Old Ward Bowie Knife

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Pepi

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Dec 19, 2016
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Hi Guys! New here. Been going through all my old knifes to figure out what I have. I've searched the internet high and low and cannot find this old Ward bowie anywhere? I see other Ward bowie knifes but not one with a handle like this one. Sure is ugly :D

Thanks

WARD_zpsxkdjgivx.jpg
 
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You need to upgrade your membership level, if you want to ask values.

Very nice old knife BTW.
 
Pepi said:
Hi Guys! New here. Been going through all my old knifes to figure out what I have. I've searched the internet high and low and cannot find this old Ward bowie anywhere? I see other Ward bowie knifes but not one with a handle like this one. Sure is ugly :D

Thanks

WARD_zpsxkdjgivx.jpg
Click to expand...

That's a ward master quality hunting knife from the Montgomery Ward hardware chain.
I know that they had some knives produced by western, but I'm not sure about this one as it looks stainless to me.
 
The closest one I can find was on Ebay but mine has a weird handle on it. Almost appears to be a hard plastic. Man this knife will hold a very sharp edge. I was hoping I could remove the handle and make one that is a better fit for the hand. This flat handle is terrible.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Old...e-Style-Fighting-Knife-w-Sheath-/401058892903

The knife may have been made by Kinfold. It has a handle hold down like below on this Kinfold knife

Vintage-Kinfolks-War-Era-Fighting-Knife-_57.jpg
 
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The hard plastic handle is celluloid. That was called "cracked ice" on ones made by Western. However, that one is NOT one made by Western. All the ones made for Ward's were made using their (Western's) double tang/double pin construction.

The brass pommel nut construction was mostly pre-WW2. I would guess Marble, Case or Kinfolk on this one. Possibly Union Cutlery aka Kabar. Gunsil can tell us if it is a Kabar made knife.
 
That handle is easy to remove and replace. Just take a cheap screwdriver as wide as the slot or as close as you can get and file a notch in the tip of the screwdriver that is as wide or just a hair wider than the center screw so that the notched screwdriver will slide over and go into the side notches as deep as you can get it. file the notch deeper if yo have to. Then just screw it off. Might want to spray some penetrating oil in there like PB Blaster, WD40 or whatever you have to help loosen any old rust or dirt. It should screw right off and then just slide the handle off and install any new handle you make for it using the old one as a pattern. I have done it on several old knives I have traded for or bought off ebay and it has always been easy to get the nuts off that way. When you reassemble it just make sure you degrease the threads well and use some locktite on it to keep it from loosening up. Don't overtighten it.
 
Honestly, I wouldn't try to "improve" an old classic knife like that by changing out the handle. You've already had someone post that the knife is probably at least 70+ years old. It'd be a shame to ruin it now. I used to think many old knives were ugly when I was younger, but I've developed an appreciation for the styles of yesteryear as I've gotten older. I have regretted most of the modifications I've ever done to older knives. It also screws up any resale/collector value. Unless you have experience replacing handles, really can't stand the one that's on it, and just HAVE to use that knife, I'd leave it as is.......
 
riversidedep said:
Honestly, I wouldn't try to "improve" an old classic knife like that by changing out the handle. You've already had someone post that the knife is probably at least 70+ years old. It'd be a shame to ruin it now. I used to think many old knives were ugly when I was younger, but I've developed an appreciation for the styles of yesteryear as I've gotten older. I have regretted most of the modifications I've ever done to older knives. It also screws up any resale/collector value. Unless you have experience replacing handles, really can't stand the one that's on it, and just HAVE to use that knife, I'd leave it as is.......
Click to expand...

I agree ... After thinking about it I think I will wrap the handle with 550 paracord to make it easier to use. I want to make some use of the knife instead of just letting it sit around. My father would have liked me using it :)


I'm also thinking this knife may be a 'Lone Ranger' :p
 
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If you do remandle it you can always put it back to origional just don't lock tight or peen the threads. It shouldn't really need it anyway.
 
I'd also replace the handle with one that feels better, and keep the original away from any steel. If a lump of celluloid that big breaks down it makes a mess of the knife.
 
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