How practical is the Bowie Knife?

[scrapcan]

Pat

Where did you find the Rokons and how much did you have to give. I rode one many years agoa nd that i snot a bike it is a two wheel tractor. They are loads of fun. The four stroke engine was easy to work on also. I would like to have one to play with.

[Dale53]

As I said, above, I use the Western Bowie in place of a hand axe for building blinds and cutting shooting lanes. It is a dandy (I carry it in my day pack).

However, after the shot is fired, then the work begins. I prefer a small knive for that sort of work. Here are several I have collected over the years:

This one is a custom, hand forged knife by "Billy Watson" - he has had a booth at the NMLRA Matches at Friendship, In for years. The price is MOST reasonable and the design is VERY practical.



This one is Randall's "Trout and Bird" knife - an elegant classic:



A truly sweet little knife by Hendryx;



For practical field use, the sheath is important too. I much prefer this style:



I have others but don't wish to overwhelm you with too many pictures.

Dale53

[PatMarlin]

Pat

Where did you find the Rokons and how much did you have to give. I rode one many years agoa nd that i snot a bike it is a two wheel tractor. They are loads of fun. The four stroke engine was easy to work on also. I would like to have one to play with.

They will pull over 3000 lbs ...

I bought the first one from a guy for $300. Not running, but all there with a honda 90 on it. The second one I paid $1200 for with a Honda 110 "Lifan" chinese knock off brand- running. The guy was going to throw in other stuff, but I lost contact with him.

Either way it was a steal of a deal on both bikes. Good running Rokons are pricey, but come up sometimes on places like craigs list.

I bought another Lifan, as I heard they were good and the machining looks good on them. It runs like a champ. Anyway I bought another new 110cc from a dealer off of eBay for near $300 I think about 2 years ago. It's sitting in the box waiting for me to install it.

I want to tear both bikes down to the frame, paint and put them together like the one pictured with the Honda seat and tank. Fun stuff.

They don't go fast, but will go where a quad will give up and go home. And they do it safely.

[Dale53]

Pat Marlin;
Those pictures of the Rokons sure bring the memories back. I raced dirt bikes for ten years (mostly cross country races and enduros with a few Hare Scrambles and Scrambles races thrown in). I also did a lot of cross country "touring" in rough mountain country. I just flat LOVED motorcyles. My all time favorite was my Bultaco Sherpa T. That bike would go ANYWHERE!! I climbed hills that were unclimbable with that little darling. The only maintenance it required was changing the oil and an occasional spark plug. It was dern near bullet proof!!

Thanks for the memories...

Dale53

[PatMarlin]

Those bultacos where beasts. My dad wouldn't let me have a bike when I was a kid. Probably good thing, as I would have gone crazy with it.

Neighbor kid had a Sacs. I don't know what size it was, but it was a spitfire of a dirt bike.

I need 2 seats and tanks from a Honda ATC. The one pictured is off of a 85 ATC 110.

[JesterGrin_1]

Pat here you go. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...m=130365130243

I rode one when I was a kid in the early 70's I think around 74 or so. But I did like my Husky 250WR better lol. Hey I was a kid lol Zoom Zoom

But I have to say I had no idea that they would be worth as much as they are going for.

[Lead Fred]

Dang I raced Hodaka Super Rats until I was big enough for a Elsinore.
It was a real sphere breaker.

But I never carried a bowie knife on one

[JesterGrin_1]

lol Hodaka I used to ride my freinds Toad lol. And do you remember what a Honda Elsinore 125 works bike cost when new back when they came out?

The Honda Elsinore 125 and 250 was THE motocross bike of the day and one could get a race prep honda which was a works bike for dang where is the drum roll lol. $595.oo. I will never forget that number as my Father Grumbled that he could get a new truck for less than $2000.oo and he could work in it lol.

What is funny to me is that the track times from then till now have not got all that much faster and yet there engines have twice the HP and less weight along with almost 3 times the amount of shock travel. Which means to me is that one can only go as fast as the area they are in.

[PatMarlin]

What cooler topic than trail bikes and bowie knives ...Hah?

.........

[Four Fingers of Death]

When afield I use a drop point folder and carry a Green River clone (a CVA kit knife I made in the early 70s). They get most of the work done in camp and when I have grassed an animal.

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

Now if I was going to use a knife to fight/hunt those nasty two legged devils, it would be a toss up between the KarBar and the bowie. The Kar Bar would be better to retain when covered in blood I suppose, but the Big Bad Asses shiny Bowie would look good doing the deed!

