A Bowie knife is a specific thing, even though the term is loosely applied to most any large hunting knife. A Bowie knife has distinguishing features that make it very specialized in certain ways and very versatile in others. The principal difference between a Bowie and most hunting knives is that a Bowie was designed to be a dual-purpose device in a specific regard: It was designed both for utility and as an implement of self-defense. The design carries the name of its original carrier, Jim Bowie, a legendary frontiersman and one of the fighters at the Alamo.

A Bowie knife always has a single edge. Sometimes, the false edge at the end of the blade is sharpened, but this is not traditional. This single edge makes the knife more practical for myriad activities, including skinning, cleaning game and chopping. The powerful blade is what makes chopping possible and is another defining characteristic. In a pinch, these blades could serve as tools that could be used for many different survival needs.

Bowie knives without the characteristic hand guards do not deserve the name. The hand guard is angled down on the bottom and up on the top. In romantic assessments, this was used by the wielder to trap the blade of another fighter. In reality, this is a popular guard design on many fighting knives as it easily deflects, not traps, the blade of an opponent. This design is also seen on some swords. The downward-pointing lower hand guard ensures that blades are safely deflected away from the user’s hand, which is a primary target in any fight with bladed weapons.

The Bowie knife always has a single edge. This is where it really blends a tool with a weapon. For obvious reasons, double-edges are preferred on many fighting knives. The single edge on a Bowie makes it more practical for the user and lends strength to the blade. The blade is also very thick and wide. In a camping situation, this makes it ideal for chopping and hacking.

Bowie knives are useful tools but, in many jurisdictions, they are illegal to carry. These knives, after all, are weapons and are designed to be lethal. Before heading out of the house with one’s Bowie strapped to one’s leg, check local laws to make sure carrying such a fearsome knife is legal.

Dave is the owner of an online bowie knife and glock grip extension store.

When it comes time to purchase a new bowie knife, you most likely have a specific size range in mind. However, you will find that these knives come in a surprising number of different sizes, from the smallest four-inch bowie knife to enormous machetes that feature the same blade design, but span more than two full feet. Which size is right for your needs? What makes one blade size better than another? Actually, you will find that each size blade is ideal for some rather specific things.

You will find that bowie knives come in blade sizes ranging from a compact six inches all the way up to a full two feet. This tremendous range of sizes is testament to the wide range of uses this blade design can be put to without damaging the knife. However, what size is right for you? In order to answer this question successfully, you will need to know more about your intended uses. While bowie knives are well known for their versatile nature, different blade lengths are more suited to different tasks. How do you determine what’s right?

First, consider the shorter blades. These are generally between six and eight inches in length. These are ideal for any number of tasks. You’ll find that the shorter blades offer benefits if you need to clean and gut a fish, as well as if you need to skin a deer, moose or elk. Because the blades are shorter, you have greater control over the blade’s direction and movement. You will not find this control with larger blades, so you should certainly opt for a smaller blade if you anticipate performing these types of tasks.

Twelve to Fourteen Inches – These are enormous blades. You’ll find that a bowie knife with a blade in this size range is truly formidable. Whether used for clearing brush or for personal protection, these knives are more than handy. However, you will find that jobs requiring precision cutting are not so easily accomplished and that you might need to carry more than one knife with you for the different tasks that you will encounter. However, bowie knife blades in this size range are quite sturdy and provide tremendous resilience for hard use.

Blades larger than about twelve inches are a bit more unwieldy than smaller blades are. However, they are ideal for heavy chopping and can even be used to clear brush in a pinch. However, because of their immense size, carrying these blades can be a bit difficult though you will find that they are more than eye-catching when worn.

Dave is the owner of an online bowie knives and glock grip extensions store.

Before you purchase that bowie knife, you might have a few questions that you want answered. One of the most frequently asked questions about these knives is whether or not you need a permit to own one. Do you have to have a permit if you keep your bowie knife at home? Do you need a permit if you will use it on a hunting trip? These questions are vital, but the answers might be far from enlightening.

