A Wicked Trio

As I've mention before I have a quite a few knives. I like blades, they always give me enjoyment and I find my fascinated by them. Lately, my interests have run to the tactical, the large and Bowies. Tactical folders have been in my pockets for many years now and I have quite few of them. There's one in my pocket every day without fail.
Bowies are a part of our American history. They were widely carried in a certain part of our countries development, they were carried by Confederate soldiers and greatly feared by United States soldiers. At one time they were the only knife that was illegal to carry. Today they have made a resurgence and quality ones can be had for just a couple hundred dollars. Excellent ones by custom makers can go for 5-10 THOUSAND dollars, look at the fantastic fighting bowies made by Bill Bagwell. During and after the bowie reign, the Arkansas toothpick was on the scene. A very large double edge knife, it too was greatly feared as a combat tool at one time.

Take a look at this deadly trio. The first and largest is my Cold Steel Natchez Bowie. Huge, wickedly sharp and beautiful. It is capable of severing a persons hand or arm, as they say, clean off. The next is a rarely seen folder, a Benchmade Balisong AFCK. The AFCK stands for Advanced Folding Combat Knife. This was the first tactical folder I ever had and carried it daily for many years. This thing was so freaking sharp I cut the tip of my thumb off and DID NOT FEEL IT!  Yep, scary sharp. Notice the hole in the blade, word was they paid Spyderco a fair sum of money for the right to use that hole.
Next up is an Arkansas Toothpick, a Damascus dagger made by an unknown artist probably in Turkey or Pakistan. It has buffalo horn scales on a full tang and Damascus steel guard. If I remember right it has 576 layers or some such number. The edge is like a jillion tiny razors ready to cleave through flesh.

I call these fellows the Wicked Trio, look for yourself. Pretty deadly looking huh?

 

 

Since they aren't seen often I've include a pic of the AFCK on it's own.

 

 

Now imagine this guy giving you the look on the street with a Bowie in one hand a Toothpick in the other,

 

 

For shits and giggles take a look at the picture behind me that hangs in my dining room. Fitting artwork for groups, I say .

Bowie? Get Ya Some!

I had every intention of getting up early and hitting the woods in search of more mushrooms. I ended up sleeping in a little and woke to a very painful morning. I skipped mushrooming and spent the morning reading and surfing. What am I reading now? Bill Bagwell's "Bowies, Big Knives And The Best Of Battle Blades". It makes for some interesting reading concerning the history, use, carry, making and science behind bowie knives and other big fighting knives. Most chapters are repeats of his articles from when he wrote for Soldier Of Fortune magazine. In this treatise he compares the lethality of the bowie against the venerable K-BAR, the AK bayonet, daggers and other knives. In doing so he makes some very valid points as to the effectiveness of bowie knives for their versatility and deadly use.
  I did not know that by 1837 three states had made it a felony to kill a man with a bowie. The killing wasn't illegal, the use of a bowie to do it was. He makes the point that New Orleans was a gentrified city but steeped in the European tradition of dueling. But by  the early 1800 one of the favorite dueling weapons was the bowie knife. Using the traditional sword dueling tactics and inventing new ones specifically for this big blade it became a fearsome weapon in the hands of a trained user. And there were plenty of places in New Orleans to get that training. Sword trainers from around the world opened shop in that port city and rough men of the seas were always in the ports and bars. The trainers from Spain had the most influence on the specialty of fighting with a bowie.
   There are some trees in NOLA that are known as the Dueling Oaks. These tree's witnessed over 900 duels a year from 1834 to the Civil War.
     Any self respecting man from the South dared not arrive in battle without a huge knife. As a matter of fact may Northern soldiers were terrified of the Southern man with his giant knife.
By the way, the man this type of knife is named after is a true American Badass. Wandered, explorer, duelist, investor, he was known to rope and ride wild deer as well as alligators too! He was shot and stabbed many times in his life and kept coming back for more.
If you have an interest in bowies, get a copy of this book and find out how awesome this decidedly American blade is.

Techniques
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=bowie+knife+fighting&FORM=VIRE1#view=detail&mid=BEAE54A1A4ACA30546E3BEAE54A1A4ACA30546E3

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=bowie+knife+fighting&qpvt=bowie+knife+fighting&FORM=VDRE#view=detail&mid=76CB3D3FEDF9C82D78C776CB3D3FEDF9C82D78C7

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=bowie+knife+fighting&qpvt=bowie+knife+fighting&FORM=VDRE#view=detail&mid=E30953862C804AFB01AEE30953862C804AFB01AE

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=James+keating+bowie+knife+fighting&qs=n&form=QBVR&pq=james+keating+bowie+knife+fighting&sc=0-20&sp=-1&sk=#view=detail&mid=DD7A9A097D7922A64276DD7A9A097D7922A64276

The King of Bowie Knives

Bill Bagwell has been making Bowie knives for well over 35 years. He knows a thing or two about them and even used to teach classes on fighting with a Bowie. He has written a book about bowies and other big blades which I have ordered. His creations are highly prized by those who can afford them, me, I'll have to settle for Cold Steel products.

Belle has arrived

A  few days ago I allude to a shipment I was waiting on. I gave a few clues and got no takers. So, introducing, Belle, a Cold Steel Natchez Bowie. This is the model with the SK-5 steel composition which is a high carbon steel. Over 17 inches in length and very heavy it is balanced and feels light in your hand. In your hand it feel like a monster though, long, huge and dangerous looking. This massive blade not only has a wicked harp edge it has a sharpened clip edge for delivering those back slashes. My only complaint is the sheath. The SK-5 model is shipped with what Cold Steel calls secure-x and I call plastic. It allows the blade to rattle in the sheath and causes rub marks on the blade. If your get the San Mai 3 VG1 blade which is a laminated steel, you get a really nice leather scabbard with a brass knob to secure it in place when thrust through your belt or sash. No belt loop is include. I will be looking for one of those sheaths or designing one of my own. So without any more rambling, I present Belle.