Thoughts and impressions if the new Micro/IBBB/Bawanna Bowie Good and bad.

Already standing in line my friend, of course behind ndog :D That looks amazing man I really like it, give it a sort of elegance, and sets it off, prolly enhances the grip a bit as well. One hell of a job sir.
 
Man that is one fine checkering job:eek:
Excellent work as always. I can vouch for your work BawAnna. It is beautifully grippy:D
 
OK! Micro gettin packed! That looks great Bawanna! Sure is gonna be hard to part with it but I know she's in good hands so Ill wait patiently:cool:
 
That little round stand with tools sticking out of it in some of the pictures holds the cutter tools. Short little file like cutters on a handle. It's really just a series of parallel cuts. You cut one line, make sure it's straight and then there's a tool with two cutters, one rides in the previous cut, the other cuts the next line. There's a bunch of different ones. Double cutters with teeth on both, double with one side smooth and one with teeth, left to right, right to left, fine, course. some cut backwards.

Just a matter of time and patience and practice. I taught myself 18 years ago after I broke my back and had plenty of time on my hands and couldn't do a lot of the outside things I'd usually be doing.

I spent more time on it today and it's looking way nicer now. I neglected to take a finished picture. I'll try to do that soon.
 
Well been messing around with my Bawanna Bowie, Love this blade by the way. Well being a leather bender you know I had to start messing with it. I did something alittle different from my norm. I did some random texturing, no real pattern. Instead of using a retention strap I did some wet molding to hold the knife, kinda bushcraft style. It holds very well you can turn it upside down shake and the knife will not fall out. I like how it came out, hope you all like it.




 
Wow my first disappointment from Pugs.......................................

What took ya sooooo long! It's gorgeous. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, the very first western, well western world, far eastern US produced bawanna bowie leather suit.
Kind of brings on goose bumps don't it. Like a walk on the moon, one small stitch for man, one life over for a leather skinned critter. Least it wasn't a beaver this time.

PS- that's some beautiful horn on yours too. Very nice.
 
Buy? I heard rumors that he acquires all his materials via his own hands. Gator Boys ain't gonna like him much. He don't wrap their snout with electrical tape and kiss em.
I bet we could do well with video's of Pugs alligator wrestling?
 
Bawanna said:
Wow my first disappointment from Pugs.......................................

What took ya sooooo long! It's gorgeous. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, the very first western, well western world, far eastern US produced bawanna bowie leather suit.
Kind of brings on goose bumps don't it. Like a walk on the moon, one small stitch for man, one life over for a leather skinned critter. Least it wasn't a beaver this time.

PS- that's some beautiful horn on yours too. Very nice.
Click to expand...

You had me worried for a sec Bawanna, Thank You sir
 
pugs75 said:
Well been messing around with my Bawanna Bowie, Love this blade by the way. Well being a leather bender you know I had to start messing with it. I did something alittle different from my norm. I did some random texturing, no real pattern. Instead of using a retention strap I did some wet molding to hold the knife, kinda bushcraft style. It holds very well you can turn it upside down shake and the knife will not fall out. I like how it came out, hope you all like it.




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Awesome! How much would one of those run? I think I need one for my Micro Mini, and the Mini Bowie too. :)
 
Bawanna said:
That little round stand with tools sticking out of it in some of the pictures holds the cutter tools. Short little file like cutters on a handle. It's really just a series of parallel cuts. You cut one line, make sure it's straight and then there's a tool with two cutters, one rides in the previous cut, the other cuts the next line. There's a bunch of different ones. Double cutters with teeth on both, double with one side smooth and one with teeth, left to right, right to left, fine, course. some cut backwards.

Just a matter of time and patience and practice. I taught myself 18 years ago after I broke my back and had plenty of time on my hands and couldn't do a lot of the outside things I'd usually be doing.

