Paul Chen Bell Bowie

W

Waco Kid

Joined
Apr 7, 2006
Messages
91
Alright -- I know someone on this forum owns one.

How does this thing stand up to actual use?

It's supposedly very light and well balanced, pretty well constructed, too. For some reason, No One really talks about it... :confused:

I only just discovered it by browsing through SwordForum, where Chen's stuff is very well known.

Anyway, I love Bowies and was thinking about picking one up for the Trails. Opinions?


-kid
 
I have one, but I have it as a part of my Bowie collection. I have not used it. I will say this about it, however. Like the Bagwell Bowies, it is not a heavy-duty camp knife. It is, rather, a fighting knife. As Dale Seago over in SwordForums has described it, it is more like a Scots Highland Dirk or even a "Whinger" than a traditional American Bowie. It is very light and very fast in the hand and ideal for a cut and thrust style of knife fighting, but it would not do well chopping wood or clearing brush. It is too light in the blade for that. Oh, it will likely hold up well, but you will tire from the work as the blade will not do the work for you as it would with a heavier blade.

So, if you are seeking a camp knife, look elsewhere. But if you are seeking a replica of a rare and very classy fighting Bowie, this is a good one.
 
Howdy, Fuller

Funny -- I'm trying to avoid 'collecting' (which I have a tendency to do) and actually use and enjoy the things I own. My brother would always make fun of me for buying things then putting them away in a closet!

Since I'm not going to be in a knifefight in a sandbar anytime soon -- I guess I'd just swing it at imaginary foes and cut weeds and grass on the trails...

Although, I think I'm like most people on this forum who want their knives to be real users whether or not we plan on really using them...

Couple more quetions if you don't mind:

1. Any word on the 'mystery' carbon steel of the blade?
2. Is it a Full Tang or Hidden Tang?


Thanks!
-kid
 
It is full tang, in that you can see the tang at the top and bottom of the hilt between the scales.

I have no idea of the steel. At one point, Paul Chen was using old railroad track, but my guess is that this supply is gone. The steel in his products has always been good, it was the heat treat in the early Godfred swords that presented problems.
 
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