Author Topic: Big Bowie  (Read 10980 times)

kid terico

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Big Bowie
« on: January 05, 2012, 11:07:50 PM »
Any one like big bowies? Its 17 inches over all. KT

DGF

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Re: Big Bowie
« Reply #1 on: January 06, 2012, 09:35:28 AM »
Are you sure thats a bowie knife? I thought bowie knives were sharpened on both edges, the top edge a few inches back from the point.

tombogan03884

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Re: Big Bowie
« Reply #2 on: January 06, 2012, 09:51:15 AM »
Are you sure thats a bowie knife? I thought bowie knives were sharpened on both edges, the top edge a few inches back from the point.

There was a lot of variation in the style. In general usage the term has been applied to any really big knife that didn't qualify as a sword or machete.

The specific design ( blade contour,Guard shape and handle shape) are not what would choose for use.
But dog gone, what beautiful work !

Solus

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Re: Big Bowie
« Reply #3 on: January 06, 2012, 10:10:50 AM »
There are many patterns of the Bowie Knife.

The one on display at the Alamo has but one sharpened edge.

The most effective designs are not "faithful" to the early designs and, for sure, not to the one used by James Bowie in his sandbar fight.

An effective Bowie design, not necessarily the original design, would:

Need a blade long enough to act as a piercing weapon...10" to 12" blade length is often recommended for this.

Need a thick blade for strength and weight as the Bowie should be a chopping weapon also

Need a continuously slightly curving blade to make it a more efficient slashing weapon.

Need a "false edge" of around 3" or so.   This is the sharpened top edge and there are fighting techniques to take advantage of it.

Need a guard of some type made of brass....brass because it is said to be "nicked" by the opponents blade and possibly catching it.

I have been told the point of a fighting knife should be on the line running through the center of the tang for better use as a piercing/thrusting weapon

This effective design makes the Bowie knife similar to short sword in it's application.

I once heard Bowie knifes could be balanced for throwing and make a half rotation in 7' to 8' but I've never found that documented anywhere.

Here is a link to a picture of two Bowies designed by Bill Bagwell...some what of a 'Knife Nut"
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/668410-Vicksburg-Bowie-Bagwell-Fortress-Bagwell-Gambler

Cold Steel's Trail Master...false edge is not sharp
http://www.coldsteel.com/combatclassicsk5.html

And if you want something BIG, Cold Steel's Natchez Bowie fits that bill
http://www.coldsteel.com/natchez-bowie-in-sk-5.html

 
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tombogan03884

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Re: Big Bowie
« Reply #4 on: January 06, 2012, 10:42:14 AM »
My GrandFather had a genuine Bowie that Jim gave to Davy Crockett and Crockett passed on to Henry Clay when they were serving together in Congress, on his death it was donated to the Bedford Ma historical Society
I can't find a link to it but this one from Bud K is nearly identical with 2 exceptions,
The original had 2 1/8th inch fullers running down either side of the blade spine,
And the original handle material was black Buffalo horn.
http://budk.com/Knives/Case-White-Bowie-Knife
The Marine Raider knives produced by Case during WWII were identical with the exception of Hard rubber instead of Buffalo horn.
Not a very good pic but the only one I could find
http://gunnyg.wordpress.com/2008/08/09/the-original-us-marine-corps-knives-of-world-war-ii/

Sponsor

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Re: Big Bowie
« Reply #5 on: Today at 06:08:18 AM »

Timothy

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Re: Big Bowie
« Reply #5 on: January 06, 2012, 10:45:07 AM »
My GrandFather had a genuine Bowie that Jim gave to Davy Crockett and Crockett passed on to Henry Clay when they were serving together in Congress, on his death it was donated to the Bedford Ma historical Society
I can't find a link to it but this one from Bud K is nearly identical with 2 exceptions,

And it wasn't stainless steel!

 ;)

tombogan03884

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Re: Big Bowie
« Reply #6 on: January 06, 2012, 10:50:21 AM »
That too, although I never saw any rust develop on it over 15 years or so.
On the other hand, the ones Jim's brother made were supposedly from meteorite material, so they may have actually contained the same alloys as modern stainless.

Timothy

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Re: Big Bowie
« Reply #7 on: January 06, 2012, 10:59:08 AM »
That too, although I never saw any rust develop on it over 15 years or so.
On the other hand, the ones Jim's brother made were supposedly from meteorite material, so they may have actually contained the same alloys as modern stainless.

That would interesting to know the content as modern stainless is barely 100 years since it's introduction.  Early steels that are very high in iron will be black (cor-ten) and patina to a dark surface.  My father had a Japanese bayonet that was nearly black but it was still steel and it never rusted either!

It doesn't take a great deal of nickle and chromium to produce austenitic stainless steel but it does take some along with a few other materials.

tombogan03884

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Re: Big Bowie
« Reply #8 on: January 06, 2012, 11:05:01 AM »
This was clean, with the appearance of unpolished stainless.
The only discoloration was black inside the fuller grooves.
Grampy kept a light coat of oil on it in the silver mounted buffalo hide sheath.
The silver throat of the sheath is engraved
D Crockett
Henry Clay 1820

Timothy

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Re: Big Bowie
« Reply #9 on: January 06, 2012, 11:06:12 AM »
This was clean, with the appearance of unpolished stainless.
The only discoloration was black inside the fuller grooves.
Grampy kept a light coat of oil on it in the silver mounted buffalo hide sheath.
The silver throat of the sheath is engraved
D Crockett
Henry Clay 1820

Too Cool!

 

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