Bowie-Knives.com - Bowie Hunting Knives Information

Knives have played a role in human affairs for millennia, dating all the way back to the Stone Age and before. Throughout its long history, the knife has gone through repeated evolutions and refinements, becoming more and more an ideal tool. Today, you'll find knives specifically designed for many different tasks, from the humble butter knife to modern military knives such as those used by the Navy Seals. However, in all of history, few knives have attained the fame (or infamy) as the Bowie knife. What is a Bowie knife?

In essence, this is a style of knife made famous by Jim Bowie, that great American pioneer. In actuality, there are a number of different styles that can be claimed to be "Bowie knives," as Bowie requested several different revisions to the original style, in order to create the most efficient and effective knife possible.

The blade tip is yet another defining feature of Bowie knives. While the majority of knives, whether modern or antique in origin, have a tip in line with the spine or back of the blade, the Bowie knife does not. In fact, the point is considerably lower than the spine, for several reasons. First, this provides better control of the knife tip during use. Second, it offers better penetration, because the tip is considerably smaller than it would be if it had a traditional design. Of course, you will also find that some of these clipped tips actually have the curved (or clipped) portion of the blade sharpened, which results in better penetration (called a Sheffield Bowie).

The typical design of Bowie knives was created by knife maker James Black. This knife had a somewhat blunter clipped tip, unlike the swooping curve of some later models. It also featured an S shaped guard, with the lower guard angled back toward the butt of the handle and the upper guard bent forward toward the tip of the knife (to help catch and block an opponent's blade in a knife fight).

Other features of the Bowie knife include the fact that it is a single-edged blade, though sometimes the false edge of the clipped point is also sharpened for better penetration. Of course, the Bowie knife was also the original "survival" knife and was intended for use in hunting, shaving, butchering and skinning, as well as for protecting during fights.

Today, the Bowie knife remains one of the most popular styles of knife available on the market, though many states still have legislation on the books rendering these types of blades illegal to carry or use outside of the home.

Sharpening Bowie knives need not be a frustrating procedure. In fact, while these are certainly larger than many other types of knives, you'll find that you sharpen the blades in much the same way. How should you go about doing this? What should you do or not do in order to ensure that you are able to achieve a clean, sharp, straight edge on that knife? Here, you'll learn a bit more about the knife sharpening process, as well as what not to do when sharpening Bowie knives (or any other knife for that matter).

Generally, novice knife owners opt for the all-in-one type of system, as this allows them to control the angle of the blade, without having to do so by hand. However, those more familiar with the sharpening process often choose to use a series of whetstones or a whetstone and a strop. This results in a much better edge, though it takes considerable practice before you can call yourself an expert. As a note, if you choose to go it alone, practice with some inexpensive blades before you attempt to sharpen your Bowie knife, or any other knife that might represent a considerable investment.

The process of sharpening a knife is all about removing metal from the blade, but doing so in a controlled pattern. The angle at which you hold your knife will determine some of how much metal is removed, as will the duration of the sharpening process. If you choose to use a sharpening system, make sure that it offers several different angles in the guide, so that you can achieve the sharpness and blade shape that's right for your knife.

Holding one side of the blade against the stone, draw the knife either heel to tip, or you can grind it in circles over the stone (some knife owners prefer to use two stones, a coarse one and a fine one). Once you have raised a burr on the blade's edge, you should flip the blade over and repeat the process until there is a burr along the entire edge of the knife blade.

Once you have ground down one side of the blade and raised a burr, you will need to flip the knife over and grind the other side. This will raise a burr all the way down the blade (including the tip of the blade). Once the burr has been raised, you should use a fine whetstone or a strop to remove the burr and reveal the true edge of the blade. Further stropping or honing will polish the edges, as well.

If you've just purchased a Bowie knife, you're probably wondering whether you can carry it on your person. After all, these are striking knives - their rugged, timeless appearance would add a considerable amount to any outfit. However, the answer to whether or not you can carry a Bowie knife on you is "it depends." Every state in the US has different laws governing the carrying of weapons, both concealed and unconcealed on your person. For instance, in the state of California, it is completely legal to carry a Bowie knife (fixed blade only) in a sheath on your person. However, Texas specifically states that Bowie knives are illegal, unless within your personal vehicle, or used during hunting or some other qualifying activity.

