What's the point of a Take-down bowie?

BRad704

Well-Known Member
I have seen lots of them, and they are all beautiful in their craftsmanship, but what's the point of being able to take it apart?

I'm not trying to be crass, just honestly curious...
 
I can see it clearly from the maker's side, but I guess its the customer request that I don't understand.
 
HAHA... I saw that a while back and never thought I'd have a good place to post it... :) Pretty amazing, albeit pointless...

So the point of a take-down is that you can be a marvelous craftsman on the outside AND inside of a knife? I can live with that...
 
One of the only really logical arguments I have heard is that when traveling by airline, say to a show, the owner can take apart the knife and bring the handle and fittings in their carry on and only have to leave the blade in the luggage, where it could be damaged, stolen or lost. Often in very high end knives, the blade would be the cheapest part to replace, if the handle is highly engraved and or has precious stones or metal.
 
This is a little off center for this thread, but it concerns "take downs".
I got tired of having to repair them because of people being dumb. To explain, I had a total or 4 take down bowies that the owners had torn up in one way or another.....two people stripped the threads on the tang by trying to over tighten the butt nut, another could not get all the parts back in the proper order and decided it would be a smart idea to use a hammer on it, another used slip-joint pliers on the butt nut and tore it all up. In all cases I received a phone call saying "There's something wrong with my knife!" "Can I send it back to you and get it fixed!?" When I asked what was wrong, there were all kinds of excuses....everything except the truth. I repaired all of those knives, but when I assembled them, I did so with acraglass, and told the clients what I had done. I did not charge them for the repairs.

Ever since, when someone requests that I build a "take down", they have one of two options..... I will either "glue up" the knife prior to shipping, or they accept any and all responsibility if they wreck the knife due to improper disassemble/reassemble actions. Along with a warning that if I have to repair the knife, it will be done at my hourly shop rate prices.

From a Knifemaker's perspective, about the only point to a "take down" is LOTS more work, and LOTS more money. :)
 
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lol,Ed,you should include a card with any take-downs that says
"ignorance may be freely forgiven but stupidity will cost you double"
:)
 
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