Bowie knives are rather special cases in many states. You’ll find that quite a few southern states still have laws on the books that cite these as “illegal” weapons. That means that you cannot carry them openly or concealed outside of your home. However, many other states do allow you to carry these knives without a permit. No states require that you have a permit to carry one on your person in an unconcealed capacity, though (in those states where these knives can be carried in public).

In most states, you do not need a license to carry a knife, unless you plan to carry it concealed on your body. For instance, the state of Arizona allows you to conceal your bowie knife on your person in public, so long as you have a permit to carry a concealed weapon. That said, some states take a very dim view of bowie knives and other large knives. Take Washington DC for example: you cannot carry any knife over 3 inches long, whether concealed or in the open. Therefore, you need to check with your state’s laws before you take your knife out in public.

The question of taking your bowie knife on a hunting, camping or fishing trip is quite different from “carrying it in public”. As these knives are designed for outdoors use, most states do not prohibit you from using them or carrying them without a permit if you will be engaged in an activity for which the knife was designed (a legal activity, of course).

By informing yourself ahead of time regarding your rights involving bowie knives, you can stay on the good side of the law and enjoy the use of these tools. You should also ensure that you follow any laws governing the carrying of bowie knives in your vehicle, as well.

Dave is the owner of an online bowie knives and glock grip extensions store.

Can you tell the difference between a hunting knife and a bowie knife? If you were to look at a bowie knife side by side with another type of hunting knife, several differences would be obvious. What are these differences? Isn’t a bowie knife still a hunting knife? While the original bowie was often used as a hunting knife, it was designed for many other purposes, as well. How do bowies differ from standard hunting knives?

First, standard hunting knives tend to be designed for a single use. Take the skinning knife for example. These have long, slim, razor-sharp blades. They are powerful tools when used for their intended purpose (skinning animals). However, how do you think that blade would hold up if you tried to chop with it? What if you encountered a bone or tough sinews? Would the skinning knife be able to handle the increased pressure and abuse? Chances are the knife would not be suited for any purpose other than skinning.

Bowie knives also come in a wide range of different sizes. You will find these run the gamut from a modest six inches to a massive foot and a half. You obviously will not want to use an 18-inch blade to gut a fish. However, that blade would work quite well in clearing brush, for protection and for general-purpose use. Bowie knives have an immense number of uses and their size will certainly play a role in the uses to which they are put. One of the reasons that hunting knives are so limited in the scope of their uses is their blade design. If you look at a gut hook knife, it’s hard to imagine using it for any other purpose.

As you can see, a bowie knife is very different from a standard hunting knife. However, they are often classified as hunting knives and are sold in sporting goods under that label. This doesn’t mean that they are for use in hunting alone, though. In addition, you will find that a bowie knife will put you in good stead for a variety of situations, whether you need to do some work around your home, or just want protection in your car.

Choosing to purchase a bowie knife over a hunting knife is an excellent decision. This will ensure that you are able to use your knife in almost any situation and that you will not suffer the limitations brought on by a single-use type of knife.

Dave is the owner of an online bowie knife and glock grip extension store.

If you have just purchased your first bowie knife, or even if you have been an avid collector of these blades for a number of years, it can be difficult to determine exactly what all the different parts of the blade are supposed to be used for. Part of this confusion stems from the myriad different styles of blade out there. For instance, you’ll find modern bowies that have saw-tooth edging on the spine, while historically accurate models do not include this feature. What are the different parts supposed to do?

Blood Groove – A deep (relatively) groove that runs from near the back end of the blade to near the point, the blood groove serves a very specific purpose. This groove is used to allow blood to flow out from a stab, ensuring that the blade does not become trapped by suction. However, not all bowie knife models feature this groove, as it is a recent, modern development.

Saw Teeth – You will undoubtedly encounter other bowie knives that feature a saw-toothed design on the spine of the blade. Ostensibly, this is used for sawing wood, or scaling fish. However, most users find that it actually gets in the way and can even injure the knife’s wielder if they are unwary. If you choose to purchase a knife with this feature, be very aware that the saw-tooth portion might not be as handy as you first think.

