Recommendation? Bowie with sharpened clip.

R

Raylas

Joined
Jul 27, 2012
Messages
504
So... been a long while since I've posted here, dunno why, just... life kicking me in the teeth a lot. I doubt anybody really remembers me, I never settled in much here.

Anyways, I need some help. I'm in the market for a Bowie knife, 6 inches to 9 inches in blade length, with a sharpened clip. I've looked around a lot for something that generally matches this profile, and I've only found one hit in my price range (400 or less, less being ideal, I ain't made of cash.), which is from Silver Stag. They offered to sharpen the clip of one of their knives free of charge.

The only problem being that I dunno how much I trust that company, I only found out about them now, and searching the thread turned up very little information on them, with the most prominent of the results being something that casts a lot of suspicion on them.

For a quick recap: Stainless (Or D2, I like that stuff) bowie knife, 6-9 inch blade, with a sharpened false edge/clip. Must be fully functional and well made, ideally in the USA but I'm willing to branch out to anywhere but the PRC. A leather sheath is nice as well, but I can do without that as long as the knife itself fits my specifications.

Anybody got any recommendations? Ideally stuff that's in production. And please... while I do adore their work and would otherwise go for it, don't suggest a Randall or other wait-listed maker. I want the knife sometime in the immediate future, not in 5-6 years time.
 
Silver Stag makes great stuff. I have had one of their slab series skinning knives in D2 for years, and its awesome. Beautiful, holds a killer edge for basically forever, its durable and has a good sheath. I sent it in for some optional work and their customer service was good too, they even rushed my knife so that I could get it back for fishing season. I think they are a great choice personally.

Other options could be a Buck 119 if they'll sharpen the false edge, or possibly Cold Steel may have something like that. I'm not sure, I've never been in the market for that sort of thing, I think a sharpened false edge is just sort of dangerous to me since I dont get into many knife fights where that would matter lol. Good luck. :)

P.S. D2 is basically stainless. I dont think you could get my Silver Stag to rust if you tried lol. It's not technically stainless, but I would never be able to tell a difference.
 
My Randall 1-7 came with a sharpened clip.
Most bowie types don't come that way, but if you like a knife you can always get the clip sharpened.
I had the clip of a Cold Steel Trail Master sharpened by Razor Edge, here on the forum.
 
CVamberbonehead said:
Silver Stag makes great stuff. I have had one of their slab series skinning knives in D2 for years, and its awesome. Beautiful, holds a killer edge for basically forever, its durable and has a good sheath. I sent it in for some optional work and their customer service was good too, they even rushed my knife so that I could get it back for fishing season. I think they are a great choice personally.

Other options could be a Buck 119 if they'll sharpen the false edge, or possibly Cold Steel may have something like that. I'm not sure, I've never been in the market for that sort of thing, I think a sharpened false edge is just sort of dangerous to me since I dont get into many knife fights where that would matter lol. Good luck. :)

P.S. D2 is basically stainless. I dont think you could get my Silver Stag to rust if you tried lol. It's not technically stainless, but I would never be able to tell a difference.
Click to expand...
Ah, that's very good to hear! I was unsure, but I thought they did look good, I just... well, I was new to the knife community when Mantis was a thing..... so you'll understand I'm very cautious and need testimony.
Yeah, I know D2's pretty much stainless. I have a D2 RAT from Ontario, and a Hiroaki Ohta friction folder in D2. Never rusted. Now I'm sure Silver Stag ain't Hiroaki Ohta, his mastery of D2 is apparently not unlike that of L.T. Wright, which says everything.
In the event that Silver Stag is good people, I'll just hit them up for a Frontier Fighter with a sharpened clip.
As to knife fights, yeah, never been in one either, ain't planning on it anytime soon, rest assured.
 
Cold Steel Survivalist Bowie 8" blade 52100 integral design. It's a lot of knife for the money but no leather sheath and made overseas, but under a bill in cost. The swedge would need to be sharpened as well, easy enough though to do or have done. Good luck on your hunt there are a lot of knives to choose from out there.
 
