I have been looking at all the nice bowie knives listed on here an caught the fever. Sure made me wanting a Big Knife. I broke down an got a Hen & Rooster Stag Handle 11 incher.

A friend of mine made this knife for me from a truck spring. The handle is real deer antler from a shed I found.

not sure who made this one. 8" blade.

Left to right Cold Steel, CFK, & a collectible Hen & Rooster

My photos will be posted shortly by my Grandson, shel1024. The first photo is of a Sam Houston Bowie that I put an antler handle on (top knife). It came with a real crappy plastic one with an ill fitting metel wrap on it. The lower knife is a Kovel that I also put antler on. I made both sheaths. The second photo is of a Windless Steelcrafts Iron Mistress with a Water Buffalo handle (top knife) with a copy of the sheath that Scott Forbes wore in the old Jim Bowie tv show, that I made of deer hide over leather. The lower knife is one I put together from a blade supplied by Jantz, with a Sambar Stag handle and a guard that I made from brass stock. The sheath is elk over leather. This is a few of more than I dare to count. Thanks for looking. Lance.

I was wrong on the length. I posted 11 incher, it has a 8 inch blade an total is 13 inches... Keep posting got some nice bowie pictures already shown!

I should also mention that all blades on my posted bowies are 9", except for the Houston that is 12". Lance.

I never thought much about these knives until I was alone with Bears now I changed my mind about these and they all are looking better than I though. I'd like to get something real slick.LOL

Somehow these things really grew on me keep pictures coming they are great looking.

Heres my favorite an early Hoffritz 1960s 8 inch blade 11 inches overall and 1/4" thick with stag handle made in Germany and wicked sharp.

12" of hand forged blade and a mammoth tooth for a handle. Love a big blade for gutting and skinning. A work horse.

Knife I put together last spring. Elk antler with walnut and blood wood spacers. Knife is close to 11.5" overall.

I finished one a couple days ago and plan to work on a sheath for it tomorrow. If I get it done, I'll post a picture.

The LaClair Bowie, 10" blade 15" OA

They are beautiful but....what's the point of a huge Bowie like these? Seriously, I've quartered many deer with a simple Bob Dozier Yukon....2 seasons with lots of work before it needed sharpening.

The Defender Bowie

Defender again

A copy of Mountainman Seth Kinman's knife

Buffalo Skinner, 10" blade

Lobo's Tooth

Cold Steel,Gerber,Puma.

Here's one I made out of a farrier rasp.

I really like the farrier's rasp knife looks cool.

Raptor, a big, stout knife isn't needed for most hunts and outdoor activities, but can be very valuable in others. It depends on what we're doing.

Sure, we can take deer from whole to fully butchered with a single folding pocketknife. In fact, I prefer smaller, thinner blades for most critter processing. But sometimes, some folks have big knife needs.

Hunt locally for a day? No. Spend weeks living in the mountains, building shelters, blinds, fires, fleshing hides, busting nuts open, and just generally gettin by? Yep, I'll have a big knife.

Nice.

I don't use big knives for gutting or skinning, just for looking at. I believe the Bowie knife is first a fighting knife that is sometimes used as a gutter/skinner back in Mountain man times.

Here are a few: Anderson, Voorhis, Bark River, Boker, Humphries. Had to paste all these together, but they look about right. Hard to beat the feel of a good Bowie riding on your hip, but I seldom use a knife this big.

What are you guy,s thoughts on the Case Kodiak do they fall in this category? If so what might they be worth?

I went on several hunts with famous Bowie knife maker Bill Bagwell, he use to say, "A bowie knife can skin a mouse or a moose"

Bill gave me this knife he called his "Riverboat Bowie" It has a Damascus blade. It has my name etched on the spine of the blade.

This big knife was made by Dennis Miles, he calls it the Buffalo knife. He claim's it will skin a buffalo in record time and that he did just that.

The sheath pictured was made for me by Chuck Burrows

Here is (The Original Bowie) says so right on it :) German made Solingen.

These are copies of a 19th century "Gentleman Bowie" Hand forged by Judson Brennan with elephant Ivory handles. He made them for me in the late 70's

Pretty good timing on this Bowie Knife thread, SWAG.

