How practical is the Bowie Knife?

[PatMarlin]

Any Bowie knife fans here?

I was wondering how many folks use them for hunting and camping? I was fortunate enough to buy 45nut Ken's Western large bowie awhile back, and I have planned on using it for outings up here in the woods.

Does it fill the need for a hatchet as well as a cooking knife? Or do they just look cool.

I read they are banned in some states? .. Probably could ad CA to the list. When they come to get me, they'll probably take my bowie too ..

[Bullshop Junior]

I have a 7.5" buck, and I don't like it. It is just to long.

[Bret4207]

Most I've seen are just too big and thick. I'll take a 3-4" blade (think Kabar "Little Fin") and a light ax or 'hawk and do quite well.

[Bullshop Junior]

Mine is about 1" thick.

It is for sale/trade if you are interested. Sharp too!

[Glen]

For an all-round hunting knife, I don't want anything longer than a 4" blade and the Loveless drop-point hunter design is virtually perfect in my eyes. For a general purpose camp knife (that may be called upon for light chopping) I don't see any need for anything larger than a Kabar, which does the job very well (just ask the USMC). If I need a knife, I'll use a knife. If I need a machete, I'll use a machete. If somebody else wants to use a Bowie knife for these jobs, more power to them, but I doubt that I'll ever own one.

[Bullshop Junior]

I cheap bayonet works good for chopping.

[yondering]

I like to have a small 3"-4" knife and a big blade (machete or kukri). In between knives like a Bowie are too much of a compromise; they can do it all, but don't do any of it very well.

I really do like the kukri sold by Ka-Bar. It functions both as a short machete, and as a hatchet. It chops trees and limbs very well; I carry one when I ride, in case there are fallen trees in the trail.

[Larry Gibson]

Pat

I don't think the "Bowie" was designed with hunting in mind. It was designed back in the days of single shot rifles, pistols and swords with a lot of up close and personal contact sport involving a lot of slicing, hacking and chopping going on. It is a fighting knife pure and simple, basicaly a "snub-nosed" sword. For that purpose of slicing through clothes and flesh it does very well. The general large handguard and thick back of the blade make it good for parying a sword thrust. The long sharp point is excellent for deep pentrating thrusts. As a "hunting" knife it is a duck out of water. A good Bowie can serve as a light hatchet or for for utilitarian camp duties like slicing steaks or bacon though. Mine is hanging on the wall over my loading bench and makes a good conversation piece, which is about all the use I get out of it.

Larry Gibson

[Bert2368]

"It must be long enough to use as a sword, sharp enough to use as a razor, wide enough to use as a paddle, and heavy enough to use as a hatchet."
-Russell T. Johnson

If you don't have to kill Indians, protect your clan's honor and finish off wounded bears, I would go with a smaller knife. For dressing game and general utility, 3 - 4" is all I seem to need. I like a puukko style, there are some nice really cheap Swedish utility knives with laminated steel blades I've used as well. http://gearjunkie.com/gear-review-mora-knives

[SPRINGFIELDM141972]

I don't use a "bowie" for a camp knife, but I do use a variant. The CAMILLUS pilots survival knife is a bowie of sorts and in my very humble opinion about the best all around camp knife you can ask for.

Regards,
Everett

[1874Sharps]

Larry,

You are right about the Bowie knife. I have seen a Bowie knife in the Alamo museum on display (as y'all may recall, Jim Bowie died fighting there at the Alamo). It was a honker and it had a brass U-shaped channel along the spine of the blade opposite the cutting edge. That brass strip was used to parry and catch the blade of the opponent, as the cutting edge would dig into the soft brass. I have read that a man would hold the knife with the with the blade up and the back edge down in such a fight so that when raised, the spine was nearest the opponent. I certainly cannot swear to that, though.

[PatMarlin]

I should have been more specific-

I meant for a camp utility knife on hunting trips- cutting meat, hatchet use, etc. trying to use the bowie instead of having to bring a hatchet etc., to save on weight.

I've got various other knives for hunting and dressing- one of my favorites is a buck folder with drop point, saw, and gut hook all in one.

I have a 70's vintage #120 BUCK- the long black one that you may be talking about JR, and I really like to use it in the kitchen to cut up meats.

This Western Bowie really has a nice balance, and is not all that heavy. It's thickness is .170, and the BUCK #120 is .175 in thickness.

I'll just have to give it a try and go chop on somebody.

[Limey]

Guy's,

I'm a ''kife-olic'' so I am really enjoying this thread....but......it'd be a lot better with pictures to show size, design and different styles of knife...

...then there is blade material....traditional carbon steel, stainless, damascus....what's best in your view and why?....

....and what about sharpening and maintenance....

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this thread grows with lots of great input

.....and please don't forget to include your tomahawk/hatchet info as well!

Safe shooting

Limey

[2ndAmendmentNut]

I am not sure what your knife looks like. I see all sorts of knives that get called “Bowie knives.” They are cool. As far as practical uses, I can’t really think of one unless you want to get into and win a knife fight.

[PatMarlin]

Mines like this one. OAL is 14 3/4". OAL sheath length is 18 1/2". No matter how you slice it, it's a nice knife.

My Sheath is different. Has larger WESTERN print in a different font. Clasp is on the handle as well. Nicer than the one in the pic.

[PatMarlin]

My Large BUCK is like this one. Bought it when I was a kid. Will hold an edge for a long time. Good knife for cutting salmon steaks too when I was allowed to fish for salmon ..

OAL is 12 1/8". My sheath again is different from this one.

[felix]

Don' t even think about laughing, even in silence. These are the best knives, bar none, that I have ever used around the house. Got the idea from the bread using companies, typical franchises you all know about especially the "eat fresh" one. http://www.fixwell.com/sharptip.html

Look around their web page and there might be one suitable for "field" dressing. Their steel is second to none and my cheapies will cut paper after cutting through aluminium nails. In fact, I have to wait for one to dull big time before cutting out grapefruit sections.

... felix


I just looked. They don't have any other types over here any more. They are German, and probably got into marketing conflicts with other companies over here. ... felix

[Bret4207]

If I want a fighting knife I'll take my Kabar. It's too big for hunting uses or camp use.

I don't think a bowie wpuld work any better.

[StarMetal]

If I want a fighting knife I'll take my Kabar. It's too big for hunting uses or camp use.

I don't think a bowie wpuld work any better.

Hard to beat a Kabar. I have a brand new unissued one from the Navy in WWII.

Joe

[357maximum]

How practical is the bowie knife?---about as practical as going stream trout fishing in a tugboat.

I carry a little old timer in my pocket (I have fully field dressed whitetail with it a few times...and I split the pelvis with my knives).

I carry a rubber handled buck vanguard for whitetail gutting purposes (again i split the pelvis with it)


If and when I need a bowie knife I will grab a cleaver/hatchet/machete or a 38snubbie.