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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.
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Will & Finck Bowie
- Thread starter Aitch
- Start date
- Joined
- Jun 13, 2007
- Messages
- 7,743
There are a lot of great guys here that do amazing work. If it were me asking, I'd want someone to point me in the direction of Paul Long. He's a member here and easy to talk to. Google his name along with "bowie sheath". 
- Joined
- Nov 30, 2001
- Messages
- 13,564
Sounds like your looking for something period correct eh?
I've seen a number of different sheaths on those Bowie's that are correct for the time. One thing they all seem to have is that back seam butt stitch molded leather. Here's the fun part though, it can be three configurations: Solid leather, silver and or tin capped top and bottom, and solid tin and or silver with leather liner.
A picture of your knife will help immensely. or a link to a picture of one like yours. The sheaths do vary as to the style of the knife.
Before we start suggesting makers, which will take this thread directly to the Services Wanted forum, lets discuss the sheath first. This is a significant knife historically
I've seen a number of different sheaths on those Bowie's that are correct for the time. One thing they all seem to have is that back seam butt stitch molded leather. Here's the fun part though, it can be three configurations: Solid leather, silver and or tin capped top and bottom, and solid tin and or silver with leather liner.
A picture of your knife will help immensely. or a link to a picture of one like yours. The sheaths do vary as to the style of the knife.
Before we start suggesting makers, which will take this thread directly to the Services Wanted forum, lets discuss the sheath first. This is a significant knife historically
This is a garage sale find. The seller asked $5 but I felt like it might really be worth something so gave him $30. I knew nothing about the maker and indeed still can't read the entire stamp. After I got home I took an eraser and cleaned the stamp up a bit and got a magnifying glass and was able to make out Will fairly clearly but could not make out what turned out to be the "&" sign. I could make out some of the last letters and CAL. After Googling several combinations came up with Will & Finck and became convinced that I had stumbled upon something that may have considerable value. It's a coffin style hilt with a single pin. Blade is 11 3/16" and measures 16" overall.
I'm away from home and do not have my camera but found a picture of a similar repro:
http://www.bytheswordinc.com/p-631-coffin-handled-bowie-knife-400222.aspx
I've been unable to find out anything more about the knife but am convinced I'm in the right place to learn.
I'm away from home and do not have my camera but found a picture of a similar repro:
http://www.bytheswordinc.com/p-631-coffin-handled-bowie-knife-400222.aspx
I've been unable to find out anything more about the knife but am convinced I'm in the right place to learn.
sheathmaker
Custom Leather Sheaths
- Joined
- May 18, 2005
- Messages
- 4,649
Aitch, if you do have an authentic Will & Fink, the first of all DO NOTHING to try to clean it up unless you happen to be trained in the art of museum quality restoration. ANY amateur cleaning will devalue the knife. There is no such thing as good condition for its age. It's either in good condition or it's not. What you think is good condition "for its age" and what I think could be worlds apart. If we forget about age as a factor of condition then we might agree it's very good, good, average, poor etc.
Adding a sheath which is new, even period correct will not significantly increase the value, if at all. The only value adding a sheath will be if it makes YOU happy. If you can come up with a sheath that is the same age as the knife, then you might add value.
Considering the possibility that I don't know what I'm talking about, why don't you post a picture or several pictures in Bernard Levine's forum here and let the real experts have a go? In the meantime, just enjoy owning the knife…..don't try to improve it just yet.
Paul
Adding a sheath which is new, even period correct will not significantly increase the value, if at all. The only value adding a sheath will be if it makes YOU happy. If you can come up with a sheath that is the same age as the knife, then you might add value.
Considering the possibility that I don't know what I'm talking about, why don't you post a picture or several pictures in Bernard Levine's forum here and let the real experts have a go? In the meantime, just enjoy owning the knife…..don't try to improve it just yet.
Paul
I do appreciate the advice and understand a bit about the care and feeding of pieces of value. Many have been destroyed by good intentions.
As stated all I have done is rub on the marking with a soft eraser to try to tell what I have. I was dismayed when I saw someone had tried to sharpen the knife. and the edge is bright. At least they didn't go after it with a file.
I'll get pictures and post them as soon as I get to my camera. I'm a week into knee replacement surgery and will still be away from home for another week.
I know my guns pretty well but aside from collecting Case pen knives, know little about old fixed blades. Certainly not knives like this.
You make a strong point about the sheath. My main focus is to learn what I have and understand it's place in history and it's value, both intrinsic and monetary. This forum is just the starting point. And the reason I started here is that I believe that most forum members do know what they are talking about. I'll continue with my research and be back with pictures as soon as possible.
Thank you for your advice.
Primum non nocere
As stated all I have done is rub on the marking with a soft eraser to try to tell what I have. I was dismayed when I saw someone had tried to sharpen the knife. and the edge is bright. At least they didn't go after it with a file.
I'll get pictures and post them as soon as I get to my camera. I'm a week into knee replacement surgery and will still be away from home for another week.
I know my guns pretty well but aside from collecting Case pen knives, know little about old fixed blades. Certainly not knives like this.
You make a strong point about the sheath. My main focus is to learn what I have and understand it's place in history and it's value, both intrinsic and monetary. This forum is just the starting point. And the reason I started here is that I believe that most forum members do know what they are talking about. I'll continue with my research and be back with pictures as soon as possible.
Thank you for your advice.
Primum non nocere