Modern Bowie design, flow and beauty

Vote for your favorite design

  • Foster

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Knight

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Hanson III,

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Andrews

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Wheeler

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    0
Very tough decision.

I am not sure I could pick a top one out of them.

For sure, "my top three" are the top three in the picture.

I like each for different reasons. The Andrews and Wheeler are not knives that I "dislike" or would find anything to criticize either.

Especially the Wheeler. I think the wood handle kicks it out of my tops for this thread, just for the fact that it is not stag or ivory etc.

I have a place in my heart for the wood handles, especially well contoured like Wheeler.

The Andrews is also a beauty. I really like the handle, and the flow. The flat oval guard is eye appealing to me, but in use, I prefer a guard that is shaped a bit more. I actually prefer the oval/flat looking guard on many knives, but in use (from my limited experience, they are not quite as comfortable on my fat knuckles).

The Hanson, from the standpoint of blade length and shape would probably be my pick, just as to blade flow. The hammon pop, including on the clip just does it for me from an ascetic standpoint. I go back and forth on blade heel shape. Round appeals to me, but I feel the angular shape of this heel really matches the handle shape, and guard on this one great.

The Burt Foster, with the S guard, sure looks great. I like Burts take on a bowie blade on this one. The entire edge seems to sweep, in one long curve. His brown stag is lovely, and he took the time to carve the front spacer to fit the shape of the "popcorn/grooves" Instead of sanding it down. That is likely a function of finding a piece of stag that is exactly the right diameter for that handle. I love the rich brown color (this is probably why the Hanson was bumped out of my top three). I know many prefer a more natural color to their stag, but amber/brown/yellowed stag just makes my mouth water! From guard to but, the stag is perfect on this one. The S-guard flows really well for me as well. I might have even preferred wrought iron over damascus in the guard and spacer and but cap on this one. I think I can see a hint of a transition line on the blade from a differential heat treat? Almost a ghost of a hammon, but I can't be sure. A more visible hammon would have made me even happier with this blade (even a laminated steel with a strong line would have made me happy, as I love this treatment more than I can say). About the only visual thing I would change about this bowie would be the S guard. Often I find them too thin. This on is just right. I would like to have seen a bevel around the guard to make it a bit more delicate. The blade shape on this one is svelt and quick looking. I feel like the guard looks a bit more robust. If it had either a 45 degree bevel around it, or some file work to lighten the look a tiny bit, it would appeal a bit more to my eye.

The Knight just touches a button for me as well. I would call that stag "Brown Banana" and mean it in the most complimentary way. I do not, as a rule, like unnaturally dyed stag, bone, burl etc. Blues, greens, purples, etc all turn me off. Even on a piece of mammoth/walrus that has taken a color from the ground, and is not dyed. Some times it is just a bit too much for me. I do, appreciate the rich dark blues that come from old mammoth etc.
The yellow in the stag on this one is a complete joy to me. When I saw it, I kept coming back to look at the pictures. Made me smile.





I would kill for any of these knives, and consider my self truly lucky to have any of them!
 
Page 2 reference:

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Here are some individual shots. I think the Foster deserves two because the handle is absurdly nice.

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sheathmaker said:
Peter, you need a John White in there to be complete (just my opinion , of course.)
Paul
Click to expand...

Paul,

I have been trying to get Mr. White to build me a ladder patter Damascus version of this one:
Perhaps you could put a good word in for me?

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Peter, five wicked knives to group up! Just an awesome display of talent. Some talent shown by the collector, also. :thumbup:

Not much to dislike, no matter your taste. Looking at design, flow and beauty, my favorites are the Hanson and Andrews, with Don getting my vote. Other than the big guard on the Foster, I like all that I see.

- Joe
 
I voted for the Hansen, the Andrews is a close second.
For me the guard on Foster is a bit big, I think a small s guard would have better flow with that blade. Very nice anyway though!
 
I think the thing I like most about the Hanson is its futuristic look, coupled with ancient materials and technique.

The big deciding factor for me is design, as all these knives are done to the max technically.

Design incorporates the Artistic element the most in my world, and the play that Don brings out between future and past, tradition and invention is seriously impressive to me. In other words, there is more to it for me than a gorgeous knife, which all of these are; Don's knife SAYS something more to me.

I consider Don to be like the Jurgen Steineau of bowies. There is always a conversation going on already.
 
