Production "old west" bowie

MTHall720

MTHall720

Joined
Sep 21, 2010
Messages
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I have been looking for a production Old West bowie knife which looks a little bit like the real thing and is not just a wall hanger. In addition to the CS Laredo, the Ontario Coffin handled and the Gambler bowie cN anyone else recommend one?
Thanks to all for your ideas.
 
I used to have a Western W49 and it was a great bowie!

Lost it in the fire.
 
Search for Paul Chens Hanwei bowies,they came out a few years ago, the Bell Bowie sold out instantly but they made a line of about 6 or more. I think there are a few still around. Really nice repro Bowies.

Best regards

Robin
 
Muela magnum

alcaraz-magnum-cuchillo04.jpg
 
The problem with Muela knives, as nice as many of them look, is that most of them are not full tang. Be careful about pulling the trigger on one of them, if that bothers you, and make sure you get a model with full tang.
 
scotchleaf said:
weren't real old-west bowies "stick tang" knives?
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Yes, or at least some were, depending on the design (keep in mind that "Bowie" doesn't refer to a singular design). And a well-made stick tang knife can still be a very capable "user," as history has shown.

Many of the earliest Bowie examples however, in the Natchez style, had a full tang:

owu44.jpg
 
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I am mighty impressed with my new BUCK 124 FRONTIERMAN. This is a new run of these and they are beasutifully made. Been using it since last fall and have yet to see the need to sharpen it.
I also believe the modern Bowie knife is personified by the C/S TRAILMASTER.
 
Smithhammer said:
Yes, or at least some were, depending on the design (keep in mind that "Bowie" doesn't refer to a singular design). And a well-made stick tang knife can still be a very capable "user," as history has shown.

Many of the earliest Bowie examples however, in the Natchez style, had a full tang:

owu44.jpg
Click to expand...

The description of the first Bowie is interesting as it seems it is simpler than the one you show. It sounds like it was a cross between a scalper and a butcher with a simple riveted handle. I think Old Hickory might have a pattern that is similar ( but a lot thinner steel) or perhaps a Russell Green River pattern.
 
Bo T said:
The description of the first Bowie is interesting as it seems it is simpler than the one you show. It sounds like it was a cross between a scalper and a butcher with a simple riveted handle. I think Old Hickory might have a pattern that is similar ( but a lot thinner steel) or perhaps a Russell Green River pattern.
Click to expand...

Most historians seem to largely agree that the knife Jim Bowie used at the Vidalia fight was a very simple, guardless design based on the popular French/Spanish coffin-handle knives of the time. It's important to remember that there was no such thing as a "Bowie" knife when this famous incident happened - there was merely the knife that JB had on him at the time, which later became famous, and evolved over time into a quite different style.

According to Jim's brother Rezin, regarding the knife used at Vidalia:

"The length of the blade was nine and one-quarters inches, its width one and one-half inches, single edged and not curved"

That's about all the description we have of that original "Bowie" knife, and it has never been located.
 
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Not Bowies, but if I was going to do SASS or re-enacting old west stuff I would tote my Green River Dadleys or Russell Hunter....

The older ones all have 6 inch blades so they are a big knife. :thumbup:

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RussellHunter_zps358642fa.jpg
 
Bo T said:
I seem to remember reading that the Russell Hunter pattern was developed in the 1930s?
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Maybe so...but it has that one sided swedge that I've seen on older English bowies so I think it's based on earlier patterns...
 
Smithhammer said:
The Green River Hunter is a much older pattern than the 1930's.
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Yes, the phrase/battle cry "Give 'em Green River!!!" was coined due to the stamping of the words "Green River" on the hilt/ricasso of these very common (at the time) belt knives. A very old pattern, which surely has been around since the late 1800s, if I'm remembering correctly.
 
The Cold Steel Trailmaster is an excellent knife, but the kraton handle on most doesn't really invoke "old west". I like the old US made ones and there is a stag version, although they are somewhat scarce.

My personal favorite is the old, 1960's made Western Bowie, before the W-49 tang stamp. Although they look very similar at a glance, the older version appears forged where the newer W-49 looks to be made by stock removal. The early version has a graceful distal taper and more gradual edge bevel than the new version, which has a short bevel and slab sides. These are becoming increasingly tough to find in good condition, but they made a lot of them and many didn't see much use.

Bark River makes limited runs of very fine Bowie style knives; they are absolutely top notch in every way, but the price reflects the quality. There will be a run of a new model, full tang version in a few months called the "Boundary Rider Bowie" that would fit the bill very nicely, and I have one on pre-order for my CAS rig. Sweet!

All the aforementioned knives have 9 1/4 inch blades or close.

Here are my old Western along side the very formidible Bark River 'Teddy', a 6 1/4 inch blade copy of an old Wade and Butcher model; both are very heavy duty knives and pretty much unbreakable.



 
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