Bowie Knife

Bowie knife
"Bowie knife"
Type	Fighting knife
Place of origin	Arkansas, U.S.
Production history
Designer	Rezin Bowie
Designed	1830
Produced	Since 1830
Specifications
Length	12–30 in
Blade length	5–24 in
Blade type	Clip-point

A Bowie knife (pronounced /ˈbuːiː/ BOO-ee or /ˈboʊ.iː/ BOW-ee) is a pattern of fixed-blade fighting knife created by James Black in the early 19th century for Jim Bowie, who had become famous for his use of a large knife at a duel known as the Sandbar Fight.

Since the first incarnation, the Bowie knife has come to incorporate several recognizable and characteristic design features, although in common usage the term refers to any large sheath knife with a crossguard and a clip point. The knife pattern is still popular with collectors; in addition to various knife manufacturing companies there are hundreds of custom knife makers producing Bowies and variations.

The early history of the Bowie knife is complicated by murky definitions, limited supporting documentation and conflicting claims.

The historical Bowie knife was not a single design, but was a series of knives improved several times by Jim Bowie over the years. The earliest such knife, made by Jesse Clift at Bowie's brother's request resembled Spanish hunting knives of the day, and differed little from a common butcher knife. The blade, as later described by Rezin Bowie, was 9.5 inches (24 cm) long, 0.25 inches (0.64 cm) thick and 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) wide. It was straight-backed, described by witnesses as "a large butcher knife", and having no clip-point nor any handguard, with a simple riveted wood scale handle.

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