I spent more time on it today and it's looking way nicer now. I neglected to take a finished picture. I'll try to do that soon.
Click to expand...
Inspired by your work I just saw a video about checkering. You must be a super patient guy :thumbup: and the tools don't run very cheap.:eek:
 
You kind of have to have your mind right and be in the mood for sure. The hand tools aren't terribly expensive but the cutters have to be replaced depending on what your checkering. Sometimes they last a long time and sometimes they don't.
The little replacement cutter heads are around 4 bucks a piece, handles once you get enough of them last forever.
The power checkering tools with the dental engine are outrageously expensive. I couldn't afford the cutter heads alone much less the machine. The plus side is they are a one pass deal. They can checker a knife handle or a pistol grip set in minutes, where as this knife handle took me probably around 4 hours. Of course I was toying with ideas a bit and going leisurely, it's a hobby.

Even the power checkering guys have to know how to checker though. It just makes it way faster by far.
 
Bawanna said:
Buy? I heard rumors that he acquires all his materials via his own hands. Gator Boys ain't gonna like him much. He don't wrap their snout with electrical tape and kiss em.
I bet we could do well with video's of Pugs alligator wrestling?
Click to expand...

Dang you let the cat out of the bag. Well we sure have enough gators here, and there in kind of a hibernation right now so I guess I could sneak up on one sleeping and get him,not with a gun of course, gonna use my bowie.
 
Bawanna said:
You kind of have to have your mind right and be in the mood for sure. The hand tools aren't terribly expensive but the cutters have to be replaced depending on what your checkering. Sometimes they last a long time and sometimes they don't.
The little replacement cutter heads are around 4 bucks a piece, handles once you get enough of them last forever.
The power checkering tools with the dental engine are outrageously expensive. I couldn't afford the cutter heads alone much less the machine. The plus side is they are a one pass deal. They can checker a knife handle or a pistol grip set in minutes, where as this knife handle took me probably around 4 hours. Of course I was toying with ideas a bit and going leisurely, it's a hobby.

Even the power checkering guys have to know how to checker though. It just makes it way faster by far.
Click to expand...

I only saw starter sets for $100 and then the reviews said that one needs actually a few more tools to really get started.
What's the absolute basic set which I could buy to get a taste of checkering?
I really like the tool which traces the first line and cuts a second one parallel to it. :)
I'm looking at some used ones at an auction site. Is used advisable?
Thank you Bawanna.
 
pugs75 said:
Well been messing around with my Bawanna Bowie, Love this blade by the way. Well being a leather bender you know I had to start messing with it. I did something alittle different from my norm. I did some random texturing, no real pattern. Instead of using a retention strap I did some wet molding to hold the knife, kinda bushcraft style. It holds very well you can turn it upside down shake and the knife will not fall out. I like how it came out, hope you all like it.
Click to expand...

I totally love it... Do you take orders for this?
Since these little Bowies are really similar from one to another. I'd say two like this one.

Meanwhile I'm going to have one of my IBBB rehandle by a local knifemaker
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I'm thinking something similar to this:
96cb0571-d9d8-4f87-a99a-58c52a331954.jpg
 
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Jens Schuetz said:
I only saw starter sets for $100 and then the reviews said that one needs actually a few more tools to really get started.
What's the absolute basic set which I could buy to get a taste of checkering?
I really like the tool which traces the first line and cuts a second one parallel to it. :)
I'm looking at some used ones at an auction site. Is used advisable?
Thank you Bawanna.
Click to expand...

I've tried a couple brands of cutters and hands down Dem Bart is my favorite. Incidently they are only about a half hour away from my house. I don't care much for the Gunline ones, for me they just don't cut as well.
I bought their master starter set I think they called it and they are right you'll want a few more.
I got a complete second set from a guy who wanted to give it a try and then found he didn't have the patience for it and I use them all.
If you buy a used set and they are worn out, you just replace the cutter heads as needed. The handles are probably the big item. Then you can do what you want.

I started out with 18LPI stuff since this is what Winchester and many of the factories use for rifle checkering. I later stepped up to 20LPI and I like it a little better. Softer wood/material does better with more course checkering. Gotta have really good wood to go much finer than 20LPI. Ebony checkers real fine.

I think Dem Bart cutters fit on Gun Line handles, I have a few.

Brownell's is a where I buy most. I've been to Dem Bart a few times, he's also an FFL so I sometimes get guns transferred there but he's usually out of the cutters I want, filling orders.....you guessed it for Brownell's.

I'll help ya anyway I can.
 
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