looking for a knife

[satx78247]

WELL SAID. = As Dallas Souls, the old-time Ranger SGT, once said, "The fastest gun in them West was the fellow who drawed his gun afore the fight started."

yours, satx

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Yeah, knife fighting is popular where there is a dearth of handguns or ammunition...but on the reverse side, they are very quiet, and if the knife wielder is within 25 feet before you draw...the knife guy will stick you...unless you're Bob Munden.

LD

 

[Rick Boylan]

Remember, a knife is always loaded.

 

[jamesthomas]

I have been looking for a knife also, thanks to everyone for the contacts.

 

[kingsax26]

Ths is my riflemans knife that was made by LoneHunter here on the forum. It has served me well and for the price, well I ahve no complqaints what so ever...All I do is keep the blade oiled and sharp.....

as others have stated however, with such a large blade it can be a bit unwieldly for camp use....but it does make quite a statement at the spring vous when I use it to cut into a nice 20oz prime rib at out annual prime rib cookout.... big steak needs a big knife

 

[kingsax26]

tried lone hunters website.....apparently it is down?

 

[Dane]

Wick is being modest.
He makes the best knife for the money, I've ever seen.
I have two so far.
Damn, I may need another one now.

 

[Rifleman1776]

if the knife wielder is within 25 feet before you draw...the knife guy will stick you

Actually, case law allows use of a firearm for defense against a knife if the attacker is 21 feet or less from you. Good point (no pun intended) to remember. e.g. "Officer, he was twenty feet, three inches away." :wink:

 

[jaxenro]

Depends which way the body falls after you hit it

 

[satx78247]

To All,

Though he was JUSTLY famous for his great Bowie knives, that he used to excellent effect to his last Earthy moments, COL Jim Bowie's FAVORITE & likely MOST USED blade was a really "plain vanilla" knife that looks like a "miniature scalper" (about 6" blade) with a handle made of ordinary Bois d'Arc (Osage orange) and with a sheath made of pigskin, that was given to him for Christmas about 1825 by a younger "girl cousin". - COL Bowie was never known to be without his "little fellow", according to the diary of a longtime friend.
(That knife is PROBABLY the same plain small knife that belongs to a family here in The Alamo City & has been loaned to The Shrine from time to time.)

Bowie's original/notorious FIGHTING KNIFE (used in several duels & "scrapes") is on display at Little Washington, AR.
(COL Bowie took his brother's (REZIN BOWIE) fighting knife to Texas. It's fate after the Alamo is UNKNOWN, these 179 years later.)

For whatever it's worth, I agree with COL Bowie that a BIG knife is for fighting & a small sheath knife is "just the thing" for other tasks. = I'm planning to ask Wick Ellerbe to make me my own "little fellow" for hunting/utility work & have the well-seasoned scales in Bois 'd Arc for his use.

yours, satx

 

[Ron LaClair]

This knife has become one of my favorites. Kind of like Bowies "Little Fellow" It has a 6" scalper style blade and is a good all around knife.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Bowie's original/notorious FIGHTING KNIFE (used in several duels & "scrapes") is on display at Little Washington, AR.
(COL Bowie took his brother's (REZIN BOWIE) fighting knife to Texas. It's fate after the Alamo is UNKNOWN, these 179 years later.)

Actually, the knife is on display at the Historical Arkansas Museum in Little Rock. Affectionately known as "Ham". And, it is actually Old Washington. The current site is where the original James Black shop and forge were believed to be located. However, some doubt James Black ever actually existed. And, yes, the fate of the Alamo knife is still a mystery.

