| The term "Bowie knife" does not refer to a | | | | thick. Some Bowie knife blades have a strip of |
| specific company, as many believe. The term | | | | brass, copper, or another soft metal, which was |
| actually refers to a certain style of knife | | | | intended as a shock absorber to prevent |
| popularized by Colonel James "Jim" Bowie. Today, | | | | relatively poor quality blades from breaking. Other |
| a bowie knife is any type of large sheath knife | | | | features included an upper guard to catch an |
| with a clip point. | | | | opponent's blade and protect the user's hand. |
| The first knives made for Jim Bowie throughout | | | | Some also included a unique notch on the bottom |
| his lifetime resembled other common knives of | | | | of the blade, near the hilt. This "Spanish Notch" is |
| that time period. The first knife, designed by Jim | | | | said to have been used to catch the opponent's |
| Bowie's brother and made by blacksmith James | | | | blade, although its actual use is somewhat unclear. |
| Black, looked like a cross between a Spanish | | | | It may have been used as a tool or as a guide |
| hunting knife and a regular butcher knife, with a | | | | for the blade sharpening process. |
| blade nearly 10 inches long, a quarter of an inch | | | | The clip point found on most Bowie knives had a |
| thick, and about an inch and a half wide. Unlike | | | | unique back edge, sometimes called a "false |
| modern Bowie knives, this knife did not have a | | | | edge," which could also be sharpened. These |
| clip point; it also did not have a hand guard, unlike | | | | knives were made by many companies in |
| modern versions. The first Bowie knife and all | | | | Sheffield, England, since the 1850s, and are |
| subsequent knives made by James Black are | | | | sometimes called "Sheffield Bowie" knives. The |
| known for very hard steel; he died without giving | | | | Bowie knife also has a curved tip. Since the 1960s |
| up the secret, and to the present day, the | | | | many Bowie knives have been made with |
| process has not been duplicated. | | | | serrated teeth on the blade's backside; during the |
| This first version of the Bowie knife became quite | | | | Vietnam War the U.S. Army issued these knives, |
| famous after a fight following a duel in 1827. Once | | | | because the teeth could cut through the acrylic of |
| the duel was over, a fight broke out among the | | | | a downed plane or helicopter. |
| spectators, and Bowie killed three men using his | | | | Today, many different companies make Bowie |
| knife even though he had been shot with a rifle. | | | | knives, and term is often used to describe any |
| When Bowie and his knife rose to instant | | | | large sheath knife. They are available in decorative |
| popularity, Bowie and his brother began receiving | | | | and commemorative styles as well as functional |
| many requests for the knife, and ended up | | | | hunting or survival knives. This knife, in its modern |
| commissioning many versions from various knife | | | | incarnation, is useful for camping and hunting as |
| makers. | | | | well as a weapon; it is designed to do both jobs |
| Most Bowie knives have a blade of between 6 | | | | exceptionally well, leading to its present-day |
| and 12 inches long. The steel is usually relatively | | | | popularity. |
| thick and broad, up to 2 inches wide and 1/4" | | | | |