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Bowie knife

Bowie knife
Bowie Knife by Tim Lively 16.jpg
"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 /ˈb/ BOO-ee or /ˈb./ 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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Wikipedia

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