Why doesn't anyone make a D-guard Bowie?

Uath

Uath

Joined
Oct 25, 2003
Messages
703
Why doesn’t any manufacturer make a D guard Bowie? I would love one with the D guard forged as one with the full tang. I think there would be a market for a full-tang, D guard Bowie, say with a standard combat length blade (7 inch). I would like it to have ¼ inch, 1095 steel, or some other carbon. The scale handles could be linen micarta, or wood, affixed by three hex nuts. I don’t like a full cross guard, as it interferes with my thumb. I’ve looked all over, besides the Frost line of stainless knives; there isn’t any full-tang carbon knife available with a D guard. I know they’re illegal in some states, but so what?
 
The D-guard gets in the way during outdoor work, it also adds a lot of weight. The Army expierimented with them during the First World War, and dropped them for that reason.

Check this fellow out for good D guards, www.edmfknives.com .
 
I like D guards alot - for a fighter. They can be made light but usually aren't.
 
Hi Uath, Robert Washburn has a D guard short sword on his website. He's an ABS J.S. from Georgia and would probably make one with a Bowie blade.
 
The EDMF knives I've handled at shows were great for the money, in line with the Mineral Mountain stuff. Can't speak to actual use, but the reviews of his work have been very good.

The Fair Sword looks great.
 
Hey George, are you there?
Could you make me a knife like I described?
1/4 inch 1095 steel
Full-tang D guard with the knife forged in one piece
Single edge with lots of steel left in it to offset the D guard.
7 inch blade, 6 inch handle, drilled for three hex nuts.
plain handle scales, how about redwood colored Dymondwood?
Nice round D guard, plenty of room for the hand, how about the guard be 1/2 inch wide
Gun Blue, I'll make sheath
Very plain, no fancy stuff
 
I don't know if George uses 1095. Every knife of his that I have seen is made from 440C. Here is a picture taken from his web site of a D Guard bowie. This one has a 10" blade.

weeb_site_-_D_Handled_Bowie-_LB.jpg
 
Ok, it's more of a "knuckle guard" than a d-guard but how about the Busse Argonne Assault???


standard


RL
 
Atlanta Cutlery advertises a D guard bowie in their catalog, but I would not trust the quality of their Indian-made knives.
 
As a matter of fact, I had an Atlanta Cutlary D guard Bowie. It broke the first time I used it to cut a branch. The bottom of the guard was secured by a nipple of steeel that had been welded on the end of the handle tang. It broke off within three blows.
D guards take a lot of stress where the guard meets the butt end. I'm speaking for swords also. I've got a Cold Steel 1917 cutlass and the same thing happened. Fortunately with cutlass, all I had to do was replace the screw that held the guard in place on the butt. The screw that came with it looked like mild steel. I just replaced it with a galvanized one and the sword is tough as nails. Great sword by the way. It's got a full-tang.
That's why I don't want a guard that's been attached to the knife. I want the Guard forged as one with the tang.
 
There could be legal issues (brass knuckle laws) with the handguard in some states, could seriously affect profitability.

Legislative mindset: OOHHH! That 10" Bowie knife is EXTRA dangerous! It has a handguard, I might get punched! ;)
 
Utah,

Thanks for the info on the Atlanta Cutlery D Guard Bowie. It just confirms what I suspected about their products. Their knives look interesting in the catalogs, but that Indian-made stuff sure has a bad reputation. Too bad they aren't any good, as some of their bowie designs really look appealing.
 
Better buy a D guard Bowie now before their illegal in all states. California and Massachusetts have already made them illegal. Retarded to the max. Who has ever even heard of an attack using a D guard knife in particular.
By the way, I've always heard that the 1917 trench knife of WWI (brass knuckles on a dagger blade) was a hugely successful design and highly popular with the troops.
 
Someone else can probably express this better but to my understanding, the benefit of a D-guard on a combat/bowie knife is null unless you are employing a strictly fencing style of fighting. I can see the benefit on a sword (hand protection), but on a knife, which by design would mean you are fighting at a closer range, you may want or need to quickly change grips. As a work knife, again, hand mobility is impaired.

When I first saw those WWI trench knives as a kid, I wanted one. They do look cool . Today I can't help but visualize all my precious digits being broken by someone getting control of and twisting the knife away.
 
Sorry Uath I can't work in carbon steel because of cross contamination concerns (I polish a lot of stainless steel for the food and drug industry and they won't tolerate the cross contamination).
 
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