Good sources for '70s PC Bowies?

[St. George]

That large one is marked 'Original Bowie' - they were made in Germany, at Solingen - and are good quality blades.

All they need are better scabbards, and they have good 'early' look, coupled with good steel and actual Stag.

They became popular in the 1960's, and were imported by the big mail-order sellers of the era.

Vaya,

Scouts Out

['Monterrey' Jack Brass]

DarbyFett – I’m 100% with St Geo on this (reference his first post in this thread): a 5 pin handle butcher knife would be an economical and undoubtedly historically accurate way to go for you in my opinion. Atlanta Cutlery offers affordable repro knives, though use care when selecting from their inventory. A solid choice would be what Atlanta calls the ‘1880 Bowie’. This one is a style I’ve seen in several Civil War era ferrotypes and is definitely period correct. However, though the price may suit your needs the blade length is a bit too long for your stated requirement.

In closing, of the two types of knives – original butcher or Atlanta Cutlery repro – I’d say you might just be better off with an original butcher which was a very common knife of the era, can be found at reasonable prices, and that old steel holds a helluva sharp edge.

Brass



top is Atlanta Cutlery '1880 knife', bottom two are examples of period butcher knives (no maker info stamped on blades)

[Sacramento Johnson]

Howdy Darbyfett!
For a good look at the blades of bowie knives, check out "The Bowie Knife; Unsheathing an American Legend" by Norm Flayderman.  Loks of great color pictures.  R.L. Wilson's "The Peacemakers; Arms and Adventures in the American West" also has lots of pictures of period blades.
As for knives getting smaller after the Civil War, yes, but I think you'd still see quite a few larger blades (>6 inches) in the 1870s; Flayderman has a number of large blades pictures from the 1870s-80s.  And if your character is a bit of a wild one, I could easily see such a character toting an 8 -10 inch blade as part of his bravado.
That sheffield you posted is a good looking period correct piece; and would work well as part of an 1880's working cowboy outfit (if one decided not to go the butcher knife route).
(And I have something real similar actually by R. Cooper, Sheffield England!)  Plan on buying a new period correct custom made sheath for whatever knife you get.

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