All beauties but I went with Hanson. Its funny I always would have preferred a softer clip but after hearing what Coop said about the choil, I kind of have to agree with him.
 
Every one fantastic, but to me, the Andrews is near perfection, with the Knight a close second.

I prefer the straighter line to the handle on the Andrews, and I love the big drawn swedge, but the more curved handle on the Knight also goes well with the wider recurved blade.
 
Out of the bunch the R.Andrews knife. It's not too pointy to be a working knife (stronger tip). Look at the Ricasso/Choil area. It looks big enough for gloved hands with no pinching. That clip is unobtrusive with its nice flow. Very organic and classic. I won't point out what I dislike about the others (let me just say some learn more toward the form not the function).
 
All great knives but my vote goes to Don Hanson. Sleek, flowing blade and an amazing looking piece of ivory (I'm not that fond of stag or wood).

Marcel
 
Well that's an enviable bowie collection just right there. No stinkers in the bunch that I can see. I've held them all and would be happy to call any one my own. In fact, each of those makers is represented in my collection as well.

In terms of critique, I'd like to see a bit less ricasso on the Andrews piece - and I expect that today you likely would, as this is an older JS piece from Russ. That said, I have the companion bowie with a similarly long ricasso and it is a piece that will likely never leave my collection.

Just below, I wouldn't mind seeing a touch more ricasso - just a touch - on the Wheeler as the maker's mark looks somewhat crowded on that minimal sliver of flat steel.

The massive C-guard is a tough trick to turn and I think Burt pretty much nailed it. I might wish for just a slightly thinner guard to relieve some visual mass from a design element that is already going to dominate. But I also know that the balance of that piece works well as is.

The Knight is a fantastic piece. Massively broad raised-clip recurves are not my personal aesthetic preference, but this one is so well executed and makes the expected powerful and dramatic statement.

The Hanson is sublime and is the one I will sneak out of the display case and into my luggage when I come to visit in September. It's not so much that I see it as the 'best' knife there, as much as it would not be closely mirrored by anything else in my collection. What Coop said about the execution of the clip goes for me, too. I'd love to see that exact piece replicated in damascus.

And just to be completely contradictory, I'd stuff my luggage with the Andrews just as fast precisely because it would make a great two-knife 'duel set' with the one I already have. So those are my top two.

Roger

PS - cool thread!
 
All stunning forged blades, equally fit to be the centerpiece of any Bowie collector's collection.
So.
The S guard on the Foster looked slightly incongruous in the grouping and the short ricasso on the Wheeler didn't look quite how I'd have liked.
That left a tie for the other three with the page 2 individual shots pushing the Hanson to the top by a nose.

Doug
 
You're a cruel man, Peter, for making us choose our favorite out of those. All are sickeningly sweet, but I can't stop looking at that Wheeler.
 
I'm not much for Bowies but will vote anyway, for the Wheeler, because it's got one BIG thing going for it that the other Bowies here don't, ie, an ergonomic handle that fits my hand, according to my eye.
 
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I voted Knight; why?

I realize I'm a nobody but these things stuck out to me as reasons to vote the way I did:

Foster- Guard size and perceived up sweep of the blade? I also prefer a bit of straight or re-curve area on a blade the edge seems to be one gentle sweep?

Knight- Wide blade, re-curve, balance of size/proportion between clip and blade, guard shape and design (the ever so slight sweep of the bottom), and handle material.

Hanson- Plunge on the clip

Andrews- Size/proportion of clip to blade, size of ricasso

Wheeler- Nothing I don't like just not as much of what I do like.
 
What draws me to the Knight Bowie is the width to length ratio. To my eye/brain the wider knife "fits". I really like Nick's handles.
 
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Those five are great pieces and I'll be the very happy camper indeed if I were named as the custodian of any of it :thumbup:
Anyhow in choosing the knife as per requested I work it through elimination process.
IMVHO Burt's Bowie should not be compared with the others because it is the only one with an S guard.
The same goes with Jason's Bowie because it's the only one made from damascus plus it's the only one with a recurve edge.
Among the last three Andrews Bowie is having a flat guard and IMVHO a flat guard somehow is not that comfy for a push forward grip.
In choosing between Don's and Nick's I'm bias to Don's because of my personal liking to a large knife and I'm an admirer of a wild hamon!
So that's how things work my way!

mohd
 
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