Shop Talk Q1 / 2024 - Build Challenge - Bowie Knife

pafka

pafka

Joined
Sep 12, 2007
Messages
240
As K.B. Knifeworks K.B. Knifeworks is not available right now, let us continue the build challenges he started.
For Q1 / 2024 the Bowie knife was preselected, so let's go with that.

The rules are simple and based on the previous challenge thread:
- Make a Bowie for the Q1 challenge between now and March 31st.
- Share your progress pics, ask questions, share tips and post your final knife build.
- Make something that you feel could be called a Bowie knife. Obviously due to the almost 200-year long history of this knife the range will probably include lots of varieties. That's ok.
- When you make your final showcase post with photos of your build/knife - add some details on materials used, build method, specs, alterations, etc.
- This is an informal/fun challenge. Participate if you like or just enjoy the thread and hopefully progress and final build photos.

- No hard requirement but if you plan to take part in the challenge post in the thread and share photos along the way.

If you have good links or books please share them and I will include them in this post.

Links:
Bowie history in pictures
Texas Primer: The Bowie Knife

Books:
The Bowie Knife: Unsheathing an American Legend by Norm Flayderman

Videos:
Bowie Knives: US Civil War to WW1 the USA & British Contrast
The Arkansas Toothpick - What is it? Bowie Knives & Historical Accounts
 
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I have selected a piece shown on page 93 of "The Bowie Knife: Unsheathing an American Legend". I kind of like the timeless and simple design.

ZnaCb5o.jpg


The description says:
13/2 inches overall, 9-inch clip point blade with 5 1/2 inch false edge. Unusual etched design in scale-like, irregular pattern with center panel etched "A SURE FRIEND" runs full length to tip. Cast german silver handle with a knob-like pommel. Two-piece ivory grips fastened by six pins. Escutcheons both sides.
Click to expand...

I'll try to make one knife about as close as I can get it, and just to be safe I'll make a smaller blade with a spear point and probably identical handle. I will go for a frame handle (my first), but I may have to pivot to a through tang. Now the blades are profiled, will do the false edge next and then the bevels. The steel is Sleipner, 6 mm (almost 1/4 inch) thick, I'd say that is more than the original, but it's what I have.

XihPDWd.jpg
 
Same as my kephart build, my bowie is not going to be 100% "traditional". Blade wise, it will be close on today's standards but the handle is going to be quite different.

Everything begun yesterday when I heat treated this blade specifically for this challenge.
1.jpg

With the heat treatment done, I worked a little bit more on it this morning.
I started the final grinding with a 60grit ceramic belt to remove the bulk material.
2.jpg

Whenever I move up the grits, I change the angle a bit to make it easier to see previous scratches. Even on this awful picture, it's easy to spot some leftover 60grit scratches.
3.jpg

Here is an example going from 120grit to 240.
4.jpg

I like to grind my blades up to 400grit to make hand sanding easier.
While hand sanding, the same principle applies, change angle in every grind to know when I'm done.
5.jpg
6.jpg

I took the blade up to 800grit and then ground the clip. Grinding the clip once the majority of the hand sanding is done makes it easier to keep crisp transitions.
This is the knife currently.
7.jpg

I'm going to fit the guard tomorrow and hopefully finish completely the blade and start the handle.
 
Another day, another update on the build.

Prepped the tang for the guard.
IMG_20240119_135039.jpg

Fit and ready to be roughed.
IMG_20240119_151902.jpg

Took most of the material with an angle grinder and began shaping on the grinder.
IMG_20240119_155334.jpg
IMG_20240119_161238.jpg

Since the guard is fit, it's time to complete the hand sanding.
IMG_20240119_180824.jpg
IMG_20240119_180829.jpg

And here is the twist, I wanted to do an ito style handle. I made a wooden core from plywood. It does have a pin going through the tang.
IMG_20240119_190814.jpg

Finally, the handle is wrapped with a cotton under wrap and black ito style wrap
IMG_20240119_194200.jpg
IMG_20240119_194207.jpg

All that's left to do is to tidy up the wrap a bit, soak it with marine grade epoxy and sharpen the blade.
 
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Tony Mont said:
Another day, another update on the build.

Prepped the tang for the guard.
View attachment 2462953

Fit and ready to be roughed.
View attachment 2462954

Took most of the material with an angle grinder and began shaping on the grinder.
View attachment 2462956
View attachment 2462957

Since the guard is fit, it's time to complete the hand sanding.
View attachment 2462958
View attachment 2462960

And here is the twist, I wanted to do an ito style handle. I made a wooden core from plywood. It does have a pin going through the tang.
View attachment 2462961

Finally, the handle is wrapped with a cotton under wrap and black ito style wrap
View attachment 2462962
View attachment 2462963

All that's left to do is to tidy up the wrap a bit, soak it with marine grade epoxy and sharpen the blade.
Click to expand...
Looks good!
 
I have the primary bevels and swedges ground. (that's just sharpie on the swedges)
5bJMFVx.jpg

It's mostly cleaned up with 240 grit, it looks ok, mostly flat. I need to bring it up to maybe 400 or 600 grit, then I will drill the hole for a threaded rod in the tang, clean up the flats, and then it will be headed to heat treatment.
 
This is a pretty good; albeit, a bit nerdy video on the topic.


I want to know more about this half folding bowie/dagger. Sounds pretty freaking cool. I've never heard of, or seen anything similar.

Edit: look at this ridiculous nonsense.

 
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HI all,

I am putting the oven on tomorrow for a pen knife and spring, even though the cost is only £5 for a cycle I thought I may as well get a start on the Bowie to give more time on the handle. I have not selected a particular image to reference so I will go with the flow. It will be my iron mistress.
Steel is 1095 @ 6.5mm thick.

First Bowie.jpg
 
That looks pretty good. But isn't the transition from ricasso to the tang a bit too sharp? As in the inside corners should have a fillet so as to not create stress risers?
 
pafka said:
That looks pretty good. But isn't the transition from ricasso to the tang a bit too sharp? As in the inside corners should have a fillet so as to not create stress risers?
Click to expand...
I am going to solder on a bolster, and the tang part will be thinned down before fitting and a frame for the handle.
Will it survive HT Pafka?
THANKS for advice!
 
modded,
I think all engineering went out the window when i started trying to climb out of the hole. I will clay that area as well to soften the quench.

Bowie4.jpg

Sod it, I might as well clay it all.
 
W Way-Barney often a mistake isn't as bad as it first seems and I lean towards finishing projects, but I'd scrap this one given what happened with the clip. The shoulders of the tang look good now but the tang is a bit narrow.
What has worked for me doing the clip is to get the entire profile cleanly refined on flat stock including the tang. A file guide is useful to make sure that the two sides are even so the guard will fit correctly.
For the clip, I would scribe the center line, where the false edge will be, then use an angled rest set at around 55 degrees to the platen to get 35 degrees each side. Take light passes and don't overshoot the line. You can make a dummy profile from mild steel and do a practice run at the clip. Tony did his after the bevel which is another option, but then you will need to adjust the angle and hope you have a flat grind to run along the rest. I like to do the clip first and then clean it up using EDM stones.
Good luck whatever you decide to do.
 
I agree with Richard that the tang now looks better as far as the transition, but it is maybe a bit too skinny. I would have fixed the original tang by shortening the ricasso and making the fillet there, as opposed to narrowing the tang - just a thought.
 
Well You guys had my head in a spin, its not easy having someone critique your work, in my head I am making great progress. for a fleeting moment I thought will I ever get it flipping right and should I give up. On reflection I had tried to make a stick tang without even giving any thought to the process or how to do it, I just crashed on into it.
Anyways, I am not giving up and I am not chucking the knife. I really cannot thank you both enough, I decided to make another knife, bigger and better. I changed the design for something more refined that suits my tastes a bit better and in making it, for the first time I actually felt a disconnection between my hands and my eyes - it was wonderful, I had been looking at everything kind of like looking at the gear stick when you are learning to drive. I could focus on the platen and not worry about the steering. The next knife flowed like a dream and only took a couple of hours. Thanks again fellas, from tragedy and despair great things can happen.

bowie5.jpgbowie6.jpgbowie7.jpgbowie8.jpg

I will make two Bowies, knives 10 and 11, the first will be a Texas Brass back fighter and the other, I don't know, perhaps a modern interpretation.
 
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