Meeting Bill Bagwell

Mike Sastre

Mike Sastre

Custom Crafted Concealex Sheaths
Joined
Mar 23, 1999
Messages
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This is a "heads-up" for anyone interested in Bill Bagwell's knives or in meeting him in person. Bill does not do many shows at all, but will be at the Ohio Classic in Cambridge, OH on Oct 26 & 27. This is a Friday-Saturday show. Talked with him last night, and he plans on having at least a couple big Bowies, a few hunters, and a couple intermediate fighters (7-9" blades) with him. Of course he can take orders as well, and since he has the ability to tweak the knife to YOUR personal characteristics, an in person interview can't be beat. Bill is one of the founding members of the ABS, Battle Blades editor for SOF, often called "King of the Bowie Knives", very knowledgeable in Bowie fighting techniques, and willing to share his opinions. :) This is a rare opportunity to meet a legend.
 
wish I lived in the U.S. Do you know Mike and sorry to put you on the spot a bit whether he got my letter? :D Though doubtless he gets hundreds
 
pootsy,

Without a real name, I couldn't have a clue about your letter. Send me real name and I can ask him. It's usually better to contact him by phone, as he needs to ask you some questions if you want a knife. (903) 938-0905
 
Sorry Philip Poots is my name :D. yea I know I would ring him but first I'd be nervous, second he probably couldn't make out my accent and third it would probably cost me and him a lot of money whichis soemthing i don't want to do. And well I'm a traditionalist at heart, I love writing letters. And just another wee question Mike (if you don't mind me calling you that :D) Do you like Cold Steel's Laredo Bowie, just I think you referred to it in one of your replies to another thread and I jus wondered?? Cos I do like it, got it in my belt at the mo :D.

And cheers and thanks very much btw, very decent of ya, I'm touched by how nice people are on here.
 
Philip,

I like the Laredo. For a production knife, it's about the best "all around everything you'd want to do with a Bowie" knife. That said, my main preferrence is custom forged, like my Bagwells. Here's a couple of pictures Coffin handled Bowie is my first Bagwell (9.5" blade). The stag handled knife has a 10.25" blade. I'll check your letter with Bill when I can.
 
Mike-
Regarding the Laredo, do you know of anyone else that's had problems with the handle coming loose, or has seen the tang? Check out post number 5 of this thread (by Minuteman). The tang of his Laredo was only an inch or two long, and a piece of twisted cable is all that holds the handle together. Not my idea of proper design/craftsmanship...
 
Cheers Mike, Jus I got one of the Older American ones the other month and I really like it and can only dream of what a real Bowie, i.e. a Bagwell would be like. I put a magnet to the hilt of mine and it attracts the whole way to the rivet at the bottom so i presume is goes the whole way through, least I hope so. seems to be sturdy enough :D
 
The wire cable would also attract a magnet, so I'm not sure what can be concluded from that. I guess use the hell out of it, and see if it falls apart...
 
so what are we talking a rat tail tang???:confused::eek::confused: Just being able to see the end, i.e. the rivet sort of convinces me. And it doesn't look like cable looks like a rod:confused::D
 
pootsythesamurai said:
so what are we talking a rat tail tang???:confused::eek::confused: Just being able to see the end, i.e. the rivet sort of convinces me. And it doesn't look like cable looks like a rod:confused::D
Click to expand...
I'm not sure exactly what you're asking, but you should be able to able to have confidence in any blade made by Bill Bagwell!
 
For clarification, I was talking about the Cold Steel Laredo; not anything from Bill Bagwell.

From the description in the link I provided above, it sound like there is a piece of threaded rod welded or soldered to the end of the cable, to accept a nut that holds the handle tight. Thus you can't tell just by looking at the butt of the knife either. Sounds like you could only tell if the handle failed during use, or you took it apart for a look.
 
yea we're talking about cold steel :D and maybe a shortcut that they've taken. No queries about Mr Bagwell's work def not from me, he's the man who's work I love. :D
 
You WON"T have any problems with Bill's customs. They are hand forged to be weapons you can stake your life on. I haven't heard any negatives on the CS Laredo handle, except for the guy who took the handle off. In the process of testing an SK-5 doing snap cuts, chopping cuts, and cleaving cuts against hard targets (tree limbs). My interest is in how it will perform as a weapon. So far, so good, no problems. Getting back to Bill Bagwell's knives, if you can't afford one, or are on the waiting list for one of Bill's customs, Ontario did a great job of making a production Bagwell at an affordable price. After a long successful run, Ontario is finally phasing these out, but they can still be had at dealers (I got the last two produced at the factory heading my way), so get 'em while you can.
 
A custom Bagwell bowie is the only knife that I really hope to be able to afford someday before Bagwell becomes too old to make knives anymore (which I hope isn't for a very long time).

All other knives I can either make myself, or do just fine without. But a Bagwell bowie, my heart longs for one.
 
Yea I really want a Bagwell, it's the only Bowie i've ever yearned after, and thankfully because of the hindsight of my parents putting money away for me and i can afford one, Lucky me:D
 
To Mike Sastre,
Could you post pictures of your personal Bagwell Bowies out of the kydex sheaths?
Regarding the sheaths, who is the maker and is there any scratching of the blade surface caused by the kydex material?
Thank you
 
Kydex is incapable of scratching blades. The metal or hard particulate that can be trapped in the interior of the sheath, just as in a leather sheath, can scratch a blade.

Great pics, Mike!
 
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