I need a Spanish bowie knife.
 
I share your fondness of timeless design and sound, no-nonsense quality. What you have said about the quality of the old tools applies to a lot of the "new vs.old" situations. In my trade (ships) we are often comparing the "pointless-but-eye-catching" features of modern cruise ships against the solid and seaworthy designs of the older ocean liners.
New buildings are safer, better equipped, more flexible but, when it comes to seaworthiness and steelwork quality, the old Ladies are still setting the standards.
Fausto
 
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