[Re titled] Designing 2 custom Bowie's to be built

[Seth 62]

RANDALL 12-8 BIG BEAR BOWIE... LIGHT, QUICK, PROVEN DESIGN WITH "LOT'S" OF CUSTOM FEATURES....COST iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii CHI WOW WOWA . FROM RANDALL APP. 5 YEAR WAIT, ON E BAY FROM 6 HUNDRED TO OVER A GRAND. AND "YES" I AGREE WITH BALL PEEN HAMMER MAN.... STEEL TIPPED CONSTRUCTION BOOTS AND THIN SCREW DRIVERS ALSO COME TO MIND.. ( YOUR HONOR THEY ARE SAFTEY BOOT'S AND I WAS WORKING ON MY MOTORCYCLE)

 

[ExtraBaconPlease]

lol. Just to clear this murder shit up or whatever some of you guys are going on about, the knife is not going to be carried unless SHTF. Even then I highly doubt it would be used.

This is going to be a fully functional piece of art that makes me happy. That's all.

 

[Coke]

Bacon,

Just throw up what you already have... I can take it from there... 1 jpeg will do, so long as it's legible.

 

[Coke]

And don't forget to tell us the grasping distance of your hand.

 

[saleh13]

Have to agree about blade length probably being ideal between 6-8"... Not that I get in a lot of knife fights haha... I don't own any of them, but the first that came to mind were the Tops Desert Nomad, Dustar Model 1 Arad, Becker BK 7 and a Busse TGLB if you didn't mind that it wasn't bowie. All of them have been on my shopping list at some point, before normally ending up with something much smaller!

 

[GREENJACKET]

Big Fighter, what I would say is that the cross guard is important. Its main role is to stop the hand from going over and down the blade on a stab/thrust. So it needs to be substantial enough to do so. Far too many blades, almost all the folders, don't have nearly enough cross guard. One for each edge. Shed loads of supposedly "fighters" just don't have enough.
You will note older classic designs always had substantial guards; they knew why. Modern offerings all too often don't, because no one uses knives for fighting, well not if you have a Glock.

Staby, ambush daggers, then you might get away with a little less but then the edges don't need to be sharp, just the point. Ambush stabbing then a soft target can be attacked. All very lethal and yuck.

Have a blade stop dead in its tracks on a committed thrust and just grip may well not be enough. Slicing your own finger tendons will put you out of the fight.
The ridiculous car door test shows why, and hit on a rifle magazine in a chest rig does the same. Frankly a wallet, phone, or note book will stop a blade in short order.

Its one reason I'm not even that great a fan of Bushcraft knives, nor many Hunter styles. They only work if no real push pressure is used, and what is is controlled. For a fighter the guard should be a stop, not a ski slope that so many have on utility grips. I've seen the damage don twice, when the hand has ridden over onto the cutting edge, one very bad, and it is really bad.

Just saying.

 

[ThePeacent]

For a production Bowie, I find the Ontario Bagwell Bowie the best. Close seconds would be those good old gerber coffin handled ones, some Windlass Steelcrafts models and the Al Mar Alaskan Bowie.
On the cheap(er) and big(ger) side, I think the Natchez, Laredo, Recon Scout, and both old Bowie Machete (12") and new for 2017 (pic below) are just fine and would do the job almost as nicely.

 

[saleh13]

Almost forgot this one too. Benchmade 119. Both guards, big clip point on 5mm stock 154cm. You could do a lot worse than having one of these in a bad situation.

 

[longbow]

I've a couple of large f.b.'s and probably my favorite non user is the Wagaman 151 model based on the Randal design of fighter. I don't even know if this fella makes knives anymore. What I have gleaned is that he is/was a retired master machinist and was owner/operator of an antique shop in Ohio last I knew. This model 151 is without question one of the finest fighters/bowies/survival style knife I've owned and that is saying something. It is almost a clone of the Randal 12-8 save for the grip.

Knife is superbly made. Razor sharp and just feels so natural in the hand it ain't funny. This particular knife was made in 92 for the original owner whom I purchased it from. Mr. Wagaman did a very good business with folks at Pope AFB and fella's out of Fort Bragg. Anyways if you can find one of Mr. Wagaman's bowies like this do not hesitate they are that good. keepem sharp

 

[Ebbtide]

Coke, CM, jdm, anyone else that wishes to chime in;

I What do you guys think of coffin handles?

Cheers

I like them




As for the fit/feel/mojo/connection...
These are mine. 10" and 8" blades respectively. Both balance (as JDM has suggested) right around the plunge.
Both have framed handles.




I'm no knife fighter, but I do know what I like.

I suggest the OP scores a cheap, beat up Western 49 and the Bagwell modification instructions.
A hacksaw, vice, single cut mill bastard file and some time will get you from this


to this


and you will learn a ton during the way.

Being a full time artist, I too like to draw, cut out and make cardboard knives, but that project taught me bundles.
And once done you've really made it yours.
While it doesn't quite have the mojo of the two above it is darned close and will always be in my collection.

•Edited to add: the only blade thicker than 3/16s is the Ontario/Bagwell at the top.

 

[jdm61]

A real Bagwell like the one that I used to have is thicker at the ricasso than the Ontarios,which I also used to own, but starts to taper drastically from the plunge cut forward. I would say that mine was .312. The blade was also wider on the real one. I also had one of the original run Barkie Natchez bowies. I was like 3/16, but kind of butt heavy because of the very thick jigged "stag bone" scales. It would have balanced better with wood or laminate scales IMO.

