Bowie Options

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bratch

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I think I want a “Bowie”. I know that term captures a lot and means a lot to different people.

I’m not concerned with any historical aspect but not opposed. I am currently leaning towards a BK-9.

It there anything else out there that offers a big blade Bowie style that I should look at? No real use in mind, may get some light camp use but really it’s more because I want a big blade.
 
Mineral Mountain Hatchet Works has some, I have one of his bowies, great for around camp, i wouldnt want to hike with it, holds a good edge

Dan
 
The Marine Raider bowie by Ontario is one I'd look at. I have it and the BK9, and prefer it to the BK9. The BK9 is a good knife, however. I have sharpened the clip point of the Raider bowie and it backcuts nicely.

You may want to look at Esee knives too for just a nice large knife. Cold Steel offers some pretty good Bowie knives for different purposes.
 
If you're willing to drop some fairly serious money, the Spyderco Respect would probably be my choice. An Ontario Bagwell Bowie- Fortress or The Gambler- would probably be 2nd choice, if you can find one.

John
 
Randall makes fantastic stuff and then there are custom makers.
The BK-9 is a goox choice, I have several Beckers. Ethan is a good guy and made good blades.
 
I really like big knives, just something about them that will always make me keep one.

This might not go over well but here we go! I have never liked Bowie knives, ever! Nothing about them keeps me interested in buying them. When I say that, I mean the typical "Bowie" knife.

Less so if they have the typical stag handle as I don't like them either! It makes me just walk right by them even faster if I'm looking at knives.

I own a BK-9 and it's a powerhouse of a knife, which you can tackle plenty of chores with. Could you do fine detailing with it? No, but you should know that already and have the proper knifw for that.

Here's my BK-9, from blank to ready to go.

knife01.jpg

knife02.jpg
 
That is in fact, a style "bowie". It just doesn't have the elongated clip point some have.

John
 
Bikerdoc,

Bo Randall used to get upset when folks called his knives Bowies and would go into a discussion of why his knives , except the one model he called a classic Bowie and sold as such were NOT Bowies. He despised the curved clip point on the back of a classic bowie design and went to great lengths to explain his knives' straight top edge made them "NOT BOWIES"

-kBob
 
Every clip point and quite a few other large knives are called bowies by sellers. SMKW shows 438 hits on the term "bowie". BK-9 should be fine if you intend to use it. If it is more for the fun of having one, sturdiness takes a back seat to appearance, configuration, fit and finish. You can get a Boker magnum neck bowie for a paltry $18.71 :D
 
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I have a drawer full of knifes. I have no real use for a Bowie but I wanted one for nothing else but a wall hanger. I wanted what I consider a “classic” look to it. My other requirements were stainless steel and made in USA. I narrowed my search to Case and Bear and Son. I was outbid on eBay on a Case so I settled on the Bear. It is now on display in it’s felt lined box on the mantle. I like the knife, fit and finish are strongly decent. My desires we satisfied nicely. BCCB00P.jpg
 
bratch said:
I am currently leaning towards a BK-9.
Click to expand...
JShirley said:
That is in fact, a style "bowie".
Click to expand...

Well, a BK9 is a great knife, but it ain't remotely a "bowie". A clip point doesn't make a knife a "bowie". The 9 is a fantastic large camp knife with a short clip. Mr. Becker doesn't consider it a bowie (its just a marketing term) and isn't fond of them. The suggested Bagwells are very much more bowies since the "Bowie" should be a large fighter. Bagwell approaches them as bowies with a sharpened clip for the backcut. OTOH, there are plenty of bowies that can be actually used in the field and plenty of large camp knives that aren't bowies that are great large camp knives.


bikerdoc said:
made good blades.
Click to expand...
Becker didn't make knives, he designed them. Manufacturers licensed and made them. BUT Becker made sure that he had a say in how they were made to help ensure quality.


bratch said:
I’m not concerned with any historical aspect but not opposed.
Click to expand...

https://www.bladehq.com/item--Condor-Plan-A-Fixed-Blade-Bowie--93747
Joe Flowers designed this 9" bowie for Condor and Joe knows his way around a knife and around field craft.
Condor-Plan-A-Fixed-Bowie-Knife-Satin-CTK2823-8.98HC-BHQ-9374-jr.jpg

