- Joined
- Jul 31, 2002
- Messages
- 2,959
Greetings, fellas. I figured I'd ask some input from all you guys, and see what we come up with.
I've been thinking about my big bowie, and what I could do to improve or change it. For reference, this is what it looks like- this is what I'm comparing to.
I may not go the direction I'm contemplating, but I'd like to experiment. Unfortunately, I don't have time these days, so it may be quite a while before I get to try this.
I'm gonna describe the things I'd like to improve with my next big knife, as compared to my current one. (again, see pics above.) I'd like you all to start thinkin' about how the changes and pieces would all come together, and see if your design looks anything like the one I've come up with. Drawings and pictures would be great if you can do 'em.
One thing I'd probably do different, is use a different steel, if for no other reason than just to see how tough it is. I'm thinking CPM 3V, S5, or possibly L6.
I'm thinking about making the next one just a bit shorter- maybe 22 inches overall, but no less.
The flat main grind is just barely thick enough to prevent damage above the edge. I ground the rear half the the blade much thinner than the tip, (intentionally, but it was flawed reasoning) and it now has a ripple that extends about a half inch into the meat of the blade. So, I'm thinking about using a convex grind on the next one, so I have more support behind the edge.
However, if I go with a full convex grind, I'm afraid the blade will be far too heavy. I still want to keep it at least 2 inches wide, because I like the idea of "sectional density", and I don't want to have to use thin stock to compensate for it, because I prefer stiffness. In fact, I'd like the blade to be stiffer than my present knife, which was ground from 1/4" stock. (with plenty of tapers)
So, I'm thinking I'd use fullers to reduce the weight, while still allowing the blade to have a thick maximal cross section.
But how do you make some serious fullers, without totally changing the whole aesthetics of the traditional Sheffield bowie? Would it even still look like a bowie?
This knife must have great cutting power, but at the same time be quick in the hand. Though hard objects are not its primary targets, reality dictates that the blade must be able to withstand them. I.E., hard accidental hits on rocks and such.
The guard needs to be changed. I have no problem carrying around a two foot long knife all day. The two pounds or so stuck in my belt (crossdraw) don't bother me. BUT, the top arm of that guard sure does! That sucker digs right into my "love handle", and is the most uncomfortable part of carrying this huge knife. I do need a guard, to keep my hand in place during thrusts. But I have to do something different....
I like the way the tip curves upwards to the point. But, at the same time, the tip is a bit too high compared to the centerline of the handle. I'd like to have the point below centerline.
I use this knife for powerful chopping most of the time, (maybe around 85%-90% of the time) but still need a point fine enough for thrusting. My knife above is the widest I want to go with the point.
I still need a good sized pommel or butt, to keep it from squirting out of my hand during adrenalized swings. I made the above bowie's handle symmetrical, because I use it edge up, so I can use the sharpened false edge for certain tasks. But, I must admit I use it in the "normal" edge down fashion far more often, so I may be willing to compromise here.
The guard keeps my hand from sliding forward, the pommel keeps it from sliding back; now I need to keep it from flipping sideways out of my grasp. I.E., the momentum of the swinging knife is almost enough to open my fingers a bit, if I don't expect it. I need something else on the handle to keep it from sliding or twising sideways.
My current bowie has a gentle recurve to the main edge, and I'd like to try a more pronounced recurve, to see how much more cutting power I can really gain (if any).
I still need the sharpened false edge. I like the concave curve for certain applications, but I want to change the grinds so there's not such a dramatic difference in the distal tapers. That is, the spine of the knife is 1/4" thick in front of the guard, but suddenly decreases where the false edge starts. Then it takes another sudden decrease in thickness where the clip starts. On a couple occasions during heavy chopping, I've noticed the blade flexing right at these locations. It may be nothing, but in theory, it would be better if these forces were spread evenly over the full length of the blade. If it keeps getting stressed in these "hot spots", it could theoretically cause premature fatigue failure.
The scabbard- My current one is wood. It needs reinforcement at the throat, as my quick drawing has already split the mouth. The body of the scabbard needs to be rather sturdy, because I carry it tucked through my belt, with a frog stud to keep it from dropping all the way through. (speaking of which, the frog stud needs to be lots bigger.) So if the scabbard were too flimsy, it would bend under my belt, preventing resheathing. This is especially important when moving- the scabbard really takes some strain getting twisted under my belt.
So, taking all the above into consideration, what would the new knife look like? Does it still look like a bowie? Is it possible to do all this at once? I already have a quick sketch drawn up, but want to see your ideas first.
Again, drawings would be great, and have fun with this one!
