Retro’s KITH : Design Question

[Sean Jones]

Oh boy maybe I should rethink this. Just making a larger knife is a concern. Was Bowie’s Knife a hidden tang . Does anybody know. Do people care? Lol

My Bowie is a full tang. I think hidden tang is more common. But as Mr Doyle said the interpretation on what a Bowie is, is pretty wide open

 

[J. Doyle]

*IF* one uses the sandbar knife as the starting point to kick off the bowie craze:

its funny that the original was a guardless, (likely)full-tang, chef/butcher style blade.

Most now days are clip point, hidden tangs with guards.

Something went off the rails somewhere.

 

[Mark Barone]

*IF* one uses the sandbar knife as the starting point to kick off the bowie craze:

its funny that the original was a guardless, (likely)full-tang, chef/butcher style blade.

Most now days are clip point, hidden tangs with guards.

Something went off the rails somewhere.

Well I did read that even Bowie’s design was modified and improved a bit by the blacksmith he chose. So I guess he would be ok with a few more modifications over the years.

 

[Redbaird]

*IF* one uses the sandbar knife as the starting point to kick off the bowie craze:

its funny that the original was a guardless, (likely)full-tang, chef/butcher style blade.

Most now days are clip point, hidden tangs with guards.

Something went off the rails somewhere.

I am from the area where the famous sandbar fight happened. The knife thought to have been used by James Bowie in Vidalia Louisiana resembles the "Old Hickory" kitchen butchers you see at estate sales. It was a little thicker and a little wider but had no guard and a full tang with a wood handle. It is later believed that James Bowie began customizing his fighting knife closer to what we think of as a Modern Bowie.