I need some opinions

[Wayne Bensinger]

A buddy wants a Bowie for his father's Christmas gift, just wanted some opinions on length of Bowie blade on average? Anybody out there care to throw in their 2 cents, it would be appreciated. I do have some handle ideas, just can't settle on the blade length. Maybe I'm thinking too much, right.

 

[J. Doyle]

I've seen blades 4" and up be called bowies. There really isn't a definition. In fact it's one of the most undefined things about knives, I'd say.

There's a quite popular contest over on another forum in the end of December that states to qualify blades must be 6" long. Not that that's the definition or supreme authority by any means.

I'd be willing to bet the vast majority of knives called bowies have blades between 7 and 9 inches long.

One old adage says a bowie must be long enough to use as a sword, heavy enough to use as a hatchet and wide enough to use as a canoe paddle.

Hope that helps some.

 

[McClellan Made Blades]

John could not have said it better!
A"canoe paddle!" HA!!!

OK, seriously speaking, if it were me, I would get MORE input from what the customer wants, I like mine around 15"(OAL), give or take an inch or 2 either way, it all depends on what he will be doing with it. If its going to be a safe queen it doesn't HAVE to be huge. But, if he plans on using it, then there "should" be some prerequisites that are needed for the desired purpose he has in mind for it. I think an average, would be around 15" OAL. That's with a 5" handle, on the average. Talk to your customer, that's the main thing, he will give you more insight than anyone here can! The one that is paying you has the most impact on what the outcome should be!

This is ONLY my OPINION, and as you know they vary, everyone has one, and when it comes to selling the knives you make, ONLY 1 opinion matters. Do understand that customer( well, most customers) have no idea what they really want, it's up to you to guide them, you may have to ask a lot of questions. Such as, " what do you want to use it for" , chopping/ fine cutting, how well will they take care of it, ( this lets you know if you should use stainless), if they are old school and LOVE High Carbon steel, they won't accept anything else, so ASK!

I hope this helps, and please excuse my dumb sense of humor, for some reason I have to attempt to be funny ALL THE TIME!
Rex

 

[Wayne Bensinger]

Thanks guys, after looking at picture after picture and taking into consideration what you've said, I've settled on an 8-3/4" blade with 416ss guard and pommel with a stabilized wood handle(nargusta). Should look real nice if I do my job right! I'll post some pics when it's complete. Thanks for the input

 

[Bruce Bump]

Most full sized bowies have between 8" to 10" blades. Gents Bowies are under 8" IMO, I doubt that this is written in stone anywhere.

 

[rhinoknives]

Both Bruce & John,
have most likely made more or them than I, when it comes to BouWees as in Jim Bowie Sand Hill fight. Not as in Bowie!
The British rock star. I seen the pronunciation change in my life time. LOL

All humor aside.

When I want to build a Bowie knife, I think of the large butcher, camp & canoe paddle knives of the time.
You could skin and disjoint a Buffalo. Chop & split kindling for a fire. Cut through the end of a Hogshead black powder barrel, open crates and use as short sword for defense after you had fired your muzzle loading weapon. A blade of 7 1/2-10"

Maybe longer if they were compensating for something.:3:

Have fun!

 

[Tim Hecht]

I just found on E-Bay a Doc Shiffer Bowie that I think is an ideal size; 8" Blade and a 5-1/4" handle.

Steve Shiffer Bowie Moran style handle with silver wire inlayed in handle.

Then there are these Ed Kalfayan Searles style bowies -

Both with a 10" blade and 5-1/2" handles

Then we have these three from top to bottom 9-1/4" Bark River Spear Point, Fred Rowe, Bethel Ridge Forge Dagger 9-1/4" dagger, and Fred Rowe (again) 11-1/2" clip point bowie.