It took me 8 hours to make the sheath today. I wanted a crossdraw sheath, with no visible belt loop, no rivits, no snaps. I realized right away that just 'winging it' wasn't gonna 'cut it' :^) Like so many other undertakings, the real work, and quality of end result, is in the prep.. and it pays to think as many steps ahead as possible. Took time, but there was no backtracking... and I'm no leathersmith.

I ended up making a pattern out of butcher's paper, transferred it onto cardboard(to better simulate the leather's thickness), then onto the leather. Looking at the pattern, you'd never believe with a couple of folds that it would become this knife sheath. Anyhow, here she is... ready to head to the mountains next weekend with me for a month long getaway. It ain't just about looks, she WILL be tested.

15 1/2" o.a.l. 9 1/2" damascus blade. Young moose antler handle(hard as a rock). Blade guard from 1/2" solid brass flat stock.(took two days to make the guard).

I did not make the blade.

There's one in that bunch. Looks to be an old file. It is my son's. The throwing knife on the left is not a bowie but is about the same size.

I do like big knifes, Bowie's rock.

Holy Cow! And I thought I had the 'Original Bowie Knife'... Like Flint and KPC said... says so right there on the blade!

Seeing this thread reminded me that I had this knife... had to go dig it out of a box for the pic. An elderly gentleman gave this to me back in the late '70s...

CD

Very nice Big Bowie Knives! I took my bowie knife over too show my buddy this weekend. First thing his wife said was "WOW now that's a knife". A small knife will skin an debone a deer for sure. But with that said, if there is a larger jobs in the field that's about it. I have to admit you just have to hold a bowie in your hand to know this more than a skinning knife, a work horse... In this case size matters! Thanks for all the pictures so far!! Keep them Big Bowies pictures guys coming! I have enjoyed seeing them as well as others!

Hey! Mr. Ron LaClair you are the man of Big Bowie Knives Sir!!

Nepalese Gurkha Kukri. 13-1/2" blade, 17-3/4" overall. I've used it mostly for clearing brush, chopping things. In Asia, they are also use for butchering tasks. They have an even larger one for ritual slaughtering of water buffalo. I got it at a flea market over 20 years ago, a WWII souvenir.

Here's one.........

another..............

and another..............

Last one...........

One I'm working on got St.Judes auction

One I'm working on got St.Judes auction

Should say "for" St.Judes auction

smitty,danelson, sandbox,muela

now i need (loose term) one. awsome

Here is my Bowie. Made for me by Lin Rhea Master Smith from Arkansas. Hand forged 5160 steel with a Dogwood flower on the hilt.

Another view.

Another....

THAT'S a nice knife.

Wow, thought the same thing so I perused Mr Rhea's site. There are some serious knives on there. Top shelf, I think I would be afraid I would hurt it.

Hey Guys! Some really nice & fancy hunting knives. I am sure you guys use your knives while hunting with traditional bows as part of your hunting equipment. Picked up another Bowie Knife Schrade. Grandson should like it. Semper Fi!

Recently bought a cheap Bowie, how are you guys carrying... I like the crossdraw from small of back, but don't know how to rig sheath... Thanks...

Wanted to add - Have never owned a Bowie knife until now... BTW, what is the correct pronunciation - Boo -ie or Bow -ie, like in David Bowie... Thanks

Last of my Bowie's..........

Not a Bowie knife but a WW1 bolo knife. A big knife.

Submitted before i rea.lized it son made the knife and i did the leather its a Fer rasp

reddogge, during WWII I had three Uncles serving overseas. One of them, my Mothers brother was in the Philippines. His wife, my aunt was staying with us for awhile and one day she was writing him a letter. She ask me if there was anything I wanted to say to him. I was about 8 years old that would have made it 1944. I had heard somewhere that the native Filipinos were making what was called Bolo knives out of the propellers of downed airplanes, so I told my aunt to tell my uncle to send me a Bolo knife.

He never did send me one and I remember I was pretty disappointed. LOL

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder but I'm still drooling over "Ric O'Shay's" post. What a knife.

It's not a Bowie knife but I got my first big knife when I was 12 years old, A WWII Kabar from the Army Surplus store. I remember it had a cardboard sheet with some writing on it. At the end it said, "Take care of your knife it may save your life" I cut that out and glued it on my knife sheath. 67 years later It's still a good line to remember

What a great thread.. All fine looking knives. Randy

15" OAL with 10" blade, no makers mark I can find. Picked it up in a pawn shop awhile back.

