I had read tho that incidents of Rebs and Yanks actually bayoneting each other an are hard to find, much less fighting with knives. A situation where even revolvers were discarded as excess weight by infantry on long, hard marches.
I believe many of those Bowie’s in photos of soldiers were studio props.
I could be wrong.
A good point he makes about British marketing defining what today we say a Bowie “has” to have. Early on it seems most ANY big knife was called a Bowie until British marketing kicked in. I have read of the exact same British bade design being sold as a Bowie knife here, a Buffalo knife in Canada, and a Gaucho knife in South America.
Meanwhile the Brits were quietly exporting to here many plain ol utilitarian 5-7” blades, far outnumbering Bowies, referred to as “trade knives” or sometimes “scalping knives” when traded to Indians. I wish there were stats on killings with them vs Bowies.
Sheffield mass produced high quality steel so good and so cheap that it wasn’t until the 1840’s that an American manufacturer could compete; Green River (contrary to pop history, the Rocky Mt fur trade was fading fast by then).
"...if the gentlemen of Virginia shall send us a dozen of their sons, we would take great care in their education, instruct them in all we know, and make men of them." Canasatego 1744
My latest "Bowie". A Rio Grande Camp Knife bu Adam Daub up in Maryland. Circa 1850-60. Similar to the one Powell tried to use on Secretary Seward.
Founder Ancient Order of the 1895 Winchester
"Come, shall we go and kill us venison? And yet it irks me the poor dappled fools, Being native burghers of this desert city, Should in their own confines with forked heads Have their round haunches gored."
Oh! Birdy mentioned Sheffield butcher knives. A new John Nowell 8" Butcher circa 1830-40 I just finished a norther plains tacked scabbard for. Dyed with vinegaroon dye. These were the workhorse of the west for decades.
Founder Ancient Order of the 1895 Winchester
"Come, shall we go and kill us venison? And yet it irks me the poor dappled fools, Being native burghers of this desert city, Should in their own confines with forked heads Have their round haunches gored."
God bless Texas----------------------- Old 300 I will remain what i am until the day I die- A HUNTER......Sitting Bull Its not how you pick the booger.. but where you put it !! Roger V Hunter
I was in the Texas Hill Country for the eclipse last week, and I stopped at the Alamo while I was in the area. There are several "Bowie" style knives from the period on display. They were longer than I expected and clearly fall into the short sword category.
I was in the Texas Hill Country for the eclipse last week, and I stopped at the Alamo while I was in the area. There are several "Bowie" style knives from the period on display. They were longer than I expected and clearly fall into the short sword category.
Some of the knives are shown in the first part of this video. It's a British couple touring the Alamo with a guide / docent.
Brits In TEXAS - The Alamo PART2 video posted to YouTube on Feb 15, 2024 YouTube channel: Mr H and Friends
"Whose bright idea was it to put every idiot in the world in touch with every other idiot? It's working!" -- P. J. O'Rourke
This blade was on display at the “Sea of Mud" exhibit at San Felipe de Austin shs museum year before last.
Founder Ancient Order of the 1895 Winchester
"Come, shall we go and kill us venison? And yet it irks me the poor dappled fools, Being native burghers of this desert city, Should in their own confines with forked heads Have their round haunches gored."
Oh! Birdy mentioned Sheffield butcher knives. A new John Nowell 8" Butcher circa 1830-40 I just finished a norther plains tacked scabbard for. Dyed with vinegaroon dye. These were the workhorse of the west for decades.
vinegaroon dye?
How many of them critters did it take? Did ya milk em alive or hafta kill em?
PS I looked it up
Last edited by Valsdad; 04/15/24.
The desert is a true treasure for him who seeks refuge from men and the evil of men. In it is contentment In it is death and all you seek (Quoted from "The Bleeding of the Stone" Ibrahim Al-Koni)
Oh! Birdy mentioned Sheffield butcher knives. A new John Nowell 8" Butcher circa 1830-40 I just finished a norther plains tacked scabbard for. Dyed with vinegaroon dye. These were the workhorse of the west for decades.
I've got a butcher's knife, too. Mine's made in Switzerland.
I deleted the photo of the one Jim Bowie supposedly presented to a famous New Orleans actor. It was a straight 9" blade butcher knife with no guards. The handle scales appeared to be horn with cross hatching like might be cut with a saw
" ... Meanwhile the Brits were quietly exporting to here many plain ol utilitarian 5-7” blades, far outnumbering Bowies, referred to as “trade knives” or sometimes “scalping knives” when traded to Indians. I wish there were stats on killings with them vs Bowies. ...
Sheffield mass produced high quality steel so good and so cheap that it wasn’t until the 1840’s that an American manufacturer could compete; Green River (contrary to pop history, the Rocky Mt fur trade was fading fast by then)."
This I. Wilson, Sheffield, England, butcher knife (top of picture) has been in my family since about 1850, according to my late grandmother from whom my mother got it. After my mother died I found it in one of her kitchen drawers so I brought it with me.
It was of the type that the fur trappers used, and also traded to the Indians in the Rocky Mountains.
It still cuts meat very well, and is easy to sharpen.
The bottom butcher knife was bought by my father back sometime in the mid 1930s. My mother used it almost every day in the kitchen. A very handy and useful general butcher knife.
FWIW.
L.W.
"Always go straight forward, and if you meet the devil, cut him in two and go between the pieces." (William Sturgis, clipper ship captain, 1830s.)
This is my custom made "Bowie" knife, made by a fellow named Voorhis back 30 or 40 years ago.
Nice blade.
I am partial to Ka-Bars.
BMT
"The Church can and should help modern society by tirelessly insisting that the work of women in the home be recognized and respected by all in its irreplaceable value." Apostolic Exhortation On The Family, Pope John Paul II
This is my custom made "Bowie" knife, made by a fellow named Voorhis back 30 or 40 years ago.
Nice one THR !!! 👍🏻
"Allways speak the truth and you will never have to remember what you said before..." Sam Houston Texans, "We say Grace, We Say Mam, If You Don't Like it, We Don't Give a Damn!"
My latest "Bowie". A Rio Grande Camp Knife bu Adam Daub up in Maryland. Circa 1850-60. Similar to the one Powell tried to use on Secretary Seward.
Originally Posted by kaywoodie
My latest "Bowie". A Rio Grande Camp Knife bu Adam Daub up in Maryland. Circa 1850-60. Similar to the one Powell tried to use on Secretary Seward.
Nice one Bob! That’s more along the lines of what I thought the “original” Bowie might have looked like. I’ve seen the one at the Alamo that is supposed to belong to Bowie’s brother, Rezin.
"Allways speak the truth and you will never have to remember what you said before..." Sam Houston Texans, "We say Grace, We Say Mam, If You Don't Like it, We Don't Give a Damn!"