Therefore, if you want to carry that new knife of yours in public, it's best to check your state's laws. In addition to this, you probably have local laws that limit what weapons can be carried, as well as how they can be carried that might go a bit further than your state's laws. Therefore, you will need to check city, county and state laws in order to determine if Bowie knives are legal to be carried in public.

The state of Delaware on the other hand, allows the carrying of fixed blade knives such as Bowie knives, dirks and daggers, so long as they are in plain sight. If they are concealed, you must have a permit to carry a concealed weapon. However, Delaware does prohibit the use of balisongs or automatic knives whether concealed or unconcealed.

In addition, you'll find that Arizona lets individual cities and towns create their own laws governing what knives can be carried and how they can be carried legally. Therefore, should you travel from Flagstaff to Tucson, you might find that your knife is not legal. Check ahead to avoid legal problems.

As you can see, determining whether or not you can take that Bowie knife with you out of the house can be a bit confusing. Speak with your local police station, or consult your state's specific website to find out what laws govern your ability to carry a knife in public, whether concealed or out in the open.

Air travel has certainly become more troublesome since 9/11. However, most travelers would agree that the new restrictions are not without cause. That said, understanding these new restrictions can be a bit problematic. For instance, are you allowed to carry a bowie knife aboard a plane? You might be surprised by the answer to that question - yes, you can. However, you'll have to follow some special rules setup by the TSA to maintain safety aboard planes.

The answer to that question is "yes and no." How can that be? First, you have to understand the difference between carryon and checked baggage. For instance, any carryon bag must be sent through a metal detector, before you are allowed to board a plane with it. In addition, any item within that bag will be within easy reach during the flight. Therefore, you cannot carry your bowie knife in your carryon luggage.

Next, you will need to pack your knife appropriately. You would think that just placing it in your suitcase would be enough, but the TSA demands more stringent measures. You'll need to make sure that your bowie knife is sheathed, first and foremost. You will also need to make sure that the knife is secured within the sheath in some way. Some sheaths have a buttoned strap for this purpose. However, even a simple piece of twine can serve your purpose here.

Next, you will also need to wrap the bowie knife in something - bubble wrap works well. Actually, if you can manage it, you should box your knife, wrapping and all. This will provide the utmost protection for baggage handlers and inspectors who might come into contact with your luggage and the knife itself. As long as you follow these precautions, you can carry anything in your suitcase from a bowie knife to scissors, swords and even firearms (broken down into component pieces, of course).

You should also understand that your bag will likely be inspected during the loading process. No matter how well packaged it might be, it will show up in the x-ray machine. Therefore, having bowie knives wrapped securely will prevent injury to the inspectors, as well as potential injury to baggage handlers. You will find that traveling with bowie knives or even with swords and other bladed weapons is not a problem so long as you follow the proper procedures.

The question of metal type used in blades has played an integral role for tens of thousands of years. Once, the choice between bronze and copper was significant. Iron came onto the scene and changed all that. Today, you have even more choices, from super high tech steel to high carbon fiber steel and many other types. In fact, if you took the time to look at the question in detail, you would find several hundred different types of metal that can be used for creating the blade for your new bowie knife. What's the best choice?

However, one of the most important questions that you will need to answer is what sort of metal you prefer for the blade of your bowie knives. What are your options? Why does it matter? Isn't metal basically the same? Actually, the metal used in knife blades varies considerably. You will find literally hundreds of types of metal on the market, each offering pros and cons to its use. For instance, one particular metal might be ultra hard and hold the best edge, but it might be brittle when used in a longer blade. You might find that some metals are much more resilient and tough, but they do not hold as sharp an edge as other metals.

In addition, the question of metal type for your bowie knife blade will hinge on how long the blade will be. Some metals are very brittle though they hold a good edge. These are ideal for shorter blades, but make poor choices for a bowie knife with a long blade. You will also find that metals ideal for longer blades might not be able to hold that edge for quite as long, though the blade might be more than resilient and springy.

Of course, you will need to take your usage concerns into the picture, as well. Will you be using your bowie knife in the wilds of Alaska? If so, then you'll certainly need different benefits than someone using a knife in the backcountry of Georgia or the Tennessee mountains. The uses to which you'll put that knife should play a vital role in choosing the right metal for the blade. You'll need to ensure that the metal type chosen can hold up to the stresses and rigors through which you will put it.

Choosing metal for the blade of a bowie knife can and should take some time. Never opt for the "newest" or "hottest" option on the market. Find reviews of that particular metal type and determine just how well it held up for other users and you'll have a solid foundation on which to base your own decision.