Cas City Forum Hall & CAS-L
Special Interests - Groups & Societies => The Cutting Edge => Topic started by: rebsr52339 on January 07, 2010, 02:19:37 PM
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Pursuant to Ned's suggestion I will post some of my Antique Bowies and some of the new ones I have made. To me there are only two icons which are in truth "only in America" That is; The American Cowboy and the Bowie knife. Think about it, no single image of either a Cowboy or a Bowie Knife can come to your mind without a flood of images, emotion and down right pride as these two. I will show one of the knives I made to be exhibited at the Muleback Hotel in Chicago in 1976 for the centennial celebration in conjunction with the Annual Knife Guilds show. I have owned many 1/2 horse 1/2 alligator bowies, by Wragg, Woodhead and other Sheffield makers. I was given a pommel by Bob A. and he said, "Go ahead and copy one of your bowies" The blade was cut out by a knife maker friend in Ct where I lived at the time. He showed me how to remove the stock and shape and polish the blade. This one is mounted in solid silver and gold. The sheath took me three months to do all the piercings. In 1976 at the show a German collector offered me $5000 for the knife. He "still" calls me to se if I still have it. I guess it will go to my son. I would hope many more of you will post knives, new and old as you know the passion. You CANNOT get too much of a good thing. I can only post two photos so would have to do another post to get more on if you wish to see more detail. Enjoy and ask questions if you want.
Bowie Knife Dick
SASS#87007
ABKA # 23
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Beautiful Dick!
You don't need to do another whole post. Just reply to the the thread you started and post more pictures!
Keep 'em coming, that one was awsome!
Ned
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Here are a couple of more detail shots. I was taught to engrave by a good friend who retired to Kallispell Mt and who has sence died. A real shame and a truly great loss of talent. The blade is engraved "Arkansas Toothpick" My God what else would it be. ;D
Bowie Knife Dick
SASS#87007
ABKA #23
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WOW !!!
Just amazing stuff !!!
Thanks for sharing them with us and as Ned said "Keep them comming"
-Josh
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Thank you so much. Would hope some of the other folks will put some up. This country is full of some very tallented people. I am always amazed at the caliber of artisans out there. Kinda inspires us. I'll wait and see who else posts. Don't want to "hog" this discussion. I will also try and fill you in on the history behind each knife as I know it. Most of mine have a stack of paper work associated with them. I'll explain later.
Bowie Knife Dick
SASS #87007
ABKA # 23
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OK The last photo of the 1/2H 1/2A Bowie. You talked me into it. ;D Time for a rest.
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What i would give to be able to focus long enough to do something like that.STUNNING piece of work..~
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GunClick Rick, The story behind it is a simple one. After Bob Abels gave me the 1/2H 1/2A pommel, I had it for a couple years. I hung around with a Dental surgen, my best friend, and he made a dental mold so we could do wax castings. From these we used the "lossed wax" metheod to cast the pommels in Sterling. Without these we could not do "the" knife". Later I will show you the pommel and "how" the English cutlerers made them. You may be surprised.
In 1975 my knife making friend wanted to do something for the "76" Knife Makers Guild meeting in Chicago . I thought it would be a good idea to do a few knives, three of them, by me with his help, (I am not a professional knife maker) and Gerry was to do a couple for exhibition himself. It was a good thing I, at least, started a year before because it took me a year to do them. I had NO clue what I was letting myself in for. The knife I show here in this thread and in a couple more posts is another one. Its one of Gerry's boot knives. He made them primarilly for some poilce officers in the Hartford Police Dept. They had leather sheaths and were strapped to the calf of the leg or the forearm with velcro. We decided to use "Micarta" to do the sheath and the handle insert, because Gerry wanted to see what the long term effects of the material were. BTW I showed him the knives two years ago, 31 years after we did them. He was astonished I still had them. Gerry did the blade work and I did the scrimshaw work on this one with a leather needle and colored india ink. Again enjoy.
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A couple more. You will note on the recasso of the blade Gerry's initials and date "GJ76". Guess we know what year it was made in. The handle insert has my initials "REB"
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One more. Gee I hope other folks add knives to this thread. I know you are out there. I would be a little embarrassed if I was the only one posting. The next two knives I will show will be Antigue Bowies that I owned. Good stories behind them. BTW if you are at any CAS matches in NC this comming year and want to "hold" any of these knives I show, Just ask and I will bring them for you to see. I will try and hit Sallsbury NC this year (I live in Mebane, just 1 1/2 hrs away) and some others.
