Let's see your.......... Bowie Knives

Old No7 · Post by **Old No7** » Tue May 05, 2015 7:31 pm

There was an interesting post awhile back about "fighting knives", and that had me digging in the cellar for an old bowie-style knife I hadn't handled in quite awhile...

Long story, short...

I won this Bowie Knife at an Opening Day Event (for freshwater fishing) at the local Fish & Game Club back when I was 12, quite awhile ago. Every kid in the youth group, and the kids who were visitors -- yup, and all the adults too -- all wanted to win this knife, as it was the prize gift on the first-come/first-served gift raffle table...

Wouldn't you know it, my name got pulled!

But, since I was under age... They wouldn't let me carry it around, so my dear mother walked around the event all morning with a large Bowie Knife sticking out of her pocketbook. I think she was rather proud of it too! And let me assure you, none of the other dads messed with her either! (And there were a few slimeballs in the crowd...) I was -- and my mother too -- the envy of the crowd for that one day.

So I carried that knife on every trip I made with the youth group after that day. I probably chopped a few things that I shouldn't have either, as there are a couple of small dings in the blade. The blade has a really decent heft to it, and it handles well. It is easily over 1/4" thick at the spine, so it was great for chopping and I remember using it as one would use a small hatchet to prep wood for the campfires.

I never did kill a big 'ol Grizzly Bear with it, but I always wanted to -- ah, the fantasies of youth...

Anyway, here's my Bowie Knife to show. I polished her up with some Flitz and it really made the 'ol girl shine. I'm glad I pulled her out of the old box she was buried in, as she brought back a lot of memories.

It's an Edge Brand knife, with an 8.5" blade that is 13.5" long overall:

Edge Bowie (1) (Small).JPG

Here you can see some honest wear, and that it was made in Solingen, Germany -- very good steel, I'd reckon. Sehr gut!

Edge Bowie (2) (Small).JPG

And here's a close-up of the stag handle (which I really like) and the stag on the leather sheath:

Edge Bowie (3) (Small).JPG

I still haven't found a Grizzly to kill yet -- and am not sure that I want to (now that I know I have much more to lose)-- and I probably would lose...

So, let's see your Bowie's!

Old No7

Bronco · Post by **Bronco** » Tue May 05, 2015 8:23 pm

Howdy,

Not very good with the camera ! 8" blade, Anton Wingen Jr., Solingen Germany. Chisholm's Trail leather

John

rjohns94 · Post by **rjohns94** » Tue May 05, 2015 8:46 pm

Here is mine. I carry it small of my back on all woods walks. It's my near do all blade for woods craft. Hand forged. Ironwood scales.

Pete44ru · Post by **Pete44ru** » Tue May 05, 2015 8:55 pm

.

Cold Steel Trailmaster Bowie

Arkansas Toothpick

IDK what to call this bowie

A guardless coffin hilt bowie (aka: Cherokee Bowie)

.

Streetstar · Post by **Streetstar** » Tue May 05, 2015 11:34 pm

Randall #1 8" fighter

Cold Steel Laredo Bowie

DeLeon 6.5" Bowie in the foreground (i was taking a pic of my stag handle knives so the Randall is in there too - as well as a cool little boot dagger from a maker whose name i forget right now

---This is my most practical "large and pretty" knife --- not as big and impressive as the others at first glance, but the utility of a 5-6" or so blade far outweighs the wow factor of an 8-10" or more blade ---

Hombre · Post by **Hombre** » Wed May 06, 2015 2:27 am

My Cold Steel Bowies....
/Stefan
Sweden

magyars4 · Post by **magyars4** » Wed May 06, 2015 4:19 am

Here's my Fisk OVB...

Ravenman · Post by **Ravenman** » Wed May 06, 2015 5:28 am

Some of my Bowie knives:

bdhold · Post by **bdhold** » Wed May 06, 2015 8:07 am

Marble's gamegetter commemorative

Molasses · Post by **Molasses** » Wed May 06, 2015 9:20 am

I've got a few knives that are probably big enough or have the right features to maybe qualify, but these are the first two I think of when the subject comes up.

One is an Edge Brand Bowie. Apparently the manufacturer felt there might be some dispute about it, because it's marked "BOWIE" right on the blade. Used to belong to a friend that's passed on. He got it when he was thinking about getting into cowboy shooting, but never did. Only ended up using it a few times to chop weeds and brush in the backyard and then left it laying around in the mudroom without cleaning it, which explains the condition it was in when I got it from his widow. Someday I need to make a sheath for it, if for no other reason than that his knife deserves one.