 

[satx78247]

When we were on our honeymoon (06July - 10AUG76), COL Bowie's knife was in a glass case at Historic Washington State Park, AR & it was "pointed out" to us by the docent there.
(In our long ago college days/DAZE, Old Washington was commonly called "Little Washington", to avoid confusion with other places named "Washington".

yours, satx

 

[Rifleman1776]

When we were on our honeymoon (06July - 10AUG76), COL Bowie's knife was in a glass case at Historic Washington State Park, AR & it was "pointed out" to us by the docent there.
(In our long ago college days/DAZE, Old Washington was commonly called "Little Washington", to avoid confusion with other places named "Washington".

yours, satx

Very interesting. I'm not doubting you one bit. There are many knives, of differing styles, that have been attributed as the 'real' Bowie knife. There are so many versions of the Bowie legend I'm sure there will never be a definitive resolution to the issue.

 

[satx78247]

I fear that you are 100% correct.

One confusing issue, when discussing "original" BOWIE KNIVES, is that REZIN BOWIE had numerous "REAL Bowie Knives" made over his lifetime.
(He sold some & gave others away to friends/customers, over the years.)

Some were "using knives", some were "decorated", some were long-bladed (almost short swords), some had blades about 5-6 inches in length, some were "single edged", some were "double-edged dagger-like", etc., etc., etc. - I sometimes wonder if Rezin had any two "REAL Bowies" made alike, as there are so many styles.
(Also, once COL Bowie arrived in Pre-Revolution Texas, a blacksmith in Austin's Colony made/sold EXACT COPIES, complete with the "connected R & B" of Rezin's cattle-brand of the "famous knife" that COL Bowie was carrying.)

There is a "REAL Bowie" in the collection of DILLARD UNIVERSITY of New Orleans, that has an about 6-inch blade; that knife is handled in ebony & inlaid with coin silver. The ebony/silver sheath is also extremely ornate. - That knife was given by Rezin Bowie to a "Well-regarded New Orleans Gentleman of Colour" & thereafter bequeathed to the university. - It looks NOTHING like what a "Bowie" is supposed to look like.

The MORE that I learn about COL Bowie, Rezin Bowie & their famous/notorious fighting knives, the LESS that I know, for certain.

ADDENDA: Fyi, there were once at least THREE places named "Washington" in AR. = One hamlet was in Hot Springs County, one community was near Eureka Springs & Old Washington, too.
(Can you imagine the confusion that a postmaster would have had?)

yours, satx

 

[44-henry]

I had a conference in San Antonio a few years back and walked over to the Alamo and they had the Caiaphas Ham knife on display at the time. It lacks the glamour of the other knives associated with the Bowies, but is definitely a very business like knife. I couldn't take any pictures of it, but I spent a fair amount of time sketching it and taking notes. Might be fun to build one sometime.

 

[satx78247]

INTERESTING. - I'll look for Ham's knife the next time that I'm at The Shrine.

They had one knife (Or perhaps "short sword" is better) "on display" about 90 days ago that was on "short term loan" from a family from Goliad. - It has a double-edged blade about 2.5-3 inches wide, about 3/8 inch thick at the spine & likely 18-20 inches long plus the oak grip/"skull-breaker" hilt.
(It looked like a "local blacksmith made" version of a Roman Gladius to me.)
That blade was found some 20 years after The Siege (during the Army's remodeling of The Chapel) & may NOT have even been owned by one of the Texican martyrs.
(LOTS of people occupied The Shrine before February 1836.)

yours, satx

 

[jamesthomas]

Ths is my riflemans knife that was made by LoneHunter here on the forum. It has served me well and for the price, well I ahve no complqaints what so ever...All I do is keep the blade oiled and sharp.....

as others have stated however, with such a large blade it can be a bit unwieldly for camp use....but it does make quite a statement at the spring vous when I use it to cut into a nice 20oz prime rib at out annual prime rib cookout.... big steak needs a big knife

I just ordered one myself, except I'll get him to put on a Antler handle on mine. Mr. Wick Ellerbe recommended him.

 

[lonehunter]

tried lone hunters website.....apparently it is down?

Yes, I am in the process of rebuilding and updating, Sorry for any inconvenience.

 

[Sean Gadhar]

tried lone hunters website.....apparently it is down?

Yes, I am in the process of rebuilding and updating, Sorry for any inconvenience.

Stick built or cinderblock? :rotf: