A Good Source For 'Quality' ready-Made, Primitive Bowie Knives?

[beardedhorse]

Good information from Bowie Knife Collectors Association. Museum Replicas might have some India made bowies including Musso copies. Very good books on bowies showing originals and sizes such by Norm Flayderman.. Hand forged, primitive manufactured ones of good quality not cheap but can be had from custom makers. Crazy Crow had some bowies, roach bellies, others. Belduque is the correct spelling of the Spanish and Mexican knife derived from the Mediterranean dirk used along Santa Fe Trail and Mexico.

 

[Throwdown58]

By all accounts I have found, the actual knife carried by Jim Bowie was more likely to look like a carving knife, with no real guard at all, than what we call a Bowie knife. Maybe I'll be the only one here who thinks that the "custom hand forged" knife makers prices, and waiting lists, and all of it, is more a product of too much money printing and zero interest policy since 2008 than it is about the difference in the actual quality. I have seen the knife factories in Pakistan and China, and they have twenty guys sitting at a table, each with his own little forge. There are tons of stamped, cheap knives of course, but the forged ones are very high quality, with nice fit and finish. And again, I know that many of these garage custom knifemakers are buying their blanks from China, made from what are now name brand types of Australian steel. And the horns and other natural materials are indeed natural, and don't budge under heavy use. For a knife that you will use, there is no downside to them. The only difference is that when someone says hey that's a great looking knife where did you get it, you can't drop some irrelevant name to impress them.

 

[French Colonial]

I am still not sure what qualifies as "hand forged". When I take an old file and heat and hammer it in to shape but then I file and work on it until you can not see the marks any more is that "hand forged" or do I need to leave the marks in. Or do I need to start with some different material.

My question is, what is hand forged?

 

[French Colonial]

Here is a couple of knives I made when I had a thing for bolsters.

Both were made from files that were heated and hammered in to roughly the shape I wanted and then filed and sanded on my 30 year old Sears belt sander, the scales are made from old beef bones. One sheath is designed for the belt of course and the one with the hook is for when I am wearing a sash.

The scales are starting to take on some color, I do not know if heating and hammering them qualifies for hand forged.

 

[jefair1]

I am under the impression that " hand forged " means you are swinging the hammer instead of using a trip hammer or other type of machine to forge the blade. Alabama Damascus makes machine forged blades or blanks and their prices are reasonable. The have listings on Ebay.

 

[Mad L]

Here is a couple of knives I made when I had a thing for bolsters.

Both were made from files that were heated and hammered in to roughly the shape I wanted and then filed and sanded on my 30 year old Sears belt sander, the scales are made from old beef bones. One sheath is designed for the belt of course and the one with the hook is for when I am wearing a sash.

The scales are starting to take on some color, I do not know if heating and hammering them qualifies for hand forged.

View attachment 84492

View attachment 84493

All valid points. "Hand Forged" would be one 'forged by hand' without use of modern equipment. Yes a well hand forged knife would not show hammered Mark's and pits.
I think by adding the word "primative" the person would be speaking "Hollywood" look.
While the Canadian blacksmith I mentioned used files in some of his work he makes to the buyer's request. Browsing his knives, not just those on his web sight, he leaves pits on some while others are polished, looking more like yours.
It's kinda like those who go to great length to 'age' their gear, bags and belts and clothing, to look like they just walked out of a museum vs those who make/buy their gear and let it wear naturally with use as people 'way back when' did. I guess it's a to-each-their-own.

Personally I like the description one person once wrote: A person way back then would have some stuff new, some he had for a while and is now worn, and maybe an item or two he inherited

 

[LRB]

Good information from Bowie Knife Collectors Association. Museum Replicas might have some India made bowies including Musso copies. Very good books on bowies showing originals and sizes such by Norm Flayderman.. Hand forged, primitive manufactured ones of good quality not cheap but can be had from custom makers. Crazy Crow had some bowies, roach bellies, others. Belduque is the correct spelling of the Spanish and Mexican knife derived from the Mediterranean dirk used along Santa Fe Trail and Mexico.

The Musso and Iron Mistress copies both stink!

 

[LRB]

I would not strictly define hand forged as having to swing a hammer. If using a power hammer, which is not new to history, as many blades all the way back to medieval times were forge made using water powered trip hammers, you still have to heat the steel in a forge, and hand hold it under the power hammer while hand controlling it to shape as you want. Hand hammered, power hammered, cut and ground or filed to shape, all come out the same in the heat treat. The heat treat, quality of the steel, and the type of steel are the three most important factors. How a blade is shaped is most often just a matter of choice.

 

[ML48]

I don't want to stray off the topic but Inferior blade steels available for one.

They simply cut the knife design from a piece of 'stock' metal and shape it, polish and sharpen it to look like a knife then install grips along with there being no quality control.

I had this discussion with Jake at AG Russell knives a while ago, they confirmed what I had already known from my own actual experience with said knives made there, I just want to find someone who has what I'm looking for...

I agree, without proper heat treating, a so-called knife is just that, a piece of stock metal...

 

[ML48]

I would not strictly define hand forged as having to swing a hammer. If using a power hammer, which is not new to history, as many blades all the way back to medieval times were forge made using water powered trip hammers, you still have to heat the steel in a forge, and hand hold it under the power hammer while hand controlling it to shape as you want. Hand hammered, power hammered, cut and ground or filed to shape, all come out the same in the heat treat. The heat treat, quality of the steel, and the type of steel are the three most important factors. How a blade is shaped is most often just a matter of choice.

You just summed it up....couldn't have said it better....

 

[tippit]

Hand forged for me means the knife was forged with hammers to shape. As apposed to stock removal which is grinding the the knife to shape. This knife was hand forged and shaped with just hammers from a raw piece of Damascus steel that I made with my power hammer. Then the blade was finished on my grinder. Now is this a hand made/hand forged knife? tippit

 

[bptactical]

Guessing a Randall is out of the question?

Anything from mild to wild:
Bowies of all tastes

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I can't seem to find anyone who will make one for me so I have no choice but to buy ready-made.

Would it be impossible for you to make your knife?

Here is a carbon steel blade and guard..., it says it's "hand forged" ?? Blade Kit Carbon Steel
Here's one that's Damascus Blade Kit Damascus Steel

LD

 

[tippit]

Dispatch,
Go to Contemporary Longrifle Association/ Artisans Works. There are a number of guys forging knives there. I forge but give most of my knives to charity...tippit

 

[Faizan]

Here is a couple of knives I made when I had a thing for bolsters.

Both were made from files that were heated and hammered in to roughly the shape I wanted and then filed and sanded on my 30 year old Sears belt sander, the scales are made from old beef bones. One sheath is designed for the belt of course and the one with the hook is for when I am wearing a sash.

The scales are starting to take on some color, I do not know if heating and hammering them qualifies for hand forged.

View attachment 84492

View attachment 84493

Love it.

 

[Southmountainforge]

Howdy fellas I’m finally on here. My Bowie wait list is booked around 9-10 months in advance at all times. I literally make these every day, so that’s a hell of a lot of knives. Feel free to message and discuss anything.
~Nick Skinner
South Mountain Forge.

 

[Mad L]

Howdy fellas I’m finally on here. My Bowie wait list is booked around 9-10 months in advance at all times. I literally make these every day, so that’s a hell of a lot of knives. Feel free to message and discuss anything.
~Nick Skinner
South Mountain Forge.

Love your knives, been drooling over them for some time....one day!