All About Pocket Knives

Anyone into bowies? I know I can't be the only one who appreciates this American cultural icon. Here's one that I have on the way.



Please share pictures of your bowies.

These are mostly production bowies. The first two photos are the Ontario reproductions of Bill Bagwel's wonderful knives which are beyond my means. However these are decently done with good to very good F & F. The 3rd, 4th and 5th photos are the Camillus/Jim Fisk OVB Bowies. #6 is a Western Bowie. #7 contains customs and one Chinese repo. I'll leave that one open to guesses.

I've got one or two more customs that I'll have to dig for when I get some more time.

Sweet bowies!

Thanks. I am finding Bowies as addictive as pocket knives.

Here's a few:
Copy of the Bart Moore Bowie
Carvel Hall Bowie
A Chinese made bowie
Various German and English bowies
Fred James bowie circa 1960
A Silver Stag bowie
Ontario Cutlery Spec bowie
Tak fukuta bowie/fighter

Very nice, a very interesting collection.

Awesome bowies, knife7!

Keep it coming guys.

I remember those Camillus OVB bowies. I wish I had snatched one up when I had the chance.

I like some of the big knives also, but I am unclear about what constitutes a "bowie." Is it just a big knife, or something more specific? I know that Bernard Levine, the famous guy, has a specific definition, but I don't think most people are that picky about it. Sellers on the infamous site commonly advertise their wares as bowies, but most of them aren't even big, much less in the style of the VERY collectible and expensive knives made in the late 1800s. So, is my Buck 120 a bowie? How about a Marbles Ideal with a 7 inch blade? Any of the Remingtons, Schrades, German knives, etc. with 7, 8, 10, and 12 inch blades? They all just look like hunting knives scaled up to me. The Western 149, which were made in the millions, don't look like a bowie or hunting knife at all to me, more like a camp chopper. I would be interested in what you all think about the genre! Anybody?

I have this Bowie from "The Expendables" Movie and it's a Handful!

tongueriver wrote:I like some of the big knives also, but I am unclear about what constitutes a "bowie." Is it just a big knife, or something more specific? I know that Bernard Levine, the famous guy, has a specific definition, but I don't think most people are that picky about it. Sellers on the infamous site commonly advertise their wares as bowies, but most of them aren't even big, much less in the style of the VERY collectible and expensive knives made in the late 1800s. So, is my Buck 120 a bowie? Any of the Remingtons, Schrades, German knives, etc. with 7, 8, 10, and 12 inch blades? I would be interested in what you all think about the genre! Anybody?

I just re-read BRL's chapter on bowies in his original edition and he lays it out pretty clearly as to what HIS definition is regarding them. I think that is about as accurate a description as you are going to get. Of the knives I posted pictures of,I think only two of them could be actually classified as true bowies and even that is open to speculation.The Rodgers spear point is probably the best example I have.Made around 1880 with a 9 inch spear point blade that is nearly 1/4 inch thick. I also have a Manhattan Cutlery clip point that is slightly smaller but still fits the bill.

The Bart Moore reproduction was the subject of a lot of speculation.The original knife was thought by many to be a modern fake and I don't recall if Bart ever successfully documented it's lineage.

The Carvel Hall knife is pure fantasy complete with brass spine(supposedly to cause an opponent's blade to get caught in the soft material).

The German knives are just large examples of hunting knives and most are pretty well made.They were very popular in the 1950's and 60's;especially af the Iron Mistress movie came out.

Whatever the definition;they make up an interesting addition to anyone's collection.

Thank you for your amplification/explanation of those knives. I don't have any BL style original bowies, but some big ones, as I have said, that are pretty cool. Anyone who loves knives has gotta love a BIG knife if it has any class. I am surely enjoying these pics.

Here's my newest BIG knife:About 21 inches overall with a 14 1/2 inch by 2 1/2 inch wide cable Damascus blade.

knife7kinut:

That is a striking looking Bowie. I love the handle/guard treatment. I've never seen a blade treatment like that before.
Is that Damascus?

Quick Steel wrote:knife7kinut:

That is a striking looking Bowie. I love the handle/guard treatment. I've never seen a blade treatment like that before.
Is that Damascus?

It is called,"Cable Damascus" in that it is made by cutting up segments of steel cable and hammer forging them together then folding them over as in regular Damascus production.Although it is made very well I believe it comes from either India or China(probably the latter).Seems to take a nice edge and the only construction complaint I have is a slight gap on one side of the guard next to the blade tang.Fit and finish seem to be very good and the stag handle(probably elk;too large for deer)is a beautiful piece.
I searched for "Colt alamo bowie" and came up with a couple on different sites.One had a Buy it now price of $130. I paid $60 for it so I don't think I went too far wrong.

Wherever it was made I think you got a lot for your money.

knife7, does your knife have a star on the pommel? If so I think it's the Inglorious Basterds knife made to replicate the one used by Lt. Aldo Raines (played by Brad Pitt) in the movie. I have this Colt knife, made in Pakistan, but with decent stainless steel.

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