Progress Thread - The Redmeadow Bowies

[Redmeadow Knives]

Click here to skip our design shenanigans and go straight to build (Page 7)

Let's do this.

 

[Rupestris]

Vanishing Point .

I don't know that I'll be able to help with the Bowie knife. It'd be easier to tell you what I don't like in a Bowie .

 

[Redmeadow Knives]

Vanishing Point .

I don't know that I'll be able to help with the Bowie knife. It'd be easier to tell you what I don't like in a Bowie .

Amazing movie

I'm with you Chris, I just don't have a use for a beast of a knife, but some knives just need to be made!

 

[Mack]

What you don't like is very likely as important as what you do like. I'm interested to see/hear everyone's opinions on both their likes and dislikes.
As for me, this is the starting point for a Bowie.

 

[Rupestris]

Not that I could afford one but, The Wheeler or Wheeler/ Paranee collaborations are, in my mind, all a Bowie should be.

 

[Redmeadow Knives]

Those Wheelers are incredible. That was a great collaboration.

The sweeping edge and belly of the Randall is sweet and functional.

There's so many things to consider. Blade length a good starting point. The 2012 Randall catalogue in front of me says this about blade lengths,

"We feel that 7" is the limit in size and blade length for sporting use and that an 8" blade length is the practical limit for a fighting type weapon".

What's everyone say on blade length? Minimum/Maximum?

 

[Scott Hanson]

A lot of traditional bowies looked like this one, they could also be held in a spine forward grip with the edge following spine during the initial blow with a fast and deadly back slash. The brass spine portion was used to stop and catch an opponent's blade to disarm him. That pretty much what I heard anyhow. I've been kicking around the idea of making one similar to this some time down the road.

 

[Redmeadow Knives]

I couldn't do a historical one justice. I've read about Jim Bowies sandbar fight and the knives that followed, pretty interesting.

 

[Melvin-Purvis]

Well, you asked, so I'll show you my big six inch...which is, IMO, about the largest useful size...



Or, less cluttered...

 

[Redmeadow Knives]

That Randall is amazing, is that a Nickel Silver guard with an aluminum butt? I like the weight of aluminum, but its my absolute least favorite metal to work with. Ivory tones are starting to grow on me, I really like that.

The funny thing about those two pictures is the "hump" on the spine of a Randall always bothered me. It's not there on the Randall but is there in the Bark River.

 

[Melvin-Purvis]

Nickel-silver guard and end cap. The NS end cap looks nice, but is way too heavy for the 6" blade length. The BR is likely a Randall Model #27 knock-off.

Masecraft Supply has some Ivory alternates that are very nice. http://masecraftsupply-com.3dcartstores.com/

 

[Redmeadow Knives]

I'm gonna order some of that, thanks for the link. That stuff looks awesome with Nickel Silver.

 

[cbwoods67]

Are you shooting for historic accuracy or personal preference?

I love the lines of the Wheeler/ Paranee, short of the harpoon swedge. I prefer the lines in the bottom knife in this photo.

 

[Melvin-Purvis]

Less flash on this photo, also A/I, also a Bowie. It looks so much like real Ivory that Randall etches A/I on the logo side of the blade.



This knife has a nine inch blade - I think if scaled down to six inches it would be more useful.

 

[Redmeadow Knives]

Are you shooting for historic accuracy or personal

Not historical, but what most would call a Bowie today. Some might call it a Camp knife or a Fighter.

Some folks calls it a Kaiser blade, I calls it a Sling blade

 

[Rupestris]

Closest I've ever had to a user "bowie" was a Becker BK7. It loses in the chopping category to the 9 and loses to the 5 for general camp/bushcraft/utility but only in the popular vote.
I found it to be a damn nice all around knife.

6.5" to 7" works for me .

 

[Mack]

I must not be as crazy as I thought. The ivory with blue spacers grabbed my eyes and wouldn't let go.
I wonder how ivory micarta would look between blackwood spacers...

 

[Redmeadow Knives]

That alternative Ivory is driving me nuts. It's pretty affordable too. I think anything would look nice with that, blackwood would look great I bet.

 

[Mack]

Thanks to Alan for this. I really love the fine tip and the sweeping belly. Works great for disemboweling your enemies or cutting a pizza.

Remember, this is an older one out of 3/16", not 1/4", so the forward section of the blade is quite fine

 

[Redmeadow Knives]

Pulled the link parts out of the quote Mack, hope you don't mind. Think I did that right lol.