The smaller one was made by Peter Bromley. Bought directly from the maker at EoT some years back, when it was still being held at Coto. Blade length is "only" 6&7/8", which makes it look puny alongside that other'n.

KirkD · Post by **KirkD** » Wed May 06, 2015 9:49 am

Knife and sheath custom made by Chisholm's Trail, A.K. Solemner with 6" Solingen steel blade and Sambar Stag handle.

Ravenman · Post by **Ravenman** » Fri May 08, 2015 12:38 pm

Al Mar SF-10

Old No7 · Post by **Old No7** » Fri May 08, 2015 3:35 pm

Gee, I kinda like mine... Due to its history, the low price, and I guess 'cause it's mine...

But dang -- you guys got some NICE knives!!!!

Thanks for sharing!!!

Old No7

GonnePhishin · Post by **GonnePhishin** » Fri May 08, 2015 9:54 pm

Wow, you guys sure have some big pig-stickers there.
Be interesting to see any with Damascus steel.
Ravenman: I like the grey hat you have in the one picture.

Also, I thought they were called "Texas Toothpicks?"

Post by **Old Savage** » Fri May 08, 2015 11:30 pm

Stag and Solingen steel by Sheffield.

H_Talon · Post by **H_Talon** » Sat May 09, 2015 12:10 am

How about a modified BK9, (middle one) would it count
as a Bowie ???

Talon

2ndovc · Post by **2ndovc** » Sat May 09, 2015 12:58 pm

Good Stuff!!

Here's mine,

A Svord Von Tempsky from New Zealand.

jb

Ben_Rumson · Post by **Ben_Rumson** » Sat May 09, 2015 5:39 pm

Couple of 14 grind CDT SS Randalls

Ji in Hawaii · Post by **Ji in Hawaii** » Sat May 09, 2015 7:36 pm

Generic coffin handle Bowie, not a bad lookin' knife

My Buck 120 which I found while boar hunting on Big Island of Hawaii 30 years ago

Not my picture just ones found on enterwebs, too lazy to go to man-cave and get my bowies and take pictures then post. Maybe later...

Bear & Son Staghorn handle bowie

Case Bowie gifted to me by a friend on this forum

Paladin · Post by **Paladin** » Sun May 10, 2015 1:09 am

Some nice blades so far. These are what I have used from 1973 till now on most jobs with my issued Gerber and USMC Bowie not in the photo. On the bottom is a Criss Reeves that was a win from a combat match, above that is a custom Bowie I carried for a few years and though IOBC and a couple of jobs, The Cold Steel Laredo Bowie above that was my carry in Iraq, Africa, and Afghanistan for my last deployments, and the Randal on top was issued and carried for a while before it was put in the safe and left home. The three Bowies have been used and abused and did great for me.

new pig hunter · Post by **new pig hunter** » Tue May 12, 2015 1:16 am

SIERRA HOTEL !!!! Some spectacularly beautiful, and beautifully spectacular knives ..... WOW !!!

Here's two of mine:
-- the top one is a Robert Hankins "Bear Slayer" .... as I understand it, he only made 4 of 'em. O1 steel, 10" blade, 1/4" thick steel, wonderful balance, chops like an axe.
-- the bottom is a Browning Crowell-Barker Competition. Definitely gets the job done.

Cheers,

Carl

veeman · Post by **veeman** » Tue May 12, 2015 5:58 pm

I make NO claim's to being an expert knife maker, but these 3 I made myself from broken saw blades I picked up at work many years ago. This 1st one is my favorite, and have used as my main deer huntn knife for over 15 years, the handle made from a piece of oak from a 150 year old barn rafter.

Another with and elk antler handle.

And one with a Whitetail antler.

I also made the crude sheaths. They hold an edge very well, and have served me well, countless whitetail deer were gutted, mostly with the Oak Knife, as I call it.

Post by **Ysabel Kid** » Wed May 13, 2015 7:57 pm

Better late than never...

I have a few bowie knives too.

Yes, it's me!

Post by **Ysabel Kid** » Thu May 14, 2015 11:31 am

Forgot a few!

Old No7 · Post by **Old No7** » Thu May 14, 2015 3:52 pm

Geez Jay...

If you're gonna play like THAT -- then maybe we won't invite you to the next "Let's see your..." party!!!

Correction...

That "wink" should really be a...

Old No7

Pete44ru · Post by **Pete44ru** » Thu May 14, 2015 6:19 pm

veeman wrote:
I make NO claim's to being an expert knife maker, but these 3 I made myself from broken saw blades I picked up at work many years ago.
This 1st one is my favorite, and have used as my main deer huntn knife for over 15 years, the handle made from a piece of oak from a 150 year old barn rafter.

