-
The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
Who is Your Favorite Bowie Maker and Why?
- Thread starter Jumbi
- Start date
- Joined
- Oct 16, 1998
- Messages
- 2,395
There are as many different approaches to the bowie as there are fighting styles, and there are a lot of different people out there making great ones.
Right at the top of my list would be Jerry Hossom, and I don't even own one of his bowies yet. I put him at the top of my list because he made me a 20" short sword that handles like a 12" bowie! He works in CPM 3V, and his prices are not extravagant, in the $500 range I believe.
I have four Black Cloud Knives fourth generation Fighting Bowies. They are awesome combinations of both balance and blade mass for a blade that points, and hacks, and backcuts with equal gusto. Unfortunately, I don't know if they are available any more except on the secondary market.
The Mad Dog Panther is an awesome knife too with amazing heft and balance, but expensive at around $900.
I have a Matt Lamey Sunrise Fighter bowie that I love. Workmanship is excellent, balance is excellent, quickness is excellent. The only thing I have not verified about the performance of this knife is edge performance, but it is very fine, may wind up being my favorite, and Matt only charges around $400 for one.
Jerry Hossom and others recommend Rob Patton very highly as well as Bruce Evens.
I think a bowie from any of the above with the exception of the Mad Dog or the Black Cloud could be had for under $500.
Then there are the masters, Fisk, Bagwell, Cafrey...
Who else? I am not that familiar with the forgers.
Right at the top of my list would be Jerry Hossom, and I don't even own one of his bowies yet. I put him at the top of my list because he made me a 20" short sword that handles like a 12" bowie! He works in CPM 3V, and his prices are not extravagant, in the $500 range I believe.
I have four Black Cloud Knives fourth generation Fighting Bowies. They are awesome combinations of both balance and blade mass for a blade that points, and hacks, and backcuts with equal gusto. Unfortunately, I don't know if they are available any more except on the secondary market.
The Mad Dog Panther is an awesome knife too with amazing heft and balance, but expensive at around $900.
I have a Matt Lamey Sunrise Fighter bowie that I love. Workmanship is excellent, balance is excellent, quickness is excellent. The only thing I have not verified about the performance of this knife is edge performance, but it is very fine, may wind up being my favorite, and Matt only charges around $400 for one.
Jerry Hossom and others recommend Rob Patton very highly as well as Bruce Evens.
I think a bowie from any of the above with the exception of the Mad Dog or the Black Cloud could be had for under $500.
Then there are the masters, Fisk, Bagwell, Cafrey...
Who else? I am not that familiar with the forgers.
- Joined
- May 9, 2000
- Messages
- 29,205
I would love to list the makers that do bowies that I find to be fantaastic. The problem is that I don't have all day and the list would be way to long. There are a bunch of fantastic bowie makers out there right know. You could choose from anyone of 100 or more makers and get a great knife. Sorry I couldn't narrow it down some for you, but I just can't.
- Joined
- Mar 28, 2001
- Messages
- 2,491
In no particular order, here are some Bowie makers that impress me:
Roger Massey
Bruce Evans
Tim Hancock
Dave Ellis
Jerry Fisk
John Fitch
Kirk Rexroat
Matt Lamey
For the money, I doubt that you could beat Matt Lamey or Bruce Evans. I am saving for an Evans Dragonslayer myself.
I tend to prefer the forged Bowies, although Jerry Hossom does make some incredible stuff.
Roger Massey
Bruce Evans
Tim Hancock
Dave Ellis
Jerry Fisk
John Fitch
Kirk Rexroat
Matt Lamey
For the money, I doubt that you could beat Matt Lamey or Bruce Evans. I am saving for an Evans Dragonslayer myself.
I tend to prefer the forged Bowies, although Jerry Hossom does make some incredible stuff.
Ebbtide
Gold Member
- Joined
- Aug 20, 1999
- Messages
- 7,954
Wow, that would be one long list!
If I had to keep it to 2 names, I'd have to say:
Bill Bagwell for all time list. He did alot to rekindle interest in forged bowies and the high performance aspect of them.
For quality, affordable bowies:
Bruce Evans. I own 2 bowies by 'Beknives' (as he is known here on the forums) One in his Frontier Damascus & one in straight 5160. Both have excellent F&F and are cutting machines.
Gaucho did a review of an Evans Bowie and it was posted on Keating's MAAJAK webpage.
And if I couldn't drive him nuts with a million and 3 questions, no one can
Others that I've handled/fondled were from Fisk, Hossom, Patton & Flournoy and all were equally impressive, almost 'alive'
This should be a good thread, thanx for askin'
-Ebbtide
If I had to keep it to 2 names, I'd have to say:
Bill Bagwell for all time list. He did alot to rekindle interest in forged bowies and the high performance aspect of them.
For quality, affordable bowies:
Bruce Evans. I own 2 bowies by 'Beknives' (as he is known here on the forums) One in his Frontier Damascus & one in straight 5160. Both have excellent F&F and are cutting machines.
Gaucho did a review of an Evans Bowie and it was posted on Keating's MAAJAK webpage.
And if I couldn't drive him nuts with a million and 3 questions, no one can
Others that I've handled/fondled were from Fisk, Hossom, Patton & Flournoy and all were equally impressive, almost 'alive'
This should be a good thread, thanx for askin'
-Ebbtide
glockman99
RIP Dann, you were a good guy.
- Joined
- Jun 12, 2000
- Messages
- 21,269
1. Bill Siegle. I have one of his Bowies with an 11 inch blade (16&1/2 inches total length), made out of 1/4 inch-thick 5160 carbon steel. Black G-10 scales, with a solid brass hand-guard. For its' size, it has excellent balance.
2. Bill Siegle. WAY under the $400-$600 mark.
- Joined
- Dec 23, 2000
- Messages
- 525
As to who makes the best...well, I can only go by the ones I've owned.
Tom Mayo. I have one of his combat bowies, sharpened above as well as below, and it is one helluva knife. It has handled many a task in the field with flying colors.
The only pic I have of it has been posted elsewhere here, so it will not allow me to post it again. Here is a pic I got from Tom a while back. Mine would be the combat bowie at the top of the photo.
Tom Mayo. I have one of his combat bowies, sharpened above as well as below, and it is one helluva knife. It has handled many a task in the field with flying colors.
The only pic I have of it has been posted elsewhere here, so it will not allow me to post it again. Here is a pic I got from Tom a while back. Mine would be the combat bowie at the top of the photo.
Attachments
- Joined
- Jan 21, 2002
- Messages
- 235
Very tough question because I love my Bowies.
I'd have to say David Brodziak for best Bowie regardless.
and Ron Leuschen of Little Hen Knives for the second question.
I'd have to say David Brodziak for best Bowie regardless.
and Ron Leuschen of Little Hen Knives for the second question.
