How practical is the Bowie Knife?

[Suo Gan]

Whe I shoot cowboy, I wear a lovely big bowie with sambar grips. Purely for show, but it is a nice knife!

My stereotypes are holding true! The one about all Aussies wearing BIG bowie knives that is.

[fatnhappy]

What if you wanted to slice up a Bowie real thin for sandwiches? And then there is always the mayonnaise question....

Mayo comes in squeeze jars now Ric. Is it possible that 21st century development hasn't reached Montana yet?

Oh BTW soap comes in squeeze jars too.

[reloader28]

Only had time to read 1/2 the posts, but had to add my $.02

I used a bowie type for years hunting and never really had a complaint. Two years ago I thought it was time for a new knife a got a Kershaw. Love it, but it just aint the same and I almost feel naked without the big one.

You can never have too many knives no matter if they have a purpose or not.

I got a folding pocket knife with two 9 1/2" blades. Folded up it is 11" long and darn near 3" across. Takes a pretty big pocket, but you should see peoples faces when you pull it out.

Worth every pound of it.

[PatMarlin]

What if you wanted to slice up a Bowie real thin for sandwiches? And then there is always the mayonnaise question....

Make sure you get the real "Wide Mouth" jar.

[PatMarlin]

I got a folding pocket knife with two 9 1/2" blades. Folded up it is 11" long and darn near 3" across. Takes a pretty big pocket, but you should see peoples faces when you pull it out.

Worth every pound of it.

Like to see a pic of that one.

[Beerd]

Is it possible that 21st century development hasn't reached Montana yet?

Boy, wouldn't that be nice.
But time marches on and I'm kinda learning to like this internet foofaraw.
I'm not so sure about squeeze bottles.
..

[reloader28]

Here are the knife pixs. 22" long, about 2 1/2" across. Folded up is 12" long.
About 2 1/2 lbs

[45nut]

That is a knife I made to replace the Bowie I sold to Pat, old butcher knife I reconfigured. Recycled ..



That is a short sword I made from a old leaf spring for more serious use.

[PatMarlin]

Here are the knife pixs. 22" long, about 2 1/2" across. Folded up is 12" long.
About 2 1/2 lbs

So I guess that wouldn't pass airport security huh? . ...

[PatMarlin]

Some nice steel work Ken. You go a permit for them things? ...

[missionary5155]

Good morning
And another factor.. just how do you get to the CAMP...
I am a kayak traveler.. when I get the chance up there in the state of ILL. or the other surrounding meandering liquid highways. Weight and space is the issue to me. Plus plain old packability with easy access. I use one of them 35 pound plastic kayaks. Total recommended weight is about 220. So my 158 pounds, cloths and gear has to be carefully thought out.
A hachet is just to big. A hawk is not bad but a thick bladed bowie (Kabar or Gerber) are easier to store and do not add any weight. Add a blade smacker and it will cut as well as a hawk. I always have a 4" Gerber Easy Out on my body so the two covered all my needs. That is until one day on North Fork an agressive Saint Bernard decided maybe a kayak would be a nice play toy on a shalow area. Fortunatly he entered the water while I was still a bit upstream and blew his ambush. I can paddle in reverse real fast and one I was back into 3 feet of water the game was over. I now carry a 5 foot Zulu type spear lashed to the right outside of my kayak. That is my first choice of a bladed item for self defense.
Mike in Peru

[Russell James]

45, as Crocodile Dundee once said " Now thats a knife"!

[JSH]

An interesting thread by all means. I was a knife hound for a short time. I never did get real interested in a Bowie style though. I had seen a thing called a skachet, (spelling) when I was a kid. Always thought it may be a handy camp tool. I hunted with a few guys and one older fellow had one and could pretty much take care of moose to rabbits with it. He made that comment and brought a box full of pics on morning, hunting pics from all over North America. The Skachet was either seen in it's sheath or at work in camp or cutting up game.
I would still like to have one, but the blasted price of them is crazy.
I usually carry a Western and a couple of lock blades when hunting.
I now have in my possesion a "Snodgrass Special" first edition,lol. James made it from a file and retempered it. Some say it will break, but I don't plan on using it for a pry bar. Holds an edge like "who dunnit". I put a 30 degree edge on it with my Lansky diamond stone.
I ran across an interesting magazine that I had not seen since i was a kid, called "The Backwoodsman". I remember dad having them around. There is a fair jag of info in them on knives. Some useful and some questionable.
jeff

[PatMarlin]

I can paddle in reverse real fast and one I was back into 3 feet of water the game was over. I now carry a 5 foot Zulu type spear lashed to the right outside of my kayak. That is my first choice of a bladed item for self defense.
Mike in Peru

Mike- just how fast can you paddle when chewing those green leaves? ...

Do they make a 237 pounder person Kayak? ..

Obama should distribute Zulu spears in the hood to cut down on stray fire..

[nicholst55]

I have a Cold Steel Trailmaster, which has a too-long, too-thick blade to be useful as anything other than a makeshift hatchet.

http://www.coldsteel.com/trailmaster.html

Some have fund that one of the Cold Steel Kukri-style machetes are quite useful in the general camp use category.

http://www.coldsteel.com/kukrimachetes.html

[Maine1]

I'll have to disagree with you there, Nicholst55, i have used a TM for about everything, from chopping trees to whittling traps, skinning whitetails, woodchucks, ect.

Too bad they are not made in the US anymore, they are a good knife for those who find a larger blade useful.

[JesterGrin_1]

I have one thing to say about the old Carbon V Trail Master they will sure keep an edge.

[BruceB]

Yes, the Carbon V steel is excellent. It will rust and stain if not cared-for, naturally, but that's what we get with carbon steels.

As mentioned earler, I used my Trail Master (Carbon V) a fair bit in the near-timberline areas of the Northwest Territories, and it performed well...an axe isn't needed for the spindly growth in those areas.

Mostly, though, I just like HAVING the blade, and messing about with it from time to time. It's a fascinating piece of work, and I'd be very happy to have it in hard times.

[JesterGrin_1]

Did you say RUST lol. I made a mistake one time and only one time lol. I took it to the coast fishing. Never even went out in a boat just the pier lol. And I had it in the scabard lol. I took it out to cut bait and guess what it had a film of rust on it. Sure it wiped right off but it sceeered the heck out of me lol. As the TM is not a cheap knife or it wasn't when they were Carbon V lol. I put a good coat of grease on it and put it back in the car and used a cheap stainless knife lol.

[405]

How practical the Bowie?

Wild thread! The term "Bowie" these days has become so generic as to mean almost anything except a folder Some are small and slender with a reasonable blade profile and some resemble a dull Gladius sword- more of a percussion weapon or club than a knife. Certain forms of the "Bowie" are very practical- almost univerally so.