Estwing Drop-Forged Bowie, Best Navaja Fighter Ever Made

[Uath]

The Estwing Bowie is a dream for those of use who like a lean, dancing knife, designed for planting the thumb (saber grip). I know it's no a traditional Navaja. I just call knives that when have a tapering handle that comes to a point, are designed to plant the thumb, and have a very sharp, light blade designed for both slashing and thrusting.
It's drop-forged, so the edge is forged in, not ground. Drop-forging forced the metal into mold under tremendous pressure. It aligns the molecules so the steel is much stronger. All hard-use tools and axes are drop forged. The trouble is that it takes a factory to do it. Estwing has been making legendary tools for ever, so they have all the equipment.
This isn't the lightest of knives, it just FEELS light. It's also made out of one solid piece of steel and is as sharp as any knife I've ever owned. I don't care that it costs 30 something dollars, it's one of the best knives out there at any price, my new favorite. You won't believe the blade profile.

One drawback... It's definitely not a neutral handle. If you don't like the thumb grip, you're out of luck.

 

[NJBillK]

It aligns the molecules so the steel is much stronger. All hard-use tools and axes are drop forged.

I don't know about these two statements.

Yes, in most "drop forged" items, the alloy is more homogeneous, but the "molecules" are going to be reset by heat treating. This includes thermal cycling, bringing the knife up past the Curie point and "soaking" at temperature, which will allow everything to settle into solution. Quenching will then lock everything in place, regardless of what was done during forging (unless micro-fractures were imparted).

"All hard-use tools and axes are drop forged."

Hrm, Busse knives, are generally considered some of the hardest use knives currently out there, and they are not drop forged. This knife that you show above is not designed for a hammer grip, which would normally lead to more stresses than a saber grip can afford. Nor is it designed for heavy chopping, or other "hard-use". Flesh is soft, as are t-shirts...
I have seen a Busse that survived multiple gun shots and all it needed was the handle slabs replaced and a sharpening... The handles were still covered under a warranty repair.

Also, with the "added strength" that came from drop forging wouldn't this allow them to full flat grind the blade, giving them a better slicing blade, or give a flatter cutting edge profile for better thrusting and slashing performance?

As far as it being "sharp as any knife you have owned" goes, all that takes is a sharpening stone, a strop, and some know how to correct...
They do not use some miracle alloy that gets sharper than anything else out there, and as soon as you use it, it will start to dull. Hell, if it is a carbon steel, even atmospheric conditions or sweat can cause the edge to degrade.
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Prior to seeing one of these in person, I will say that Estwing makes a good tool. That being said, They should stick to hammers. They make a good blunt object.

 

[jackknife]

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Prior to seeing one of these in person, I will say that Estwing makes a good tool. That being said, They should stick to hammers. They make a good blunt object.

That knife has no redeeming features that I can see. Maybe as a jack handle.

 

[mete]

I have a bunch of Estwing tools well designed and made but in recent years occasionally they come out with something that just doesn't fit their line .This is probably one of them.
Metals don't have molecules , they have crystals, and grains . That description has lots of advertising hype that means little. Estwing has the knowledge and experience with forging which works fine for their type of tools That's all they need. Good tools ,good value ! My experience with Estwing goes back before most of you were born ! Every few years I find another tool of theirs I need !

 

[Uath]

Marketing and propaganda techniques should be taught in all schools at all grade levels.

Most modern knives are machine-cut out of flat blanks of steel. A computer grinds whatever bevels are warranted and then it goes into a computer oven for heat treat. Often left unpolished, the steel is then painted with a "powder coat." Finished, it's combined with a sheath made in another factory. You can bet no other tool worth a crap is made like that.

Now the marketing... Complete with a fancy box and sweaty men batoning logs on you tube. (I've always wondered how you have all these saw-cut logs in camp, but somehow need a knife to split them).

How can you dismiss a knife you've never touched??? Estwing made a great knife at a fair price. You thumb people take notice.

 

[SpySmasher]

Let me begin by admitting that this is the first time I've ever seen or heard of this knife. With that in mind:

That looks like an absolute horror show.

 

[19-3ben]

Marketing and propaganda techniques should be taught in all schools at all grade levels.

Most modern knives are machine-cut out of flat blanks of steel. A computer grinds whatever bevels are warranted and then it goes into a computer oven for heat treat. Often left unpolished, the steel is then painted with a "powder coat." Finished, it's combined with a sheath made in another factory. You can bet no other tool worth a crap is made like that.

Now the marketing... Complete with a fancy box and sweaty men batoning logs on you tube. (I've always wondered how you have all these saw-cut logs in camp, but somehow need a knife to split them).

How can you dismiss a knife you've never touched??? Estwing made a great knife at a fair price. You thumb people take notice.

I agree with almost all of your post, except the part in bold.

Part of my pack includes a light weight folding saw. I very frequently have cleanly cut logs to work with, at least at the outset. Once a fire gets going, I really don't care if the logs I throw in are nice and neat on the ends. But when I need to work with them, it's just easier...

That said, I usually don't baton (i keep a hatchet for that), but do get sweaty. I even have a beard. I have 2/3 requirements to be the rugged man on the box.

 

[marcinek]

How can you dismiss a knife you've never touched???

Quite easily. By looking at it. I have never been hit by a car, but I have seen it happen to people. I don't want to get hit by a car. I have dismissed wanting to get hit by a car without it ever happening to me.

The ergos of the grip are nonsense. I love when someone comes around with a "new" grip design. Do you know why you have not seen that grip design before? Marketing? No. Propaganda? No. Because it has been tried and it doesn't work? Yes. Go through the entire history of knives designed for both slashing and thrusting and show me one with a similar grip.

