There Can be Only One- Bladeforums Best Bowie 2014 Death Match :)

Your Choice for 2014's Best Bowie!

  • Sam Lurquin's Tsavo

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • John White's Brown Takedown

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Lin Rhea's Southland

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Kyle Royer's Shell Guard Hanger

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Russ Andrews and Friend's Tembo

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Ben Seward's Checker

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    0
  • Poll closed .
Matthew Gregory said:
Now I use my gut. Which one would you want if you were expecting trouble? This answer is likely going to be different for everyone.
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Matt's post helped me a lot. This is always so hard, and this was a banner year with so many awesome pieces. Reading others comments and observations makes it even more complicated for me. But, when it gets down to the nitty gritty; the overall look to my liking, the feel (I do own one), plus the desire to run out and put it to immediate use, play very much into what I like and what I might want in my collection. So, my gut goes with Sam's Tsavo and his amazing project. Raw beauty.

- Joe
 
Odog27 said:
I've stared at these a long while. Naturally, it's tough because they are all incredible. So many possible variables..... In the end I answered this question - "If these were on a table in front of me, and I was told I could have one, which one? I voted for the Tsavo.
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Like LizaMari, I had to use the Odog27 method to decide. Each of these knives is exceptional in a different way.

The Tsavo keeps calling me. So bummed I missed this particular project :(

John White's knife has so many components that draw me as a collector...the steel, that ivory...beauty!

But when I apply the Odog formula the knife my hand would take off the table would be the Royer. It had to take a detour from the Tsavo as it was reaching there and shaking as it moved to the clamshell. Damn tough decision!!! :cool:
 
Sam Lurquin's Tsavo is the winner in my eyes. My reasons have already been stated by other members, but seriously it's one of the finest blades I've ever seen. No frills, but still beautiful
 
Lorien said:
I set this poll to last 3 days, which in hindsight was a little too long. Anyone know how to change it, or do you like it as is?
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I don't think it will need three days, but don't know how to change it once the poll is active.

Great to see so many votes cast and so many taking the time to share their thoughts about their choice.
 
Of course they are all absolutely terrific knives- I cast my vote for John White's, as I like its economy of design and stunning blade. I will be so happy if it wins, his explosion-wrapped multibar blades always knocked me out.
 
takedowns are in my territory...as are rust browned fittings with "tekkotsu" ^_^

this is pretty rad up close:

140629_John_White_001_detail_1.jpg


140629_John_White_001_detail_2.jpg


...not to mention a very lovely blade shape.



(just occurred to me it may not be in the rules to post photos here...mods do as you will)

links:
http://www.johnwhiteknives.com/i/140629_John_White_001_detail_1.jpg
http://www.johnwhiteknives.com/i/140629_John_White_001_detail_2.jpg
 
We decided to go with a single image of each knife to create a balanced playing field. The place to post as many images of a knife as you please is in the nomination round.
 
I, like many here, was struggling with a decision for this year's vote as I had 5 of the finalists picked in the nomination thread.

Tsavo, what can I say but that it is an incredibly wonderful design that will illicit a visceral response. I would have rather had one knife to look at and vote on.

John White's knife has amazing Damascus, incredible ivory, wonderful design and John's perfect execution. This knife looks like it's going to get the award, deservedly so. For this honor to go to John is fitting. I will miss John's contibutions to the knife world tremendously.

Tembo, like STeven said this collaboration is about the best that has been done. The sheath and materials used are so beautifully used. Awesome.

Kyle Royer's Hanger Bowie has to be one of the most perfectly executed sole authorship knives I have ever seen. The degree of complexity is masked by the seamless construction. BRAVO!

Ben Seward is fast becoming a great maker. He shows no fear in stepping into more complex projects and seems to thrive on them. This knife I had picked to be at this point in the voting when I first saw it. If I had to defend myself with just one of these knives this would be it. I have cut with Ben's knives and know how fast they are, how well they make all the cuts and how secure in the hand they are. Ben has a bright future as a maker.

Lin Rhea's Southland screams "bowie" to me. Of all of these knives this is the one that I could envision on that sandbar. James Black or Jim Bowie would marvel at this one I would think. That is why for me I had to vote for the Southland.

Chris
 
ah, darn, all my text disappeared and I can't be bothered to re type it -- John edges out Kyle by a whisker as both suit my style completely but all the knives are terrific.
 
All beautiful, beautiful blades. Kyle's WIP build thread on that clamshell Bowie put it over the edge for me. If only I could apply a fraction of that level of mastery to some aspect of my life -- I might actually make something of myself! Everything from the start to finish, especially the fitting and engraving, had me captivated.
 
For me the John White would win if I were making a choice based on materials and attention to detail. But when I visualize a bowie my mind is drawn to the raw nature of the Tsavo.
 
Actually for me, Sam's big Raptor XL shaded out the Tsavo, which made it easier this time to look at the others. I'm currently pleading with him to build an XL for me--cannot get it out of my mind. IF that one had made it into the finals it would have screwed everything for me in the voting.

I thought John's takedown was the most compelling knife he's ever made which, sadly in a way, means the best he ever did make. And when I say those words and realize the full implications of that, together with the perfection of that knife for me, the choice was obvious.

Now, as I go back and look at the others, My God! What a set of blades!

I love massive and Lin Rhea's knife makes MASSIVE an understatement, plus exhibiting the most graceful D-guard I've ever seen on a knife. And that clean, clean, subtly rimmed ivory--WOW!

The finish of every millimeter of the Royer makes "gleaming" too weak an adjective, but what else can you say? "Complex"? "Tour de force"? Still too weak. And that damascus lives and breathes! What a magnificent piece!

The intricacies on every level of Tembo are too masterful, too perfectly orchestrated in the whole to have been conceived and achieved as a collaboration, yet there it is! It is not possible that the knife could actually be that perfect in hand, yet STeven has handled and examined it at length and gave it his vote. Of all people! stEVEN! How good does that knife HAVE to be?

And finally the Seward. What I would not give to hold that handle in my own hand! It was one of my original finalists because of that seductively inviting, perfectly stunning handle and that sweeping, luscious, long-clipped blade profile. It SCREAMS "Bowie" to me and I scream back, "Yes! Yes! I want it!"

So--my opinion? Yeah, I guess these will do. :)
 
I like 'em all!:) I'm really honored to be in this group. It's kinda special to have the checkered knife included since checkering was the last thing I talked to John White about a short time before he passed. The Damascus on his Bowie is a real inspiration to me. I've gone back and forth between Lin's, Kyle's and John's...gonna have to go with Kyle's. There's just so much awsomeness in one knife. If I was gonna have to fight for my life though, I reckon I'd grab that checkered Bowie...but I guess it's kinda familiar to me;)
 
I
Ben Seward said:
I like 'em all!:) I'm really honored to be in this group. It's kinda special to have the checkered knife included since checkering was the last thing I talked to John White about a short time before he passed. The Damascus on his Bowie is a real inspiration to me. I've gone back and forth between Lin's, Kyle's and John's...gonna have to go with Kyle's. There's just so much awsomeness in one knife. If I was gonna have to fight for my life though, I reckon I'd grab that checkered Bowie...but I guess it's kinda familiar to me;)
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You made a really fine knife Ben and you should be more than proud :)
 
I agree with Joe.

Ben, you have really made yourself into a knife maker.

To have my knife in this group is a real honor. I express my sincere thanks to all who made this possible.

Congratulations to all you makers who's knives were chosen as well as the nomination knives.
 
Ben the only thing that would be better is if you would post up a banjo video :)

For those of you that do not know Ben is also talented with the Banjo
 
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