Spyderco Forums

i want one of these. I don't want any dumb etching on the blade. Big is good but i am just having a hard time narrowing it down. I like this Randall but it is too pricey . i also like this Russell but i am sold on it yet. I would like the knife to made with a good steel and able to cut well even though it will probably be more for display :o , just being truthfull. What do you guys have? pics would be great. I wish spyderco would make one but i haven't heard anything in the works and most knives that are in the works are a few months to a few years away.

I have one of these Smith & Wesson Texas Ranger Bowies I've had for over 30 years tucked away in a drawer somewhere. Almost ashamed to admit it, but the one I like most right now is this puppy :D although the cocobolo version of this one is kind of nice too.

Take a look at Puma bowie, 440C steel and still German made. Unfortunately all puma knives underwent price hike this past year.

tonydahose wrote:i want one of these. I don't want any dumb etching on the blade. Big is good but i am just having a hard time narrowing it down. I like this Randall but it is too pricey . i also like this Russell but i am sold on it yet. I would like the knife to made with a good steel and able to cut well even though it will probably be more for display :o , just being truthfull. What do you guys have? pics would be great. I wish spyderco would make one but i haven't heard anything in the works and most knives that are in the works are a few months to a few years away.

He he, I paid $15 for a "Brian Wilhoite' (Made in Pakistan) wall decoration.

Seriously, I have been looking at the A.G Russel California bowie with ironwood scales.

If Spyderco ever made a bowie, my decision time to buy one wouldn't take a nanosecond. The bowie is an iconic American knife.

Pains me to suggest anything outside of Spyderco, but seeing as they don't make a Bowie, have you looked at the Cold Steel Trail-Master? I got one way back in 1991 and I really liked it.

I have a Bark River Coffin Handle Bowie. Knife is great, though I wish I'd bought one with some kind of guard. Very, very well ground in O1 and can be found for reasonable prices.

I've had a Bowie or two. The two that have stayed (and are valued members of my "large fixed blade" group that I actually carry) are the Cold Steel Laredo and Cold Steel TrailMaster, both in San Mai III laminated steel. There will be some photos of them on the Albo Kali Silat website soon, as I used them in an article for Prorez knife magazine and I will have the PDF version up on the website in the next month or so.

I had my eye on the CS TrailMaster for a while. That thing looks like a beast.

Aside from wallhangers, I only have two. One is an old Western W49 that I've had for near thirty years with a carbon vanadium steel and the other is the Case copy of the Collins Marine Raider. Both of them smoked the Forester in a side by side cutting test.

I have lots of Bowies...but the two I like best are KaliGman's Favorites
Cold Steel Laredo and Cold Steel TrailMaster....can't go wrong with either...I have some lesser quality ones as well from Timber Wolf...they are alright for the price point....Doc :D

The Deacon wrote: Almost ashamed to admit it, but the one I like most right now is this puppy :D .

i actually love the blade on that one except for the gold guard? on top of the spine.

The Deacon wrote:the cocobolo version of this one is kind of nice too

i like that one too.

Pinetreebbs wrote:Seriously, I have been looking at the A.G Russel California bowie with ironwood scales. If Spyderco ever made a bowie, my decision time to buy one wouldn't take a nanosecond. The bowie is an iconic American knife.

that one is nice and i wish :spyder: did make one, maybe i'll start a thread on the other forum to see if Sal has any thoughts on the subject.

2cha wrote:I have a Bark River Coffin Handle Bowie. Knife is great, though I wish I'd bought one with some kind of guard. Very, very well ground in O1 and can be found for reasonable prices.

those are very nice.
i like this one and this as well which is surprising because i really dont like stag handles but it just seems right on this knife :confused:

yablanowitz wrote:Aside from wallhangers, I only have two. One is an old Western W49 that I've had for near thirty years with a carbon vanadium steel and the other is the Case copy of the Collins Marine Raider. Both of them smoked the Forester in a side by side cutting test.

i looked at the cases that are available now and didnt like any.



as for everyone who mentioned the cold steel ones, i will check them out, i was steering clear of them because of the whole stabbing car door thing :p .
thanks for all the replies.

I made this one a while ago:
Steel ist O2, 10 inch blade, black g10 (polished) handles with red fiber, coffin shape of course :)
enjoy the pics :cool:

tonydahose wrote:i actually love the blade on that one except for the gold guard? on top of the spine.

I believe that piece is soft brass and the idea behind it to snag you opponent's blade in a knife fight. Have a hunch it's one of those things that works a lot better in theory than in practice.

I might be regreting this, but have to share it with you. :)

Check out these two beauties from Bark River...and they are priced just right!! :eek:

http://www.knivesshipfree.com/Special-Deals

I had criag wheatley(CKE) make me a beast years ago... I'll see if I can't dig up pics on my server after work, otherwise you won't get pics for a month till I'm back in saskatoon.

The Brass on top of the spine is not really to catch an opponents weapons but to add strength to the blade....Doc :D

thanks for the answer that guard, Doc and Paul.

Argento wrote:I made this one a while ago:
Steel ist O2, 10 inch blade, black g10 (polished) handles with red fiber, coffin shape of course :)
enjoy the pics :cool:

that is a beautiful knife. that is what i am looking for but i think i want the handle with the lil turn down at the end. the i keep thinking i want to try building one from scratch but i really don't what i am doing but if i somehow pulled it off i would appreciate it much more than just buying one.

krajos wrote:I might be regreting this, but have to share it with you. :)

Check out these two beauties from Bark River...and they are priced just right!! :eek:

http://www.knivesshipfree.com/Special-Deals

thanks but i think those knives are a bit too small.

Something like this perhaps, Tony?

The big bowie Paul Hogan used in the Crocodile Dundee movies was designed by John Bowring, who was also a licensed Puma repairman.
This is the actual knife that the movie version was inspired by, a Puma 6376 Bowie, and it's a vintage example made in 1978 from my own collection.
In mint condition complete with sheath and wooden box these currently go for around 900 US dollars.






















Specs:

Steel: Genuine Pumaster Steel (hot forged & hardchromed high carbon steel)
Blade length: 8,0 inch (20,0 cm)
Blade thickness: 6,6 mm
Hardness according to accompanying booklet: 57-61 HRC
Handle material: Sambar Stag
Handle length with guard: 5,0 inches (12,5 cm)
Overall length: 12,8 inch (32,5 cm)
Weight: 413 gram
Built: Oktober 1978

The Deacon wrote:I believe that piece is soft brass and the idea behind it to snag you opponent's blade in a knife fight. Have a hunch it's one of those things that works a lot better in theory than in practice.

Dr. Snubnose wrote:The Brass on top of the spine is not really to catch an opponents weapons but to add strength to the blade....Doc :D

I don't know if either of those theories are true, but the extra weight does make it chop better. My Case with the brass spine cover cut much deeper and faster than the Western without it, even though the Western has a thinner edge.