[Huntsman]

I`ve always admired the Puma Bowie but a little pricey IMO. I almost bought one on ebay but lost the bid.
Maybe someday I`ll pick one up..maybe. In the mean time I`ll use the Bowie/Trapper/Mountain Man that I just built. I used a beautiful whitetail deer shed (6 points) that I found years ago for the handle and an older USMC Fighting knife (Camillus New York USA) that I found in the Army training area where I spent quite a few weeks/months. I figure some poor sap dropped it years ago as the leather handle had shrunk and hardened over time. I then got myself a piece of brass which I hand fit and polished for the hilt. She`s nicely balanced and all she needs now is a nice leather sheath. I`d post pics but my server wont alow me to. I could however send them by email to someone if they wish.
Cheers All,

[Baron von Trollwhack]

My Puma Bowie is a nice knife. BUT, the antler handle gets slippery when your hand gets bloody, as in deer cleaning. THe sharpness wears off quickly touching on bone, and the blade takes lots of work to sharpen with stones. It is heavy enough to break most whitetail legs anywhere with the partially sharpened recurve though. For a long time ,I've used and prefer a simple Green River with a cross hatch handle for deer work, but you can break one down completely with a 3" plastic handle Schrade if you want to.. I keep it ready now just in case of domestic, close, terrorism, if the Colt is out of boolits.

BvT

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Well, IMHO, NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Slightly cool on the wall, but --------- only slightly!!

Friend, who by the way is an animal, logger by trade, one tough feller, was getting ready to head for Alaska for a Brown Bear hunt.

Now, Lennie goes prepared!

So, wanted to pack a handgun along with his .338 AND THAT HUGE Bowie knife.

His Desert Eagle is not relyable, so he packed my 5.5" Redhawk with my 310gr LBTs in .44 cal, the .338 and yep, that trailor knife.

Like I said, one tough dude. He didn't say how much the trailor slowed him down in the woods but there wasn't any talking him out of it.

He was prepared!

Keep em coming!

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[JesterGrin_1]

The only knife I would call a Bowie that I have is the Cold Steel Trailmaster.

[bmanis]

I usually carry a Kabar with a folding saw, or I will carry a smaller 3.5" with a hatchet. It appears it is just personal preference. The weight pretty much just evens out.

Brandon

[Maine1]

well.....

There are "bowie knives" and then there are REAL bowie knives.

Those that say they are useless, too big, can't be carried concealed, not useful for hunting/camp chores, ect, need to get ahold of the latter. A good bowie is very light and fast in the hand, and at the same time can deliver a very powerful blow. its deft enough in the hand to be used to whittle any useful camp widget you want to make, as well as cut poles and stakes, point them and then drive them in. There is a FAR CRY between a K bar, or similar fixed blade, and a bowie. A large knife does not a bowie make.

Recoil was right! go back and read his posts, i bet he has a Bagwell IWB right now.

Most people today sell the large knife short as we do not learn to use them in a general sense anymore, not having the agrarian base we used to. With regards to the Bowie, this was partial brought about by legislation. legislation was brought about as the bowie was, at the time, refined and perfected, and used very well, so much so that the legislatures of many states forbid its use/carry/sale/manufacture. Thus led to the knife and knowledge of it fading away, and the general opinion that a k-bar is a bowie, and that the big knife is the mark of the tenderfoot...and other BS.

Just like anything else, things that people say you cannot do (carry a bowie, use it as a smaller knife,deftly, conceal it) you try, and find you can. I'm sure there are people out there saying that cast HP bullets do not expand...and that they cannot be made at home as it takes industrial equipment to melt lead, and only fools try to do so. I do not define my world by limitations.


If i was limited to ONE tool to carry for everything, i want a bowie, and i want to make it my self so i can be assured its done right. Back up that bowie with a 4" or so utility knife, and there is not much you CAN'T do out in the woods, i know from experience. You have to learn to use your tool, but its really alot of fun with the bowie. Are there better tools for SPECIFIC jobs? YUP, there are. i have cut logs of 12" with a bowie, takes about 12 minutes. Faster with an axe or a chainsaw, but i can't carry and conceal either an axe or my husquvarna under my shirt, use it to pick my teeth, whittle a stick (exception for the axe), or backcut an adversary. The bowie will do ALL of these things, with style and balls, if its weilder has the skills and balls to match. For backpacking modern style, well the SAK will be a better choice for most people. For people who want to be ready for anything, bring a bowie, and a good pistol.

In case its not clear, i am a HUGE bowie fan, and became one thru USE and practical aplication. Once i get a few finishd i'll see if i can post a few pics. Thanks to the OP for starting this thread.

[jhalcott]

well, I use a large knife similar to a Bowie for making a blind in a hurry when hunting. It's handier than a hatchet in MY opinion. It is part of a 3 blade set custom made by a local smith.The other 2 are incrementally smaller. A 4 1/2" and a short caper about 2" long. all with sheaths made to fit. I COULD use the"BOWIE" as a weapon against bears IF it was a last ditch affair. The Whelen works much better at a distance though!

[fatnhappy]

If I want a fighting knife I'll take my Kabar.

I'll take a rifle thank you very much.

I can't conceive of a reason I'd ever need a bowie knife.

[waksupi]

I'll take a rifle thank you very much.

I can't conceive of a reason I'd ever need a bowie knife.

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

[JesterGrin_1]

As with anything else a Bowie knife is just a tool. So depending on ones situation is or what one can expect determines there choice of tools needed if chosen wisely.