I've been thinking about my big bowie, and what I could do to improve or change it. For reference, this is what it looks like- this is what I'm comparing to.
I may not go the direction I'm contemplating, but I'd like to experiment. Unfortunately, I don't have time these days, so it may be quite a while before I get to try this.
I'm gonna describe the things I'd like to improve with my next big knife, as compared to my current one. (again, see pics above.) I'd like you all to start thinkin' about how the changes and pieces would all come together, and see if your design looks anything like the one I've come up with. Drawings and pictures would be great if you can do 'em.
One thing I'd probably do different, is use a different steel, if for no other reason than just to see how tough it is. I'm thinking CPM 3V, S5, or possibly L6.
I'm thinking about making the next one just a bit shorter- maybe 22 inches overall, but no less.
The flat main grind is just barely thick enough to prevent damage above the edge. I ground the rear half the the blade much thinner than the tip, (intentionally, but it was flawed reasoning) and it now has a ripple that extends about a half inch into the meat of the blade. So, I'm thinking about using a convex grind on the next one, so I have more support behind the edge.
However, if I go with a full convex grind, I'm afraid the blade will be far too heavy. I still want to keep it at least 2 inches wide, because I like the idea of "sectional density", and I don't want to have to use thin stock to compensate for it, because I prefer stiffness. In fact, I'd like the blade to be stiffer than my present knife, which was ground from 1/4" stock. (with plenty of tapers)
So, I'm thinking I'd use fullers to reduce the weight, while still allowing the blade to have a thick maximal cross section.
But how do you make some serious fullers, without totally changing the whole aesthetics of the traditional Sheffield bowie? Would it even still look like a bowie?
This knife must have great cutting power, but at the same time be quick in the hand. Though hard objects are not its primary targets, reality dictates that the blade must be able to withstand them. I.E., hard accidental hits on rocks and such.
The guard needs to be changed. I have no problem carrying around a two foot long knife all day. The two pounds or so stuck in my belt (crossdraw) don't bother me. BUT, the top arm of that guard sure does! That sucker digs right into my "love handle", and is the most uncomfortable part of carrying this huge knife. I do need a guard, to keep my hand in place during thrusts. But I have to do something different....
I like the way the tip curves upwards to the point. But, at the same time, the tip is a bit too high compared to the centerline of the handle. I'd like to have the point below centerline.
I use this knife for powerful chopping most of the time, (maybe around 85%-90% of the time) but still need a point fine enough for thrusting. My knife above is the widest I want to go with the point.
I still need a good sized pommel or butt, to keep it from squirting out of my hand during adrenalized swings. I made the above bowie's handle symmetrical, because I use it edge up, so I can use the sharpened false edge for certain tasks. But, I must admit I use it in the "normal" edge down fashion far more often, so I may be willing to compromise here.
The guard keeps my hand from sliding forward, the pommel keeps it from sliding back; now I need to keep it from flipping sideways out of my grasp. I.E., the momentum of the swinging knife is almost enough to open my fingers a bit, if I don't expect it. I need something else on the handle to keep it from sliding or twising sideways.
My current bowie has a gentle recurve to the main edge, and I'd like to try a more pronounced recurve, to see how much more cutting power I can really gain (if any).
I still need the sharpened false edge. I like the concave curve for certain applications, but I want to change the grinds so there's not such a dramatic difference in the distal tapers. That is, the spine of the knife is 1/4" thick in front of the guard, but suddenly decreases where the false edge starts. Then it takes another sudden decrease in thickness where the clip starts. On a couple occasions during heavy chopping, I've noticed the blade flexing right at these locations. It may be nothing, but in theory, it would be better if these forces were spread evenly over the full length of the blade. If it keeps getting stressed in these "hot spots", it could theoretically cause premature fatigue failure.
The scabbard- My current one is wood. It needs reinforcement at the throat, as my quick drawing has already split the mouth. The body of the scabbard needs to be rather sturdy, because I carry it tucked through my belt, with a frog stud to keep it from dropping all the way through. (speaking of which, the frog stud needs to be lots bigger.) So if the scabbard were too flimsy, it would bend under my belt, preventing resheathing. This is especially important when moving- the scabbard really takes some strain getting twisted under my belt.
So, taking all the above into consideration, what would the new knife look like? Does it still look like a bowie? Is it possible to do all this at once? I already have a quick sketch drawn up, but want to see your ideas first.
Again, drawings would be great, and have fun with this one!
Go for it!! 
Maybe I'll see if I can get it within 2 1/2" by lessening the curvature a bit. Either way, there's gonna be more steel laying on my shop floor than in the blade when I'm done.