The farrier rasp blades have an appealing/classy look (to me) and Ric O'Shea's knife is a beaut. -bb

Kinda revived this thread to look at carrying options... Thanks

Ron, A WWII Philippine bolo made out of a propeller would be quite the memento. I don't know if they referred to them as a Kris but that was a longish downward curved knife too.

You have a wonderful knife collection. Always enjoy seeing them.

"Kinda revived this thread to look at carrying options..."

Zbone, here's how I carry my big knives

Note the lower belt loop to secure the knife so it won't flop around

The caption on this is,... "I can take yer ear before ya blink an I'll do it just fer fun"..LOL

This is my De La Ronde Spanish Belduque

Ron, I have noticed that many of these knives have a hole bored in the back of the blade near the tang. What is the purpose of this? Neither of my two bowies have this.

Thanks, God bless and Merry Christmas , Steve

It's called a "Spanish notch" and was used on knives in the south west where the Spanish influence was prevalent. It has no real function other than being artistic. This is De La Ronde's description of the belduque on his web site.

"This knife was created to replicate one recently found in Old Mexico, in the desert of Casas Grandes, Chihuahua at the Hacienda de San Diego formerly owned by Don Luis Terrazas. The overall knife is approximately 14" long; the blade is 10" long with the unique double bolster handle which is 4" long"

Ric O'Shay--you win the prize (?)...that's one beautiful knife.

Right on, thanks Ron... Anyone else want to show me their carry.... Thanks

Thanks for the kind words regarding my Lin Rhea Belt Bowie. It is quite a blade. I been trying to find other photos taken when the blade was being forged by Lin. Unbelievable seeing the transition from a tool steel ingot to the beautiful finished work. Remarkable work by such a fine craftsman.

Great looking stuff guys. I LOVE bowie style knives, but I don't have one.

A couple days ago I was here nosing through a post where a member was posting pics of his knives and man, they were some nice looking stuff. He wasn't selling them, just posting. I wonder why he didn't add any to this thread. I think his handle is VIKING HUNTER. Got some serious talent with steel.

I really like looking at pics of knives, bows and guns.

Nalajr

Ron:

In the winter, I carry a smaller fixed blade on a shoulder harness. I can zip down the front of my parka, reach in and pull it out in a flash. You can also sit down and a big knife stays out of the way until needed.

Joe

Yes Joe It's a handy way to carry a knife

I like your Randall's you pictured, Littlekodiak. Especially the Bear Bowie. All too cool! Lance.

Ron did you make that sheath harness? If not, are they commercially available or who could make me one?

Fuy - Yeah, and wonder what the law is about carrying that legally?

here is one

Ron, you are old school cool brother.

Finished this little one during the weekend.

half dollar

Nice!

Here's one I picked up in a trade, 8 1/4" blade, nice antler handle except for the fact that it was made for a lefty. I worked the handle but couldn't get the fit for a right hand. I cut the handle off and found just a nib of a tang so I had a friend add some steel and am working on a couple of ideas for a new handle. The maker is unknown to me but it looks very similar to the ones that Copperhead has posted, the sheaths are similar also.

Made this one a few years ago. Hedge post handle and 1095.

Those Bagwells of Mr LaClairs are probably the finest knives ever made in my opinion. Back in the early seventies I worked for Johnsons who made the sheaths for Randall knives for many years and got to handle and own a lot of them, great knives.

Here is my carry bowie. It is a puma bowie with an 8"blade. Similar to one shown earlier in this post only longer and sturdier. I bought it overseas back in 79 while I was in the Navy. Puma doesn't import this one into the US as far as I know. I have several sheaths for it depending on what I am doing. your looking at my latest sheath with an 1892 silver dollar inlaid into it is designed for a high ride cross draw carry with a forward slant.

This is one I made several years ago. The knife is 16 1/4" overall length, blade is 11 1/4" long, 2 1/4" wide, and 1/4" thick. The hand guard and pommel are brass and the handle scales are deer antler. The sheath is attached to a shoulder strap and is worn and carried as you would a sword.

Big Bowie I made out of a sawmill blade, brass, copper rivets and hickory handle

The sheath is a rawhide lined mink that I caught and tanned

Two man sawblade and Ironwood handle. Overall length is 11.75 inches.

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