Another with and elk antler handle.

And one with a Whitetail antler.

I also made the crude sheaths.
They hold an edge very well, and have served me well, countless whitetail deer were gutted, mostly with the Oak Knife, as I call it.

You've done well, Pilgrim........... me likey.

.

2ndovc · Post by **2ndovc** » Thu May 14, 2015 7:22 pm

Wow,
Ysabel I think you win!

jb

Post by **Ysabel Kid** » Thu May 14, 2015 7:42 pm

It's near an addiction. I just love the bowie knife shape and utility. I come by it honestly; one of the primary weapons of my name sake was his bowie knife!

new pig hunter · Post by **new pig hunter** » Thu May 14, 2015 9:58 pm

did someone say Damascus ??

Cheers,

Carl

Post by **Chuck 100 yd** » Fri May 15, 2015 12:27 pm

Those are some fantastic knifes guys. I especially like the Damascus Bowie, SWEET!

I only have one 50 year old Puma that I bought in Germany in 1967. This is the only picture I have of it. It is in a sheath I made.

Here are a couple of Bowie blanks and a couple folders that are WIP's (work in progress) . I just roughed them out this morning on the belt sander I made. They are just out to 60 grit so still quite rough.

That knife pattern is a totally flat ground and will have a false top edge on the clip point when finished and the handle will be of Red stag antler I bought from a company in Lithuania (sp?) on ebay.

The inspiration and blade design came from one of the best bladesmiths in the land.
If you want to see a master and his work, go on youtube and type in (Nick Wheeler Bowie knife)
I dream of someday being half as good as Nick at knife making.
Nick has several videos where he explains and demonstrates every detail of making the Bowie. His work is just beautiful.
Nick lives in Castle Rock WA,only about 35 miles from me. I have to go meet him this summer.
He is a master bladesmith and willing to share his knowledge and technique freely.

Post by **Chuck 100 yd** » Fri May 15, 2015 2:20 pm

Such a cool thread BTT.

Lastmohecken · Post by **Lastmohecken** » Fri May 15, 2015 7:47 pm

A few of mine

Post by **Ysabel Kid** » Sat May 16, 2015 10:22 am

new pig hunter wrote:did someone say Damascus ??

Cheers,

Carl

Uh-oh. I knew this thread would cause me trouble. Now I know the next one I want!

pokey · Post by **pokey** » Sat May 16, 2015 11:17 am

Lastmohecken wrote:A few of mine

interesting hangers on those iwb sheaths.

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Sat May 16, 2015 1:41 pm

Blackjack #7

cshold · Post by **cshold** » Sat May 16, 2015 4:34 pm

Ysabel Kid wrote:Better late than never...

I have a few bowie knives too.

Yes, it's me!

You Are a ....

Pete44ru · Post by **Pete44ru** » Sun May 17, 2015 11:25 am

.

That's a REALLY nice sheath, that you made for your Puma, Chuck ! .

I'm also diggin that damascus Bowie, Carl - and would love one in that Fisk pattern, posted earlier.

.

Post by **Old Savage** » Sun May 17, 2015 11:59 am

Are those on the wrong feet?

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Sun May 17, 2015 1:09 pm

Old Savage wrote:Are those on the wrong feet?

Pete44ru · Post by **Pete44ru** » Sun May 17, 2015 4:05 pm

Griff wrote:
Old Savage wrote:
Are those on the wrong feet?

Nope, the feet are in the wrong mocs......................

,

new pig hunter · Post by **new pig hunter** » Tue May 19, 2015 5:33 pm

I got very lucky 5 years ago and picked this up from the knifemaker in Fresno ....

Another huge stroke of luck 2 years ago .... this knifemaker lives "just down the street" from Old Savage ....

Cheers,

Carl

piller · Post by **piller** » Thu May 21, 2015 4:17 pm

Here are some of mine.

006.JPG

007.JPG

008.JPG

009.JPG

Post by **Chuck 100 yd** » Thu May 21, 2015 5:03 pm

Here is a picture of the Bowie blade that was in my post above.This pic.showes it after several more hours of sanding. It is out to 220 grit at this stage.
Both of the Bowie blades are now sanded to 320 grit and on their way to Texas Knifemaker supply for heat treating. Both are coming out very nice, wish I had taken a picture of them both together at that stage. I have somewhere around 40 hours into them at this time. The block sanding to make them absolutely straight and removing every trace of the previous sanding grits scratches is what takes so long. I would rather build one knife to my best ability than a dozen half azzed ones. That is what hobby's are all about IMHO.

I am going to order some Damascus steel soon and make one for myself. This time I plan to keep it!!!