Bowie knife - OK, what is the real origin???

[C L Wilkins]

In the book, "The Iron Mistress", it states that James Black of Washington, Arkansas made the first "Bowie" knife. Then I see where someone claims that Rezin Bowie had the "Vidalia Sandbar Bowie" made by a fellow by the last name of Clift in Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana. Then we have the most famous Bowie in existence today, the Searles Bowie, which was commissioned by Rezin Bowie to present to an army dragoon, on display at the Alamo. Who made the first one or does anyone really know?

C Wilkins

 

[Burke]

Well, it sure seems like three different people thought they knew. I think part of it depends on your definition of "bowie." If you're talking about the fighting knife made famous by Jim Bowie's exploits, it seems likely that this would be a knife with some connection to Bowie's family; perhaps his brother Rezin, perhaps a blacksmith contracted by Rezin. On the other hand, many people believe that this may have been a smaller fixed blade (on the order of a 6" blade), and that it was probably shaped like a kitchen knife (drop point, integral guard, etc.) So if you want a definitive modern bowie (concave clip point, full double guard, 9-12" blade), you'll have to look further afield, and it seems possible that the Searles bowie is an early example that meets these criteria.

I think the best working definition of a bowie, is that if you call it a bowie, it probably meets at least some of the characteristics of a bowie knife at some point during its evolution. I personally think of a bowie as a fighting knife, but I have seen enough references to "camp bowies" that even that isn't really a distinguishing characteristic these days.

 

[bob bowie]

Hi,

We had a pretty good discussion on this a few threads back. Search "best production Bowie", and it should show up. The thread starter was Joss.

HTH!!!

 

[Drummer]

There's dozens of theories about the origin of the bowie knife. After Jim died every bladesmith in the south and southwest claimed to have made the first one. The theories range from one published in 1861(maybe62) by Harper's that it was begun by a broken sabre Jim was using to fight off Mexicans, to a hunting knife that Rezin used to kill cows with. It doesn't help any that the Bowie bros., especially Rezin, commissioned several knives during their lifetime.

My opinion is, for what it's worth, that Rezin, or Jim's father also named Rezin, originally had a large hunting knife made by a local or resident blacksmith, possibly Jesse Cliffe. I think that story is most probable because there are several claims that go along the lines of that story. Rezin claimed he originally had a hunting knife made and it developed into a fighting knife through the work of talented bladesmiths. A cousin of the Bowies also made a similar statement.

There is no evidence that i've found that James Black made the first "fighting" bowie, or even started the use of the clip point on the bowie, though if his story is correct he would have probably been one of the bowie development pioneers.

Whatever the bowie started out as, it became the world's premier fighting blade and remains so to this day IMNSHO. The bowie's not a camp knife but a fighter. It has continued to evolve and IMO, again, Bagwell's Helles Belle is the current epoc of bowies.

My .02, take if for what's it's worth- not much

Regards,

David

 

[Berkley]

with pictures of several original and supposedly authentic Bowies is located here. FWIW, Bernard Levine (Levine's Guide to Knives and Their Values, 4th Ed.) thinks the Edwin Forrest Bowie is the original Vidalia Sandbar knife. Not being old enough to have been there, I have no opinion