My Bagwell

Marsus,

This is an innocent question, not an accusation, but could it possibly be that your knife is a Bagwell blade that has been re-handled? I ask because over the years, and as a sheathmaker specializing in Bowie sheaths, I have probably handled more Bagwell Bowies than anyone other than Bill himself or one certain California collector, and I've never seen a handle or guard like that. Just not his style. I also own six Bagwells myself, and am on the list for another. Again, this is just a question. That is one nice looking Bowie.
 
I have purchased this knife to another Italian collector-I dont know if the knife was rehandled,but in the case it was so it was nade very well.Now it can be used for the chopping and the fighting,a real military knife.Apart this, Bagwell it is the maker that I prefer and aspect to find and to purchase some other his knives in this forum-
Thank you Mike,I already knew you of name-
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Either way, it's hard to beat a Bagwell blade! Checked your site and you've got a nice collection!!
 
Mike Sastre said:
Either way, it's hard to beat a Bagwell blade! Checked your site and you've got a nice collection!!
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You are right a work must be original,if it is not migliorabile because nobody is God gone down in earth-
my web site collection is incomplete,I have the others knives even more beautiful-
Thanks
 
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MARSUS said:
I have purchased this knife to another Italian collector-I dont know if the knife was rehandled,but in the case it was so it was made very well.
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The work on that knife has no resemblance to how Bill Bagwell normally builds a knife, including the squared off lugs on the guard, the handle material treatment, and the colored spacers.

It is a very fine looking knife and you should take much enjoyment from it, but if it has been rehandled(which can easily be checked with Mr. Bagwell, computers can be wonderful), it must be stated as such if you ever go to sell it....to do otherwise would be tantamount to fraud, imo.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Bill did not do the guard or the handle and the edge has been reprofiled and the blade was probale reetched .. Marsus if you are looking for more of Bills work he is still taking orders
 
JParanee said:
Bill did not do the guard or the handle and the edge has been reprofiled and the blade was probale reetched .. Marsus if you are looking for more of Bills work he is still taking orders
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the handle I don't know it,the blade is absolutely original, have seen another equal blade to a French bagwell collector-
Thanh you
 
JParanee said:
Bill did not do the guard or the handle and the edge has been reprofiled and the blade was probale reetched .. Marsus if you are looking for more of Bills work he is still taking orders
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The other Bagwell ,one of the first ones,your guard is equal to my knife

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Marsus I emailed you in private that the knife had been redone. I was not guessing I sent the pic to bill this is what he wrote back


Joe--I looked at the pictures of the Damascus Bowie you sent me.* I made the blade in the mid seventies.* I did not do the handle and guard.* I quit using lugged guards way before I started using a name stamp or making Damascus.* Someone has rebuilt the knife with different handle and fittings, and reground the edge bevel.* The cutting edge has been reground as well, as* I do not use such an abrupt* bevel on my cutting edges.

*Gotta go, Best, Bill*


Sorry to be the one to have to tell you I did not want to rain on your parade that is why I emailed you in private but I thought you should know.* Thanks for posting the very early pics I believe they where from a french magazine La Passion Deys Couteaux a gentleman named Jean Luc Silberris wrote the article and the top knife was given to him by Bill when he visited him in the US. According to Bill it was one of the first knives he made. Who ever did the guard on your knife must have seen the same pic.* I am not trying to be a drag but the facts are the facts. It is still a very nice knife and I would be proud of it.
 
Hi I am a new member on the forum, but a long time lover of fine knives. One of my knives is a Bill Bagwell Hells Bell's damascus bowie. I am wondering if I have messed up my knife by sharpening it with a lansky sharpening kit. Other then the sharpening, the knife still looks new and unused. Not that I would ever sell it, I just hate to think I might have ruined it. Let me know what the other Bagwell collectors think. Thanks for your time and trouble. JKS1911.
 