Spanish Notch – The Spanish Notch is another sometime inclusion. You’ll find that this notch offers little in the way of enhanced usability, but it does provide you with a handy point to start sharpening the blade. The notch sits at the back edge of the blade, just before the ricasso. This might have originally been used to help skin branches, or have been used to work with nautical rigging or other rope forms, but today it has few uses and is rarely found except on historically accurate bowie knives.

Guard – The guard, or quillions, of the blade serve several purposes, as well. You’ll find that traditional blades have angled guards, with the upper guard angled forward toward the point and the lower guard angled back, toward the butt. These provide protection for the hand, as well as allowing the wielder to trap an opponent’s blade (the upper guard only). The guard also serves to keep your hand from running off the handle and onto the blade when stabbing with the knife.

Dave is the owner of an online bowie knives and glock grip extensions store.

Bowie knives are renowned for their versatility and their durability. However, if you’re in the market to purchase a new blade, you’ll likely want to know what bowie knives can and can’t cut. What limitations are there to these knives? Actually, the limitations are created by the knife itself – its size, construction material and even the keenness of the edge will play a role in what you can and can’t cut (or what you want to cut and don’t want to cut). What does all that mean?

Let’s take a look at the question of size. Bowie knives are available in a bewildering range of sizes, from six inches to more than a foot long. Obviously, you won’t want to take a six or seven inch knife out for the task of chopping firewood. That’s better left to a hatchet or an axe. However, if you have one of the longer bowie knives, they can be quite heavy enough to use as a hatchet (if needs be). You’ll find that larger blades are excellent for any task requiring chopping and that bone, wood and even light metal can be cut with consummate ease.

As you might surmise, very large knives aren’t the ideal item to use when cutting something delicate – it’s a bit like using a sledgehammer to crack an eggshell. Conversely, using a small bowie knife to cut heavy, thick things is equally unwise, something like using a razorblade to chop firewood comes to mind.

To sum up, bowie knives are capable of cutting through any variety of different materials. You’ll find, however, that what you cut will have a significant effect on the blade’s edge, as well as on the knife’s longevity. The size of the knife is directly related to the materials that you should attempt to cut.

As you can see, there are numerous factors that go into determining what you should use that bowie knife to cut. While you can most certainly cut almost anything with the blade, the wrong uses will find you spending far more time with the whetstone than you might wish.

Dave is the owner of an online bowie knife and glock grip extensions store.

Bowie knives are available in a bewildering array of sizes. You will find slimmer versions that total out at about six inches in length, but you will also find monstrosities that come close to two feet in length and all the sizes in between. How do you choose which bowie knives are right for your particular needs? Is a longer blade a better choice? Why would you want a short knife blade?

There is no secret formula to determining what size bowie knife is right for you. You will have to take a long, hard look at how you intend to use the knife. For instance, do you just want something impressive that you can hang on a wall or mount under glass? If so, then the larger, the better! However, if you actually intend to put that knife to use, you’ll find that enormous size is not always better.

Shorter blades, on the other hand, are a different matter all together. You wouldn’t want to use a six-inch blade for hacking through underbrush. You would, however, want such a smaller blade if you were doing something that required precise control, such as cleaning a freshly caught fish or skinning that stag that you just brought down. Larger blades can damage whatever you’re cleaning or skinning, simply because you cannot control them as well. Shorter blades offer better precision and better control, at the cost of brute power, though.

As another example of the need for a specific size, you’ll need to determine if you actually want to carry that knife with you when you go out. While a lot of states allow fixed blades of up to five or six inches in length to be carried openly, many states prohibit anything larger. You will also need to consider your own comfort when carrying your knife. Longer blades tend to be less comfortable when strapped to your hip.

As you can see, choosing the right option form the plethora of bowie knives available can be somewhat difficult. However, if you take your time, you’ll find an option that fits your particular needs and offers the performance, look and functionality that you demand.

Dave is the owner of an online bowie knives and glock grip extensions store.