Since I was in knife cleaning and stropping mode today, I cleaned and stropped my Bear custom koa handled Bowie. I bet any frontiersman would drool over it. The patina is natural from use and not forced. Little lighter now that the blade was cleaned pretty well. Edge is convex. EBE73488-0D9A-44DB-9302-A6AA52BDB6E9 by Hanzo posted Nov 18, 2018 at 14:57
That , made by western , is a Bowie. When I went hunting this went with me every time, about 50 years worth . I had a Bowie made by Case roughly the same size and shape, but to be honest It could not keep an edge under real work .
OK, Here is my favorite Bowie derivative, it's big and heavy and extremely well balanced! It's fun to dress the edge but once you get the hang of it, pretty easy!
I certainly wouldn't call the knife Hanzo linked a Bowie, but it's definitely an awesome knife because it's from Bear. Reminds me of the outdoorsman's blade from way back, most would compare to a camp/kitchen knife today. I actually prefer this style compared to a Bowie for practicality purposes.
Bear called it a Bowie, so I’m sticking with that. Reminds me of Magua's knife from Last of the Mohicans. Except mine is at least twice as thick. At the spine, it is about the thickness of a khukhuri.
I have found that one of the best ways to start a "knife fight" is to say : This is what a Bowie knife is / looks like / made from .... Or : Jim Bowie's knife that he used looked like this ..... Andy
No one "wins" in an actual knife fight. While I carry and have encountered knives drawn on the street, I have yet to pull mine. Hope to never have to. I have said, "Put it away. Otherwise someone is going to die tonight. And I don't feel like dealing with the police." That worked if they weren't crazy. Fun sparring with weapons. That has taught me to never underestimate someone with a weapon. No matter how good you are. Or worse, how good you think you are. I was able to beat my teacher when I was armed. Granted, I know things will be different when it is for real and not for fun.
I was being more figurative than literal with the phrase "Knife fight".... That said...I have no idea how to knife fight...I do know many ways to commit mayhem , injury and death with a knife...but fighting...nope...why would I do that...? Andy
I understood. And by fighting, I just mean winning by any means necessary. I don't "fight" either. When I was last sparring with my classmate, all these thoughts came into my head only to be dismissed because it was friendly. So no breaking joints and such even though the openings appeared as I was keeping myself from getting cut or stabbed. So that made is a little bit harder to get the upper hand.
When it comes to knife fighting I would try for the best sight alignment, sight picture and trigger press as quickly as possible, all the while maintaining at least 6' minimum distance.
In knife fighting, the guy who gets cut least is the winner. Bowie makes a pretty good fighting knife.
The distinctive factor of the bowie knife much like a sword which is strictly a fighting knife, is that it had a guard . If we whom are skilled in knife making do not maintain the history of the craft then it will be lost in obscurity much like the references made by the ignorant to what a clip or magazine or cylinder ,is .even the best of advertising does not know the correct terms and lack the respect of those that do know the difference. Young people visit these pages ignorant of the proper names for things or proper definitions for things ,if we whom are some what educated do not take the time to enlighten , then ignorance will prevail .
Need more than six feet. I would prefer sixty feet plus against a knife wielder. Should be able to get off multiple shots then, if needed.
Maybe the one who gets cut and stabbed the least badly. For a fighting knife, I would prefer something light and fast. Just want to be able to touch quickly and repeat as needed. The Bowie is a little heavy to me for that purpose.
My experience with them, I like 19th century "patterns", which is to say 1/8" spines with 9"-14" blades and at least 2" crossguard. Reach and speed win more fights than they don't. I like heavier ones (current "heavy" edc is cold steel 1917 bowie) for heavy brush work, and parrying larger blades like swords and machetes, some of the HEMA techniques work extremely well for that. A lot of factors in a blade fight, got a few scars I formed opinions around.
