Looking for some guidance on custom makers..

jac_solar

jac_solar

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Sep 1, 2013
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I'm not sure if this is the correct forum for this - if it's not, I apologize.

I assume that certain knife makers have more practice with certain kinds of knives, and as such, I was wondering if anyone knows of anyone regarding this: Specifically, I'm looking for a custom maker who can make a very large Bowie (20-23 inch overall, 0.4ish inch thickness steel, very wide. Want it to be usable, of course, but it's not for use - it'd be a display piece.)

Basically, a very large, wide & thick bowie with handle guards.
 
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jac_solar said:
I'm not sure if this is the correct forum for this - if it's not, I apologize.

I assume that certain knife makers have more practice with certain kinds of knives, and as such, I was wondering if anyone knows of anyone regarding this: Specifically, I'm looking for a custom maker who can make a very large Bowie (20-23 inch overall, 1 inch thickness steel, very wide. Want it to be usable, of course, but it's not for use.)
Click to expand...

If that's the case you might want to rethink your specs. That's a lot of steel you're asking for. I don't think I've ever seen a knife that thick, not even khukuris.
 
I've done one that size but the steel was ONLY .600" thick LOL. I could do one in 1" stock but I'll tell you up front it aint gonna be cheap. If you're interested send me an email at the address listed below. Once I have your address I'll send you some pics of the one I"m talking about.
Just so you know, the one made with .600" steel weighed 7.75 lbs.
 
Yeah, you're all right. 0.5+ would indeed be more than enough. I'll edit the initial post.
 
darrin sanders said:
I've done one that size but the steel was ONLY .600" thick LOL. I could do one in 1" stock but I'll tell you up front it aint gonna be cheap. If you're interested send me an email at the address listed below. Once I have your address I'll send you some pics of the one I"m talking about.
Just so you know, the one made with .600" steel weighed 7.75 lbs.
Click to expand...

Dang, that's as much as a rifle!
 
Hello!

I do.have competition choppers that are (at least in part) about as thick as your are looking for, but even in their shorter size, these are heavy beasts for sure!

original.jpg


Regards,
Alex
 
Well, since I allready produced a double tap, I do have an old custom by Mike Leach (1977) that is only 19 inches long and more machete-like but has a partial blade thickness of close to (only) 1cm, and that right there is VERY hefty to swing!

original.jpg


A looker only with it's full mirror polished D2 blade for me though.

Regards,
Alex
 
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Swing your heaviest chopper all day and then decide.

I was a whore for thickness until the rain forests humbled me.
 
I tried to make a crude overview "design" of what I'm looking for -- it's not supposed to be exact, it's more of an illustration of the basics that I'd like. I used 2 pictures of other blade shapes to illustrate stuff I'd like incorporated into the design - I assume that is not illegal.. ? If it is, I apologize, and I will remove them from the picture.

The knife itself is a custom Bowie (Custom made by Hibben, I think.) someone posted on these forums. I asked the guy awhile ago if he was ok with me using his design for a custom, and he was. (If there's a problem, though, please let me know.)

This is a photoshop of the custom bowie, with some of the alterations I'd like - ie, the knife should be a bowie, but if a custom maker knew how to incorporate some more complex grinds/bevels into it, then that would be great.

PixsV0K.jpg


Wow, Alex, those are some nice knives. Do you have more pictures of the competition choppers?

Jay -- haha. :) I don't really use knives, though - I'm into it for the collecting. It would be more of a display piece kind of thing; functional, but not necessarily practical. :)
 
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As I look at this thread and these pictures I think you almost have to make a decision. A knife could be that size, or it could be practical and useful, but not really both. I'm estimating here but a knife that size would be 6 lbs plus I'm sure. Not trying to discourage you, but I wonder how prepared you are, for the cost of this. It's not a knife I would make for a customer, but if someone will, it won't be remotely cheap. Also, with steel that thick and a grind at that height, the bevel angle would be a lot more like an axe than a knife.
 
I hate to come off like Debbie Downer here, but...... :foot:

Just about any knife with a broom-stick handle like that is going to be uncomfortable to use, but a knife with the dimensions you're talking about and THAT handle would be damn near unbearable to use... :eek:

With SOOOO much steel hanging out there in front of the guard, you NEED a handle that will fill the hand and offer you control.

The combination above would have all kinds of lateral deflection.

Plus it kills the flow of the knife to have a handle that's half as wide as the ricasso, IMHO. But that's personal taste.

The functionality of the handle to blade is just physics. :)
 
Any knife with a blade thicker than 1/4"-5/16" is a club.

I like something between 3/16" -1/4" for a Big Knife...
 
never thought I'd see Wieland, Hibben and Carillo together in one photo!

my question to you, is WHY do you feel the specs you've outlined so far are important to you?
 
Hm, I thought I posted earlier - that's happened a couple of times on Bladeforums. I go to a thread where I thought I posted something, and it turns out that I didn't. Is someone deleting my messages, or is it a problem with the system?

Anyhow, I appreciate everyone's opinion on this -- even if it's to point out (correct) design problems. The reason I want such a large knife is because I want a large, ridiculous knife as a "display piece". I certainly don't expect to be able to use something like that efficiently at anything knife related, but I would still like a knife that has the correct heat treatment, materials, is very sturdy and could be used.

Even though I don't use knives, and I just collect them, I still want them to be functional - functionality is one of the most important reasons of why I enjoy collecting knives. Putting up a non-functional display sword for display seems to be kind of pointless - if it's just a representation of a sword, axe, etc, someone is after, it might as well be made of some sort of aluminium, rubber, plastic, wood, or even inflatable. But, I wonder.. do the people who put up fantasy design swords, knives and axes (The kinds with no heat treat, random steel and the likes.), think of them as weapons, or that they could be used as weapons?

Are there anyone who makes a 20 OAL, thick and wide bowie, by the way?
 
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