Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire The Bowie Knife

Roger's Bart thread got me to thinking of and looking at Bowies from various sources.

Being that there are different styles and sizes of Bowie's, what are the essential attributes needed to call it a Bowie Knife? I always considered both the Ka-Bar, and the Randall #1 to be of the Bowie type. But
Randall, at least makes other knives they call Bowies.

Most useful style and size of Bowie?
Is there a blade type that should or should not be done on a Bowie? Hollow Ground? Flat Grind? Scandi Grind?
Is there any practical advantage to a Damascus blade?

What is the best source for a practical and durable Bowie today?

A 6 inch Kabar would be a bit handier than the 7 inch version, I like the original version though.

kaywoodie could prolly tell you all you want to know about bowie knives.


he's pretty sharp on history stuff.

I don't think the "Scandi grind" should be done on anything!

unless Charles May does it.....

he does some killer scandi

Men have forgotten the purpose of such instruments and think 6” is sufficient . You’d want your short sword to penetrate the vitals from every angle.

You could tickle a man's ribs with this instrument a long time before you'd ever make him laugh.

Sharp on knives eh?!

Never a DULL moment around here!

that from "Have gun, will travel"?

And i don't think that a hollow ground blade belongs anywhere but the kitchen, but there's a lot of sporting knives made that way, and even some dedicated fighting knives.

Supposedly, that's a quote (or close to it... I'm working from memory) from Bowie, as he showed his knife to David Crockett.

I've gutted, skinned and quartered a lot of deer with hollow ground blades and they seemed to work fine. In fact, just as good or better than many flat ground, convex ground or saber ground blades. I consider gutting, skinning and quartering deer a "sporting knife" purpose best not performed in the kitchen.

Nice, Grizz...

maybe geebuyaa sees this


hes the "knifefather" of the forums.

im sure hes got a bowie or 7.

I'm not sure how to grip a knife with a full guard.

Maybe, or maybe not. Love looking at his knives, but Texas has always gone hard on the Bowie, and I admit that I don't understand that. Seems unnatural, but a Texan can be excused for not having a Bowie in his effects.

I’m not sure Jim Bowie ever saw what we call a “Bowie knife” today.

Here’s one commissioned by his brother Rezin, 1830’s after his brother Jim’s death. Rezin after all was the guy who had the original Bowie knife made for Jim that he used in that famous sandbar brawl, 1827. So Rezin prob’ly knew what Jim’s knif(ives) looked like.



https://officialalamo.medium.com/march-artifact-of-the-month-searles-bowie-knife-5c491a3eb3a0

‘Nother Jim Bowie bowie candidate.

James Black, Little Rock Arkansas made what are now called “Coffin Handled Bowie’s” in the 1830’s, at least one of which was apparently purchased by a Bowie brother. Here’s an original James Black work...



A knife like this might have fallen into Mexican hands at the Alamo....

https://blademag.com/knife-history/the-sea-of-mud-knife-james-bowies-knife-found-pt-1/amp

I've carried a Randall on 4 continents. And you may be right if you intend to do combat with your knife. Personally, I've never known for that to be in anyone's plans.
The Randall was a really knice knife when I bought it. But the 2 3/4" Gerber was the knife that always got used.
The shop that sold me the Randall, gave me the Gerber.

I also bought a Ka-Bar at about the same time. Useful tool in the truck, but I never deployed anywhere with it.

Never felt pulled to buy a true Bowie. Til Roger posted his pics...
Who makes the solidest Damascus blade designed for use?