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I would put some pictures up but looking at yours makes me want to throw mine away!
Ned
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Oh my God Ned please don't feel that way. I personally believe every knife out there is a special one and we can find some beauty in it. I have looked at a lot of knives in my 70 years and cannot remember ONE that did not fascinate me. My friend Norm Fladerman said it best that every knife "is" a story. You just have to "dig" it out. Bob Abels claimed handling a Bowie was "almost" as good as you know what. I am very anxious to see the finished push dagger you are working on. The blade is awesome. Makes me want to do another one. Come to think of it maybe I will get a blade and do one and then hide it under my vest. Kinda sneaky.
I know every mans skills are not up to say a D. E. Henry or an Alvin White, and I sure recognize I am not, BUT, when a man puts his best and all into a project, he is at the top of his game. That is good enough for me. I am by far and away not as good as a lot of the people I know. A lot of them are unknown and do "Their thing" in quiet resolve and for their own personal satisfaction. That is me and my philosophy. If you or others find it a pleasure looking at some of my efforts, that is OK and I am glad we shared a laugh or serious moment together. Each time we put out effort, we get better than the last time. NOW lets "cut out the crap, ops I mean rhetoric" and post some knives.
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Ok here goes. I made this damascus dagger for Gun Click Rick a few years ago. I think it looks really good and the balance in the hand is almost spooky!
Don't hold back tell me what you think.
Ned
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I personally think it is beautifil. How? you say. Look at it from the outside. The handle is canted so the blade edges are verticle. Ex+++++. It also suggests a right handed person will use it. Good choice in picking the piece of antler or bone. The file work, while I can't see ALL of it looks great. If the joints are closed and there are no gaps. what more could one ask. I would be proud to wear it and own it. I am sure he is too. The blade is outstanding. Far beyond my capabilities. Todays bladesmiths command a hefty price/inch for these so one must be cautious when hilting them. Nice work and I am not just saying that. Outstanding one of a kind. That is how I look at each knife presented to me. Now you guys, lets see some more. We need ideas.
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Thanks Dick, I appreciate it.
BTW The handle is Moose Antler.
Ned
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Ned,
+1 on Dick's comment. That's one to be proud of for sure !!
Making a dagger is exponentially more difficult that making a convetional knife with 2 bevels.
Every feature thats added to a knife increases the chance of errors that are game enders, LOL
You definatly pulled that one off, She's a beauty ! Embellished with care too boot, it's just my style ;D
-Josh
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Dick and Josh, those are pretty fancy words going to a knife assembler from knife making guys like you.
I sure do appreciate the kind words, nothin' like a morning ego boost to get a guy goin'! ;D
Ned
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Well if Ned has the nerve to do it then I reckon I can't let him ride alone.
These were made from some very old files as are most of my knifes ,and I've only made about 8, so any pointers are appreciated. I have found that when I get my hardening just right they will take a wicked edge and keep it fairly well.
The second one is a small "bowie style" Just a little over 7 in. long the first is my favorite skinner style and is 4 1/4 in. long
And last and least a little boot knife that I made many years ago. There was a long hiatus between this one and the next. Actually about 15 years.
Hope you like them .
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Here's another one I made awhile back, Damascus bowie with Greasy Ambonya scales.
Ned
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Man Gun Butcher, these are so neet. I like the way you integrated the guard into the boot knife. See, that took some thinking. The sheath on the top one is cool. I like the middle one as another example of my class of "Cowboy Knives"
Ned, What can we say. beautiful knife AND sheath.I can see the Apache Indian now picking it out of a wagon they just raided and saying, "Well my wife has some work to do on a sheath" Good job.
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Dick that beading is actually a Lakota Sioux pattern, but the story still fits!
Ned
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Thanks Ned. BTW you must be freezing your butts off up there. It is 15 here in NC this morning. Have to go out in my workshop and load up a bunch of 44-40s and .223s. Got a 3 gun combat match on the 30th and a Cowboy match in Feb so I understand.
I am gathering my notes and memory on two Bowies I owned and the "stories" behind them as I know it. Maybe tonight I'll post it. God I wish they had a "spell check" button on here. :-[ Sometimes.
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If I'm doing stuff that I know I'll need spell check on I do it in word first get it all ready then copy and paste into the reply window. Works pretty slick for me.
Ned
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Rebsr just saw your knives. The best way to discribe them is your work is unbelieveabke. Would love having a knive like that. Thanks for showing. KT
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Thank you KT. And now a little side bar.
And every man was a 1/2 horse and 1/2 alligator. This theme was well sought after on many Sheffield bowies along with the Alligator and Lion coffin hilted Bowies of the 1830s and later. Acording to Fladerman's research it started long before Davie Crockett and his Almanack in which many referances were made about the men of such stature. It did not fall upon the deaf ears of the Sheffield cutlers reps here in the US, that using slogans and images on Bowies would sell, then as now. The example you see below was given to me by Robert Abels in about the 1969 to 1972 era. It was the one used to make the mold for the gold and silver 1/2H 1/2A bowie shown in a previous post. The original Sheffield pommels were made by pressing a two piece die, male and female together under great pressure. The result was a thin Nickle/silver impression of the desired image. It was then heated up slightly and molten lead was poured into the cavity. This process gave the thin sheet metal part some integrety against rough handling. On some of the knives the pommels were clamped on and the edges heated and in effect they were "soldered" on to the blades. On other knives it was obvious they were pinned on using NS pins either fore and or aft or both. If I can answer any questions please ask. At the worst all I can say is, "I don't know". I have owned about a dozen of these knives. This post will not let me submit photos, even tiny ones, so see the next post for the photos, I hope.
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Photos of the pommel.
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These are some nickle/silver ones. Two sets of large and two sets of small. The original is on the left
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The two Bowies shown in the photo are the only photos of these knives I have. Lets take the top one. This has to be a center piece in any collection. It is an 1830s Bowie made by Henry Schively who was located in Philadelphia Pa. It is believed that he was the cutler that Jim and Rezin bowie visited in Aug 1832 (Fladerman). It is pictured on page 316 of Norms book. I was going to talk Bob out of this knife when visiting him at his home in upper New York on a Saturday morning. I had a friend that dealt with him also and he stoped by my house on Friday before and showed me the knife he had just purchased. I told him my story and after several weeks I ended up with the knife. I had it for several years and I believe I traded it back to him. BAD MISTAKE. The unique feature of Shively's knives is that the RH side of the blade is flat and there is a sharpened "false" edge only on the LH side of the blade. The photo of the knife here is actualy reversed. I did not catch it years ago and cannot find the negative this photo was made from. Oh well. I am NOT saying it is, but this probably is the closest to seeing what Jim's knife "may" have looked like. Fun to speculate huh. Holding this knife will send shivers down your spine. It is a lethal killing machine.
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The second knife in the photo, bottom, is a pristine example of an 1835 Bowie imported from Sheffield by Gravely & Wreaks New York. They are listed in the NY City census, 1836, 1837, (Fladerman) as a dealer in small arms, knives etc and their advertising suggests even earlier. On my way up to the Rochester Gun show in the mid 70s I stopped at a NY State Trooper's house who had contacted me and wanted to sell some knives. Long story short, I bought them. "His" story on this knife in the cillection was, he got it out of an estate in Utica NY. The woman had it in a soc in a drawer. I met her and verified at least that part of the story. The woman was a descendant of a man named Quackenbush(spelling) who was an inventor, supposedly of a (toy) target rifle. NONE of this is "verified" thru independent sources. The knife is shown on page 45 of Norm's book. I do not know if Norm owns it but will try and verify it for my own records this spring when I hope to see him in Florida. This photo is also reversed. The blade is etched, "The Hunters Companion My Horse, Knife and Rifle". There are a few knives on the market today that flat out are forgeries with the name misspelled, usually the Wreaks. Careful out there. These knives are so "expensive" they are ripe candidates for, shall we say "reworking". Remember G & W was an "IMPORTING" agent, NOT a maker.
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OK Enough of me bugging you for a while. I will be at the Alifia Rendezvous from Tuesday the 12th till the following Thursday the 21st. Later
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The woman was a descendant of a man named Quackenbush(spelling) who was an inventor, supposedly of a (toy) target rifle.
Quakenbush was a manufacturer of a number of spring, air, and small cartridge rifles from 1871 until after WWI.
See Flayderman's Guide 9th Edition, page 777 for pictures and details
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Thank you Forty Rod, Wish I had taken the time to have her write that stuff down. Well you know, hindsight.
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Thank you Forty Rod, Wish I had taken the time to have her write that stuff down. Well you know, hindsight.
If I could cash in all of those "if only"s, I would be wealthy and have more guns than most third world countries.