Now as far as "marketing" lets see what Estwing has to say about the knife..

"Estwing’s Bowie knife is the ultimate in durability and design. This knife with the traditional curved design is the perfect outdoor utility knife. It is also lightweight and easy to carry. The Bowie is forged in one piece of U.S. steel, with hand sharpened edges and an outdoor powder coated hilt. The double beveled blade makes it easy to sharpen. The Bowie knife is available in the 4" or 6" blade and comes with a high quality nylon sheath."

No hype in there.

And by the way...where does the "high quality nylon sheath" for this knife come from? You claim that no other tool worth a crap would have a sheath made in another factory. Where was this one made?

 

[crom]

I'll bet these won't sell, become discontinued quickly, and become collector pieces in a few years.

 

[Lapedog]

I'm just going to say that while it doesn't appeal to me; at the same time don't let others smack talk your purchase.

If you like it and derive enjoyment from it then who cares what others say. Don't let them ruin it for you.

Also the OP said he finds the grip similar to a Navaja. If that works for him who is anyone else to say "no that grip has been tried before and is no good"

 

[NJBillK]

Most modern knives are machine-cut out of flat blanks of steel. A computer grinds whatever bevels are warranted and then it goes into a computer oven for heat treat. Often left unpolished, the steel is then painted with a "powder coat." Finished, it's combined with a sheath made in another factory. You can bet no other tool worth a crap is made like that.

Your right, some companies just press a metal that is 60% of "molten" temperatures between two molds, then grind off the flash, heat treat, then final grind on the faces and dip the handles in a blue rubber for a handle...

Sound familiar?
You got it! That is how the simple hammer, axe, fireside friend, et al is made by Estwing

By comparison, factory knives do take more to produce than a simple hammer or a drop forged knife. Especially considering that drop forging does the bulk of the shaping and can likely not be made thin enough to match the measurements BTE of a quality factory knife.

Can this knife be drop forged to have a measurement behind the edge of .030" or less?
Doubtful...

Thanks for reminding us.

 

[unwisefool]

That's not an attractive knife....

 

[SpySmasher]

... at the same time don't let others smack talk your purchase.

C'mon man. That's not what's happening. OP didn't say, "I just bought a new knife and I like it." OP said, "Best Navaja Fighter Ever Made."

If ANYTHING, OP is the one talking smack.

 

[marcinek]

I'm just going to say that while it doesn't appeal to me; at the same time don't let others smack talk your purchase.

If you like it and derive enjoyment from it then who cares what others say. Don't let them ruin it for you.

Also the OP said he finds the grip similar to a Navaja. If that works for him who is anyone else to say "no that grip has been tried before and is no good"

If you like a knife and don't care what others have to say about it....then you don't open a discussion about the knife in a knife discussion forum.

It goes without saying that if he likes it...then good for him.

But, again, I will again posit that any functional, ergonomically correct handle shapes for knives and fighting blades have been done already. They have been around for wayyyy too long for some working design to have been missed.

 

[unwisefool]

Quite easily. By looking at it. I have never been hit by a car, but I have seen it happen to people. I don't want to get hit by a car. I have dismissed wanting to get hit by a car without it ever happening to me.

I got hit by a car once, it was not fun and I would highly discourage it. And then the little old lady who was driving this land boat shook her fist at me...

 

[marcinek]

C'mon man. That's not what's happening. OP didn't say, "I just bought a new knife and I like it." OP said, "Best Navaja Fighter Ever Made."

If ANYTHING, OP is the one talking smack.

Indeed.

Most modern knives are machine-cut out of flat blanks of steel. A computer grinds whatever bevels are warranted and then it goes into a computer oven for heat treat. Often left unpolished, the steel is then painted with a "powder coat." Finished, it's combined with a sheath made in another factory. You can bet no other tool worth a crap is made like that.

Seems like "smack." I mean to me it's all just "opinion," but what's good for the goose is good for the gander, you know? It's a discussion forum...if you don't want/expect to be disagreed with you do a blog.

 

[NJBillK]

It was stated in W&C and I am parroting it here.

The Nevaja was designed to be a folding knife since sword were made illegal in Spain. Just by this being a fixed blade makes it NOT a Nevaja...

Even Estwing calls it a bowie, not a Nevaja... Just so you know, one of the grips practiced in "bowie styled" fighting classes is a rapier grip, which would be applicable here.

 

[NJBillK]

Indeed.



Seems like "smack." I mean to me it's all just "opinion," but what's good for the goose is good for the gander, you know? It's a discussion forum...if you don't want/expect to be disagreed with you do a blog.

And be sure to disable comments, otherwise folks can still disagree.

Speaking of "what's good for the goose", did you see his other thread?

 

[marcinek]

I got hit by a car once, it was not fun and I would highly discourage it. And then the little old lady who was driving this land boat shook her fist at me...

Apparently we are supposed to have gotten hit by a car before we come to that conclusion.

Just like we are supposed to buy and use a knife before we can conclude that the design makes it look unuseable to us.

I mean, I have bought enough knives to know what looks like nonsense to me, just as I have been bruised enough to know that getting hit by a car looks like it would really suck.

 

[marcinek]

And be sure to disable comments, otherwise folks can still disagree.

Speaking of "what's good for the goose", did you see his other thread?

As for the other thread, not yet...but I have seen many earlier threads of his. Uath has always had a strong opinion and, how to put it, "unique" take on things.

As for the goose and gander, it really is the risk/reward part of a forum and what makes forums cool. Its an exchange of opinions. If one does not want or expect or is unprepared for that, a forum is the wrong place to be.