It's a bit longer than you asked for (10.5" blade), but the CS Laredo Bowie in San Mai III is an awesome knife, and has the sharpened clip.
 
Don't over look the Jessie Hemphill mid tech bowie. Meets your parameters pretty much and although I don't own one, but I will I think the clip is pretty easy to get sharp. stay safe
 
Raylas said:
sharpened clip
Click to expand...
Just to be clear , do you need a actual knife sharp edge ( able to slice thin paper cleanly ) or just a typical factory bowie swedge , which is not really sharp .

A regular bowie swedge is semi-sharp enough to do some damage on the backswing , but not usually considered to be a double edged knife .

But if you sharpen that to a true knife edge , it is a DE and could be a legal problem .

I love the Cold Steel Bowies . Not sure about availability right now or cost .

The Trail Master is a great general purpose bowie , but except for used ones , all I see now are the San Mai for $300 plus .

If you can wait for them , CPM 3V Trail Master and Laredo are supposedly coming soon . Might be in your price range .

Cold Steel Survivalist is a one piece , integral slab of drop forged 52100 steel . Very tough for hard use . Coating is crap , but otherwise a great beater and a bargain . I see these for ~$60 . You'd have to put a swedge or true edge on it . None from the factory .
 
I don't have one yet, but I am considering the White River Sendero Classic , designed by the Legendary Jerry Fisk.
It checks A lot of Your boxes for a smaller Bowie. And it seems to get great reviews, people love them. It's less than $300, usually.
 
The Sendero Classic is NOT a Bowie. Technically, it's a drop point. Helluva good knife, but not what the OP was looking for.

I have the first one WR did with a hand-rubbed satin finish, it's my EDC.
 
justjed said:
The Sendero Classic is NOT a Bowie. Technically, it's a drop point. Helluva good knife, but not what the OP was looking for.

I have the first one WR did with a hand-rubbed satin finish, it's my EDC.
Click to expand...
;) Oh , please let's don't start a thing about what is a "true" Bowie ! :eek::poop:>:p
 
justjed said:
The Sendero Classic is NOT a Bowie. Technically, it's a drop point. Helluva good knife, but not what the OP was looking for.

I have the first one WR did with a hand-rubbed satin finish, it's my EDC.
Click to expand...


It certainly might not be what the OP is looking for, idk?
Without them seeing, and responding we won't know.....but

I stand by my recommendation, and Really it's Just as much as a Bowie as anything else so far....I know it's history, or lack there of.
haha, We Don't know what a Bowie IS for all practical purposes.....Right?

I'm glad you like it, lets see some user pics Here. I'm sure you could persuade the OP in getting it too. It really does seem like an Amazing knife... :D
 
I don’t see the issue, any knife with a false top edge can be sharpened.

Buck 124 is a great knife that is Bowie ish.
 
Okay, wow, this post did numbers. I hadn't expected all this response!

Crag The Brewer:

The Sendero would work, but it's got no sharpened clip, so I'd need to have it modified. Granted not a huge deal, and otherwise pretty on the spot.

eveled:

Yeah, I'm still considering Buck.

DocJD:
Actually sharp. I did look at the San Mai Laredo, but they're hard to find, and too expensive when I do. Otherwise it'd be about right.

LongBow: Thank you for the suggestion. Honestly half the reason I made this post was to get leads on good custom or mid-tech makers. I tried using google-fu for that, but it mostly turns up stuff that's either way out my price range, or extremely suspect.

Jlaufer: A little longer is fine, if I can find one of the stainless bladed ones that's not way over my budget, I'd jump on it.

hhmoore: That's a beautiful knife, man. The only thing keeping this from being a thread asking which Randall I should get is the wait times being absolutely off the chain. For.... VARIOUS reasons I won't get into here, I'm not making any extremely long-term plans, unless things start getting better, which I don't think is happening.
 
Just google Jessie Hemphil Bowie, it should come up. There are some on the bay I know of.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top