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Crud,i just got back over here.Gosh o mighty those are way cool...What a story on the lost wax mold making.Who'd a thought of havein a dentist for a friend ;) :D Anytime you wanna get shed of that one just let me know..Keep postin pics though,the only way i'll be able to admire them..Very nice indeed :)
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Just got back from Rendezvous the other day and thought I would bug you again. I made the Guardless coffin hilted bowie, shown below, in 1976. It was another one made for display at the knife show in Chicago. It is 13 inches long with an 8 inch blade. The scales are burl wallnut and the mounts are sterling silver. The sheath is Nickle silver with a leather insert. The frog "may" be replaced as it will only accomodate a 2 1/2 inch belt and my gun belt is 3 inches wide. . I will probably ware this knife with my "Cowboy" outfit. The original of this knife was a bit smaller. The sheath was coin silver and had an embossed Federal eagle on the sheath. It now resides in N. J. I believe. The collector wishes to remain anonymas. The original Bowie was one I acquired in a trade with Norm F.
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Here are a couple more shots of the hilt.
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The knife shown below is one I made years ago. It is my make on a Searles/Fowler Bowie in the Alamo museum. It is 14 inches overall and has a 9 3/8 inch blade. I deviated from the norm of their designs by adding a sharp false edge about 4 ½ inches long. The hilt is ebony and the mounts are sterling where the original was coin silver. I carried this knife at rendezvous off and on for about 30 years. It makes a good all around camp knife if a bit large. The blade is SS. Each of the panels on the hilt is suppose to be checkered and in each checkered diamond, a small silver pin was imbedded. You cannot see this on most photos of the original and I guess I will get to it some day---I hope.
BTW as we do not "know" what knife Jim had with him at the Alame, this knife without the sharp false edge is "most probably" the style knife Jim used to kill Norris Wright at the sand bar. Man I would not like to be impaled on that thing.
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Here are a couple more of my copy of the Searles/Fowler bowie. Notice the small guard. I got the dimensions off the original.
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Very nice Dick! The Searles Bowie has always facinated me. The shape is very much like my Persian knife that is about 200 years old. If I can figure out how to post a picture here maybe I will.
Will Ketchum
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Will, would very much like to see it.
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Hi folks, I’mmmmm back. This knife I am showing is one that early Bowie collectors (1965 thru 1980) should recognize. I own two of these knives. Lets start at the beginning. I “think” sometime in the late 60s I was at Bob Abels house in Hopewell Junction NY, a short trip up from NY City. I lived in Watertown Ct at the time. Bob had a beautiful colonial home there with an out building I called his fortress. It was where he mailed out the items he sold thru his catalogs. He showed me this knife I am showing here and asked me what I thought. I’m thinking, “What is this a test.” I examined the knife and said, well the “factory” stampings look good. I recognize the blade shape and the guard and English stag scales. This knife is 14½ inches OA with a 9½ inch blade. Bob had one in not so fine a condition with a 12+ inch blade that was "gold rush period". After looking at it for a while it dawned on me what was wrong. I said cautiously, that the gold wash etching looks, well, not quite right. He said, “AND?”It looks bold and not the fine line I’ve seen on the other one and a host of other IXL knives. He said “You pass” He related to me they were assembled from “old” stock parts at the factory and were recently etched. I bought both of them paying $250 for one and $350 for the one shown here. I did it to familiarize myself with the lengths people will go to make a $. At the time a “good” California would fetch $1200 to $2500 depending on condition. I found a beauty at the Ohio Gun Coll. Show a couple years later. I have worn this knife at Rendezvous for many years. It is a “mid-monster” fighting knife. I will try and answer any questions you may have. There are “maybe” a couple hundred of this blade style out there that are “not” period.
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Here is a full length shot of the etched side of the IXL Wostenholm knife. The etching on the early knives, especially the lettering was very thin, about 1/3 the thickness of this knife. That is not to say "all" Bowies of the period were etched like that. They were not. The ABKA is having a show in Richmond Va this year. Go to their web site http://www.antiquebowieknife.com/ for more info. If you like Bowies you will not forget this show. I will be there visiting old friends, even the ones living. ;D BTW the original sheaths do not come with frogs. I add them to all the knives I wear.
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I am in awe of that knife Ned made for me.Probably the first custom made article i ever had.It stays where i can see it all the time..
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I do to. The handle is outstanding and the full tapered tang is classic. Great job and something to be proud of.