| The term Bowie Knife which is commonly
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| | jobs well, and is still popular with
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| used today refers to any large sheath
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| | hunters and sportsmen even in the present
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| knife but it also applies directly to the
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| | day.
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| specific original design by Colonel James
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| | The curved portion of the edge, toward
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| "Jim" Bowie and originally created by
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| | the point, is for removing the skin from
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| James Black.
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| | a carcass, and the straight portion of
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| The historical Bowie knife was not a
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| | the edge, toward the guard, is for chores
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| single design, but was actually a series
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| | involving cutting slices. The blade is
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| of knives improved several times by Jim
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| | generally long enough and heavy enough
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| Bowie over the years.
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| | that the knife can be used as a hatchet
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| The model most commonly known as the
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| | or machete, but not so heavy or long as
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| historical Bowie knife was somewhat large
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| | to be cumbersome. Most such knives
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| and of massive construction, as knives
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| | intended for hunting are only sharpened
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| go, having usually a blade at least six
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| | on one edge, to reduce the danger of
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| inches long and 12 inches was not
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| | cutting oneself while butchering and
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| uncommon, with a relatively broad blade
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| | skinning the carcass.
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| that was an inch and a half to two inches
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| | Starting in the 1970's a version of the
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| wide and made of steel usually between 3
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| | Bowie Knife with sawteeth on the back
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| 16" and 1/4" thick. The back of the blade
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| | side of the blade have been very popular
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| often had a strip of soft metal (normally
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| | with knife collectors, probably due to
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| brass or copper) inlaid intended to catch
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| | the knife being displayed and used by
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| an opponent's blade, a concept borrowed
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| | Sylvester Stallone's character in the
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| from the medieval Scottish dirk, and also
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| | original "Rambo" movie. These knives are
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| often had an upper guard that bent
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| | still popular today and are sold as
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| forward at an angle, also intended to
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| | survival knives in many cases and are
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| catch an opponent's blade. The back edge
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| | manufactured with a hollow handle that
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| of the curved clip point, also called the
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| | could carry small survival items.
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| "false edge," was often sharpened in
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| | The actual usefulness of sawteeth on a
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| order to allow someone trained in
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| | knife is debatable, not to mention the
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| European techniques of saber fencing to
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| | hollow handles, which may be prone to
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| execute the maneuver called the "back
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| | breaking if the knife is poorly
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| cut" or "back slash." A brass guard was
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| | constructed, and many contend that the
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| attached to protect the hand, usually
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| | sharp teeth endanger the user when used
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| cast in a mold. It is likely that the
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| | to gut and skin a large animal carcass
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| blade shape was derived from the Spanish
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| | such as a deer or elk, as well as making
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| clasp knives carried in Spain and the
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| | the knife much less useful as a weapon as
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| Spanish colonies in the Americas.
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| | they make it prone to getting stuck. A
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| Bowie was known for his many knife fights
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| | proper Bowie knife is long enough and
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| which is why the original Bowie Knife was
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| | heavy enough that the user can usually
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| designed primarily as a weapon. The shape
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| | chop through wood with it much faster
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| and style of blade was chosen so that the
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| | than he could use the saw teeth.
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| Bowie knife could serve usefully as a
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| | Avid fans of the Bowie knife say that for
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| camp and hunting tool as well as a
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| | a knife to be called a "Bowie", it has to
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| weapon. Many knives and daggers existed
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| | be long enough to be used as a sword,
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| that could serve well as weapons, and
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| | sharp enough to use as a razor, wide
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| many knives existed that could serve well
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| | enough to use as a paddle, and heavy
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| as tools for hunters and trappers, but
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| | enough to use as a hatchet.
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| the Bowie knife was designed to do both
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