I like them




As for the fit/feel/mojo/connection...
These are mine. 10" and 8" blades respectively. Both balance (as JDM has suggested) right around the plunge.
Both have framed handles.




I'm no knife fighter, but I do know what I like.

I suggest the OP scores a cheap, beat up Western 49 and the Bagwell modification instructions.
A hacksaw, vice, single cut mill bastard file and some time will get you from this


to this


and you will learn a ton during the way.

Being a full time artist, I too like to draw, cut out and make cardboard knives, but that project taught me bundles.
And once done you've really made it yours.
While it doesn't quite have the mojo of the two above it is darned close and will always be in my collection.

•Edited to add: the only blade thicker than 3/16s is the Ontario/Bagwell at the top.

 

[Ebbtide]

A real Bagwell like the one that I used to have is thicker at the ricasso than the Ontarios,which I also used to own, but starts to taper drastically from the plunge cut forward. I would say that mine was .312. The blade was also wider on the real one. I also had one of the original run Barkie Natchez bowies. I was like 3/16, but kind of butt heavy because of the very thick jigged "stag bone" scales. It would have balanced better with wood or laminate scales IMO.

When I handled JoeP's Bagwells i was immediately impressed by how they felt in hand and then doubly impressed by the thickness of the blade at the ricasso.
That was the first time those two elements worked well together in a knife I held.
Mr. Bagwell knows his stuff.

brkt Natchez Bowie or Rogue? That's the first run Rogue above.
Pretty much a brick. Like my Recon Scout.

Like I said, it's a journey

 

[ExtraBaconPlease]

Been doing a lot of drawing and mock ups. Have two very nice designs (at least I think so) laid out. One for a 7" blade, one with a 12" blade. I'd like to get both knives made, one at a time though ($).

I think I'll get the larger blade made first as I've wanted a large Bowie for a long time now and am sure to learn a thing or two from the build that I can use to make the 7" blade Bowie really amazing.

Will post the 12" blade Bowie sketch up here in a hour or two.

 

[Coke]

Any handle suggestions? What do you guys think of coffin handles?

Cheers

I've mentioned in the past that coffin handles are fine, but what would happen with any SYMMETRICAL handled single edged knife if you dropped it in the dark and had to pick it up and go at lightening speed? With a coffin handle, how would you know what orientation the knife's in at the blink of an eye in pitch darkness?

 

[jdm61]

You are right. It was a"pre-production" Rogue.

When I handled JoeP's Bagwells i was immediately impressed by how they felt in hand and then doubly impressed by the thickness of the blade at the ricasso.
That was the first time those two elements worked well together in a knife I held.
Mr. Bagwell knows his stuff.

brkt Natchez Bowie or Rogue? That's the first run Rogue above.
Pretty much a brick. Like my Recon Scout.

Like I said, it's a journey

 

[jdm61]

If your point and clip are setup right, it wouldn't matter. The "back cut" with a knife like the will ruin your day.

I've mentioned in the past that coffin handles are fine, but would happen with any SYMMETRICAL handled single edged knife if you dropped it in the dark and had to pick it up and go at lightening speed? With a coffin handle, how would you know what orientation the knife's in at the blink of an eye in pitch darkness?

 

[Coke]

If your point and clip are setup right, it wouldn't matter. The "back cut" with a knife like the will ruin your day.

I'm referring to a false edge, not dual edge. One can't just rely on the point of a knife as being the only slicing/cutting part of the blade I don't think.

 

[jdm61]

I was referring to the clip. There are some videos out there showing how nasty the back cut can be. I seem recall one where the guy ripped a big gas in a heavy punching bag or handing duffle bag. Also remember that something styles actually involve holding a bowie the "wrong" way with the edged facing to the outside or up. My limited "testing" indicate that the clip doesn't really have to be sharpened for the back cut to do damage.

I'm referring to a false edge, not dual edge. One can't just rely on the point of a knife as being the only slicing/cutting part of the blade I don't think.

 

[Coke]

Sure jdm, that's what I meant when I said that one can't depend on the tip being the main cutter/slicer, in that I meant whilst in total or near total darkness. Placement of a fine point onto an exacting target can be a bit iffy unless one has the ability of seeing with their eyes closed like high level martial artists. But if the environment is relatively lit and you can see decently, then sure. In the dark, a 7 plus inch long cutting edge is more likely to find its target than a pin point.

But I understand what you're saying. The momentum and force that can be generated on a pinpoint in hard swing would make the force generated along a length of cutting edge pale into insignificance. The cutting power on such a point would increase 10 fold when compared to the same force exerted upon a length of cutting edge. The result would be devastating upon anything it touched... as though the knife were driven by a hi torque motor rather than a human hand.

 

[XtianAus]

Been doing a lot of drawing and mock ups. Have two very nice designs (at least I think so) laid out. One for a 7" blade, one with a 12" blade. I'd like to get both knives made, one at a time though ($).

I think I'll get the larger blade made first as I've wanted a large Bowie for a long time now and am sure to learn a thing or two from the build that I can use to make the 7" blade Bowie really amazing.

Will post the 12" blade Bowie sketch up here in a hour or two.

Post the 7" one too