"De Oppresso Liber" is the motto of the US Army Special Forces, and you will find it on their crest, it roughly translate to "To Free from Oppression".
 
jks1911 said:
Hi I am a new member on the forum, but a long time lover of fine knives. One of my knives is a Bill Bagwell Hells Bell's damascus bowie. I am wondering if I have messed up my knife by sharpening it with a lansky sharpening kit. Other then the sharpening, the knife still looks new and unused. Not that I would ever sell it, I just hate to think I might have ruined it. Let me know what the other Bagwell collectors think. Thanks for your time and trouble. JKS1911.
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Can you post a pic. The problem is Bagwell uses a convex edge and his blades have a distal taper a Lansky will not work to resharpen this type of configuration. If it was a carbon blade it would be easy to fix but on a damascus blade even useing a piece of sandpaper and a mouse and being very careful you are still going to probale get into the etch when you try and convex the edge again. Post a pic so we can see how high you went up the blade. It is a pain to try and spot etch a blade . By the way welcome to the forum
 
jks1911 said:
Hi I am a new member on the forum, but a long time lover of fine knives. One of my knives is a Bill Bagwell Hells Bell's damascus bowie. I am wondering if I have messed up my knife by sharpening it with a lansky sharpening kit. Other then the sharpening, the knife still looks new and unused. Not that I would ever sell it, I just hate to think I might have ruined it. Let me know what the other Bagwell collectors think. Thanks for your time and trouble. JKS1911.
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By now it is ruined forever,if want me I buy it this way it comes to make company to my Bagwell and they are done each other courage:D A knife is not a picture, he must be used and resharpened it is not more original and its price is smaller,where stà the problem?It is irremediable to cut the barrels to a double rifle Holland & Holland to cut the head to the Gioconda of Leonardo Da Vinci, one Bagwell also with different sharpening he can be used equally,surely Bagwell works knives with the hope that is used ,and he knows that not all are knifemakers -
 
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Marsus I think Bill would be pleased to have his knives compared to Holland and Holland:thumbup: Of any maker I know Bill wants his blades to be used and resharpened he tells me all the time to carry and use my damascus HB. But alas I have seen lansky sharpeners wreck more blades than I care to mention sure the blade will still cut but the blade was ment to have a convex edge and will perform better that way . Glad to see you posting here and I enjoy your humor and taste:)
 
JParanee said:
Marsus I think Bill would be pleased to have his knives compared to Holland and Holland:thumbup: Of any maker I know Bill wants his blades to be used and resharpened he tells me all the time to carry and use my damascus HB. But alas I have seen lansky sharpeners wreck more blades than I care to mention sure the blade will still cut but the blade was ment to have a convex edge and will perform better that way . Glad to see you posting here and I enjoy your humor and taste:)
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Also I am for the respect of the characteristics of the knife and for the work of the expert knifemaker,some times this is not possible for guilt of others or for our guilt,it doesn't need to do him of it an illness and to think that this is a beautiful game and all passes in second floor-I have seen that someone worries him for the loss of money when the knife is not anymore mint and original,if this is thought it is worthwhile to invest in other things,I in the knife see contained the millennial culture of a people and it is this that excites me ,so much to be felt its odor and it is for this that hook the western knives-
Thanks,Joe
 
I too had doubts as to the Bowie's background at first glance. But on the other hand, I thought if it were in fact Bagwell, it would immediately move into second place from a visual standpoint of all Bagwell's I have seen.

I was wondering if you have or if there were previous owner's you can question as to it's past?
Would be interesting in itself, to find who/why altered the knife so drastically.
 
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Kevin Jones said:
I too had doubts as to the Bowie's background at first glance. But on the other hand, I thought if it were in fact Bagwell, it would immediately move into second place from a visual standpoint of all Bagwell's I have seen.

I was wondering if you have or if there were previous owner's you can question as to it's past?
Would be interesting in itself, to find who/why altered the knife so drastically.
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I have contacted the precedent owner if he answers me I do you him to know.I hope that he doesn't make merchant ears-
 
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