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Thread: Let's see some Bowie knives.

  1. #21
    Boolit Master
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    Can't do pics,but the closest thing to a Bowie knife is one of the kits put out by Markwell Arms many years ago. Had previously did a couple of smaller knives put out by Ridgid years back. Have an old lawnmower blade and always wondered how it would make a decent knife making material?. Would have to be done with one of those little belt/disc sanders sold by Harbor Freight. What with being sequestered due in part to avoid the virus will give me something to do. Frank

  2. #22
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    Of the Second Generation Custom Knife Makers, which included Bo Randall, Bob Loveless, and a few others Ed Henry was considered the Expert on all things Bowie. Any Ed Henry Knife is worth mid 5 figures any day of the week.

    Here's a pic of what is considered to be the quintessential Texas Bowie Knife made by Ed Henry. 9 1/4" blade with a coffin style handle. I have this pattern.

    Bo Randall, who I am supposedly related to in some shoestring way, hence the name Randy short for Randall. Came from Michigan and moved somewhere along the line to Florida. He made some 2 knife sets with a 10" Heavy Bowie and a 12" Arkansas Toothpick which were pretty cool knives. I have actually held a Randall Toothpick and it was like holding a fencing foil. His knives were popular with Army Spec Ops and similar types during the Vietnam war. Randall always gave the Military guys preference in his 10 year long waiting list and also gave them discounts. Rare Randall Knives are now worth big money and especially the multi knife sets which can go for over $100K!

    Randy
    "It's not how well you do what you know how to do,,,It's how well you do what you DON'T know how to do!"
    www.buchananprecisionmachine.com

  3. #23
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    winelover's Avatar
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    Since were talking Randall's, here are my Bowie style fighters.




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    Winelover

  4. #24
    Boolit Grand Master GhostHawk's Avatar
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    That toothpick is a thing of beauty.

  5. #25
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    Winelover: How long are the blades on those knives?

    The Toothpick I got to hold had Stag Handles and the guy wanted $1200 for it. If i'd had the money?

    Randy
    "It's not how well you do what you know how to do,,,It's how well you do what you DON'T know how to do!"
    www.buchananprecisionmachine.com

  6. #26
    Boolit Master roverboy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by rancher1913 View Post
    technically thats not a bowie, its more of a indian (dot not arrow) fighting knife, I think that style was also big in Thailand.
    Gurka or Kukuri, I've heard them called both. Indian and Nepalese tribesman were a bad bunch.
    Mrs. Hogwallop up and R-U-N-N-O-F-T.

  7. #27
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    First allow me to say there's some darn nice looking Bowies in this thread. I missed it until tonight, glad I found it.

    Here's the last Bowie I forged and made. It's San Mai with 416SS cladding with 1095 core, and a .005" sheet of pure nickel between the layers to give the shiny line between the SS and 1095. Guard is wrought iron from an old wagon wheel that I found on Grandpa's farm. Spacer is brass and San Mai. Wood is Ebony with a nickel Silver pin. I still need to get a sheath made for it.
    Last edited by KenH; 03-23-2020 at 09:29 PM.

  8. #28
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    The #1 (bottom blade) is eight inches, the #14 is seven and a half.

    Winelover
    Last edited by winelover; 03-24-2020 at 07:06 AM.

  9. #29
    Boolit Buddy Bo1's Avatar
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    Click image for larger version. 

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    "Those who hammer their guns into plows, will plow for those who do not"
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  10. #30
    Boolit Master
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    I forgot to mention size of the Bowie, it's a small one with a 7" blade and 12" overall length. For a "big Bowie" here's a copy I made from drawings of the original Joe Musso Bowie. There is strong evidence this Bowie was actually owned by Jim Bowie himself.

    It's 19-1/2" overall with almost a 14" blade. The blade's about finished here:


    This is finished and chopping into tree limb.


    and here it is displayed in case:
    Last edited by KenH; 03-25-2020 at 11:56 AM.

  11. #31
    Boolit Grand Master pietro's Avatar
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    .

    Me likey boxed bowies...….


    Now I lay me down to sleep
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    The coroner's van is your next ride

  12. #32
    Boolit Master
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    Pietro, is that an original Bowie? Sure looks good.

  13. #33
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    Attached is a picture of a Bowie that I made a new hilt and handle for many years ago. For the hilt I started with a large piece of bronze. The knife is 14-1/2 inches and the blade is 9-1/2. I had a milling machine at the time which made the job much easier. I cut the leather for a sheath but never got around to sewing it together.The second picture is a group of knives I bought in a gun shop that was closing. I gave twenty bucks for the lot. One is made in Germany, the rest are Chinese.
    Last edited by GOPHER SLAYER; 03-25-2020 at 03:02 PM.
    A GUN THAT'S COCKED AND UNLOADED AIN'T GOOD FOR NUTHIN'........... ROOSTER COGBURN

  14. #34
    Boolit Grand Master pietro's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by KenH View Post
    Pietro, is that an original Bowie? Sure looks good.
    Thank you

    IDK if it's a gennie or not, as it appears to be hand made, but has no markings.

    I do know that these early bowies had blades supplied by the firm of Gravely & Weeks in Sheffield, England, imported here during the Fur Trade era.

    It's in the style of ca.1830's Native American (Cherokee ?) bowies from what's today Arkansas.

    I bought the steel case @ a yard/tag sale for $3 (IIRC), because I thought that since it's mil-surp it should offer excellent protection.



    .
    Now I lay me down to sleep
    A gun beside me is what I keep
    If I awake, and you're inside
    The coroner's van is your next ride

  15. #35
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by pietro View Post
    Thank you

    IDK if it's a gennie or not, as it appears to be hand made, but has no markings..
    It sure looks like one of the Carrigan Knife by James Black, it's a Coffin Handle Bowie - very nice. Here's a link to one:
    https://www.flickr.com/photos/eringobragh915/5507741827

  16. #36
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    Quote Originally Posted by GOPHER SLAYER View Post
    Attached is a picture of a Bowie that I made a new hilt and handle for many years ago. For the hilt I started with a large piece of bronze. The knife is 14-1/2 inches and the blade is 9-1/2. I had a milling machine at the time which made the job much easier. ...
    That is what I call a "real Bowie". That design is one of the very first Bowie knives I've made.

  17. #37
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    Ken H: That large Bowie you showed comes very close to what Ed Henry would have classified as an "Artillery Short Sword." which I guess was a common thing for artillery crews to have on them for CQB or just opening Powder Bags. That is a good looking knife!

    As far as Kukris go my bro in law gave me a Kershaw Kukri for my birthday a couple of years ago. We were at a restaurant and when I pulled it out some people close by gasped. I held it up and said, "now that's a knife!" I don't know if they appreciated my Mick Dundee reference, but I've never seen any of them again, so I'm fine with it!

    Randy
    "It's not how well you do what you know how to do,,,It's how well you do what you DON'T know how to do!"
    www.buchananprecisionmachine.com

  18. #38
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    Yea, when you hold that big Bowie in your hand it sorta feels like a short sword. From all the research that's been done on the Joe Musso Bowie it seems like there's a really good chance it was actually owned by Jim Bowie himself, and perhaps even the Bowie he carried at the Alamo.

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