A Point Of Interest - UPDATE (Sheathe)

[Pete44ru]

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I stumbled across a reference to an "Arkansas Toothpick" type bowie knife known as the "Tahchee (an Indian chief) Coffin-handled Bowie:

http://www.antiquebowies.com/antiqueBow ... ahchee.htm

and became enamored with the knife/pattern:



I became determined to have myself one, or something like it - at a cost just a little bit lower than the $20,000 an original was evaluated @ on the Antiques Roadshow a little while ago.

While I'm searching for a few very large farrier's rasps, with which to fashion said Bowie - I ordered & received this repro, last week/today, for very little $$$:



When I opened the box, my first thought after I recovered from the near-blindness from the glare was: "Not even close"

It had a blade polished as shiney as a chrome truck bumper, short "Rosewood" (?) scales, and a leather sheathe with a crappy/cheap, fringe/welt, insert.

My second thought was: "What can I do to change it, so it looks more like the original ? "

Sooooooo, I de-glared the blade, removed the fringe from the sheathe, and extended the grip panel forward of the guard as on the original.



I'm by no means done yet, and I'm also contemplating exactly what to do with the sheathe - carve/decorate the existing one, or make a new/different one, maybe a parfleche-type on the order of (but not exactly like) the one below.



[ 5/10/13 EDIT: I started off by decorating the sheathe that came with the knife (see post waaay below) ]

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[TedH]

Nice work! Definitely a big improvement.

[missionary5155]

Greetings
Nice work on making a new knife look like a good knife. That is an interesting dlade. Would be a good one to have if ever needed badly.
Mike in Peru

[Sixgun]

That's a nice one! If anyone gives you any trouble, you can open him up like a can of beans.-----------6

[Pete44ru]

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Thank you, kindly - all ! .


BTW - When I was a kid, an old knife fighter told me that he thought the best place to be, in a knife fight against a crowd/gang/whatever - was on the bottom: just keep stabbing & slicing upwards, since nothing up there was likely to be friendly.....................



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[Blaine]

Looks WAY better....

[pokey]

Looks WAY better....

yup

go check out this fellas work for ideas [period sheaths and stuff].
hit the photo galleries button.

http://www.wrtcleather.com/index.html

[6pt-sika]

If you can lay your hands on a 1975 Shooters Bible #66 there's a fairly decent article by Robert Dana called "Who Invented the Bowie Knife" .

[Grizz]

I like it a lot. How did you extend the scales?

On the original there appears to be some text on the grip and on the blade. Do you know what it says? On the sheath there seems to be a buffalo head and a symbol that appears to be a baby on a board. Is that right?

Knife fighter on the bottom... that sounds like the voice of experience.

Good project. Are you going to follow through with the file?

I am looking for a file to make into a crooked knife, have you ever done that?

Best,
Grizz

[Mescalero]

I made one from a 1970 chevy 3/4 ton leaf spring.
I followed the American Bladesmiths Society description of a genuine Bowie.
This was back when Bill Bagwell wrote a monthly column for Soldier of Fortune magazine.

[Pete44ru]

I like it a lot. - [Thank You]

How did you extend the scales? - [ I cut/fit & epoxied two pieces of oversize scrap rosewood I had from an old project, then filed/sanded them down to match the existing contours of the guard, etc]

On the original there appears to be some text on the grip and on the blade. Do you know what it says?
[ The blade of the original is stamped with a crown over "ALPHA", over "GRAVELY & WREAKS", over "NEW-YORK". The blade is also etched "Arkansas Toothpick" in the middle, along with elaborate floral etching all over. I don't think there's any text on the original's grip. If anyone clicks on the hyperlink in my OP (above) and scrolls down, they'll be able to see close-up pics and a printed description, besides some history on the OK indians/fur trade.]

On the sheath there seems to be a buffalo head and a symbol that appears to be a baby on a board. Is that right? - [Yep]

Knife fighter on the bottom... that sounds like the voice of experience. - [That he was.......]

Good project. Are you going to follow through with the file? - [ I intend to, later this Summer]

I am looking for a file to make into a crooked knife, have you ever done that? -
[ No, this will be my first. I've read that the file should first be annealed before shaping, etc, then re-hardened/tempered instead of ground to shape as-is, because if it gets too hot during grinding, the structure of the steel will most likely be permanently altered.Since I don't have a grinder with a constant water-cooling feature, I'll most likely anneal it first, etc.]

Best,
Grizz

Today, I'm working on colored/painted Indian designs for the existing sheathe now, so depending on how that goes, I may/may not make another sheathe for it.






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[Griff]

Those sheaths appear to be more like the ones associated with the fur trade.

And this is what my Arkansas Toothpick looks like.

The guard is right below my knee, and the point will poke me in the ankle if I turn it wrong... don't ask how long it is... it's more properly classed as a short sword... illegal in some locales execpt as a prop... or part of a historical costume.

[Pete44ru]

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Well, shucks ! My wife says that my everyday wear looks like a historical costume....... .




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[Grizz]

Thanks for the details. I like your sketches, glad you posted them. The fringing on the original sheath is interesting. I wonder what the color coding might say... it's kind of like beading in a way.

Griff's toothpick is almost to the gladius stage:



Grizz

[Pete44ru]

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[ UPDATE ]

This is the sheathe that was supplied with the knife, from Crazy Crow, with some finessing by moi.....

(before)





(after)




I combined the designs from a few different beaded sheathes, in an earlier post, but used a hobby shop fabric paint ( & brushes) on the leather.

It was a bit lengthy, waiting for the paint to dry between sections & colors ( a few days, off/on/etc), so cut down a little on the smudging from my fat fingered daubing.

The lines would most likely have been straighter & more even had I used beads or dyed porkypine quills - but I've never attempted such, & it's a little intimidating to me.



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[pwl44m]

Looks good from here. I think Indians prolly did it free hand. I really caintsee where U think U messed up. I picked up a Bowie in Portland yesterday.
Perry

[Streetstar]

Cool ..... I have one of the Cold Steel "Laredo Bowies" that I would like to make a little more period correct, -- at least in appearance as well

[Old Ironsights]

Thanks for the details. I like your sketches, glad you posted them. The fringing on the original sheath is interesting. I wonder what the color coding might say... it's kind of like beading in a way.

Griff's toothpick is almost to the gladius stage:



Grizz

This is mine:

[Grizz]

welllllll, phoooooey. now I guess I gotta get one too... although I was looking at the kukris for a weed whacker.

[Grizz]

Here's the file-to-knife illustration. Has someone made a knife this way? Photos ?

thanks

Grizz

crooked_knife.jpg