The Bark River V44 is a great bowie from a respected shop.
bark-river-v44-bowie-lt-1__28510.1596654240.jpg

The Svord Von Tempsky 11" bowie is a beast and probably very close to the look of the original knife forged for Jim Bowie based on the newspaper piece written about the infamous Sandbar Fight.
aXQiOiAiY29udGFpbiIsImJhY2tncm91bmQiOiB7InIiOiAyNTUsImciOiAyNTUsImIiOiAyNTUsImFscGhhIjogMX19fX0=.jpg

The Case is a classic "bowie"
dCI6ICJjb250YWluIiwiYmFja2dyb3VuZCI6IHsiciI6IDI1NSwiZyI6IDI1NSwiYiI6IDI1NSwiYWxwaGEiOiAxfX19fQ==.jpg

This Legacey 14" Musso style is patterned after the real Musso Bowie.

dCI6ICJjb250YWluIiwiYmFja2dyb3VuZCI6IHsiciI6IDI1NSwiZyI6IDI1NSwiYiI6IDI1NSwiYWxwaGEiOiAxfX19fQ==.jpg

AG Russell's Sandbox Bowie is 8" of salt tank quenched super steal intended to be indestructible while being usable. (damnit, I may need to get one).

ru-u712-7-513bkod.jpg

Or you could get a vintage W49 that Western made that's considered a classic. I have one of these just because they were iconic.
9c84579a-0d4e-57ee-80f4-8641c3e089c2__83390.1551318027.jpg
 
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Fallkniven is my go-to for fixed blades. They have some very practical offerings, and some fancier models that still seem to have plenty of utility. And the do have a very large "Modern Bowie" which costs more than some guns but will almost certainly outlast them.
 
My problem with the Condor is that I don't like knives whose handles cant the blade forward (yes, many Spydercos do this, too. I still don't like it). I believe this cant reduces reach and versatility.

John
 
hso said:
Well, a BK9 is a great knife, but it ain't remotely a "bowie". A clip point doesn't make a knife a "bowie". The 9 is a fantastic large camp knife with a short clip. Mr. Becker doesn't consider it a bowie (its just a marketing term) and isn't fond of them. The suggested Bagwells are very much more bowies since the "Bowie" should be a large fighter. Bagwell approaches them as bowies with a sharpened clip for the backcut. OTOH, there are plenty of bowies that can be actually used in the field and plenty of large camp knives that aren't bowies that are great large camp knives.



Becker didn't make knives, he designed them. Manufacturers licensed and made them. BUT Becker made sure that he had a say in how they were made to help ensure quality.




https://www.bladehq.com/item--Condor-Plan-A-Fixed-Blade-Bowie--93747
Joe Flowers designed this 9" bowie for Condor and Joe knows his way around a knife and around field craft.
View attachment 953737

The Bark River V44 is a great bowie from a respected shop.
View attachment 953738

AG Russell's Sandbox Bowie is 8" of salt tank quenched super steal intended to be indestructible while being usable. (damnit, I may need to get one).

View attachment 953772
Click to expand...


Second on the A.G. Russell Sandbox Bowie. I have one and it is great. Right sized blade, looks good. I also have many BRK's but no bowie from them.

https://agrussell.com/knife/A-G-Rus...yed. Measures 13-1/4" overall. Weighs 12.8 oz

Here's a link for the BRK Bowies:

https://www.dlttrading.com/bark-river-shining-mountain-bowie

shining-mountain-bowie-a2-dark-curly-maple-moran-handle-6-dlt-419.95__23524.1592494868.jpg
 
If you want a field knife go for the Becker.
If you want a "big Bowie", nothing says big bowie more than a Musso.
Problem is, Legacy is always out of stock, Windlass is ok in its price range but I think you want something more elegant, and Ursa' prices are creeping up but still nowhere near a custom US made one.
Ontario Bagwells are stainless which is a turn off for me. Natchez Bowie has a weird tang I can't quite get enthusiastic about.
My w49 Western has an honored spot in my desk drawer, where it is semi-retired from my beating it to death camping and such since I bought it in the 70s. Used ones can be had for not much more than the Bear and Sons and Cold Steel copies.

But still, nothing says Big Bowie like a Musso!
 
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Cold Steel Laredo or Cold Steel Natchez.

Cold Steel Trail Master for bush craft, pry bar and utility.
 
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