WINCHESTER BOWIE KNIFE

[jamaldog87]

I just got a WINCHESTER BOWIE KNIFE at walmart for 20$ and i would like to know what can i use this knife for and can it be used like combat knife.  I have used many cheap knifes before for hunting and fishing so i have a good idea how much of a beating these cheap knifes can take.

[Joel]

I looked at a review on it on utube, and it's about what you'd expect...cheap steel that doesn't really take a great edge.  However he did take with him on a hike and used it to cut some small dead trees for firewood, and he did some batoning with no problems.  A blade that size it shouldn't have any problems.  On the negative side, it was poorly put together.  The guard rattled and is apparently of cast, rather than milled, brass since while chopping parts of the guard broke off.  Pretty common with cheap cast metals; they often have big "bubbles" in them.
The main virtue apparently was the price.  He must have said "for $20.00" twenty times.  I'm not a big knife person(except machetes), so what you can use it for, outside of chopping small wood, is beyond me.

[jamaldog87]

thank you    I am kind of a collector of  weapons i guess and i got the BOWIE more for a toy then use.  If i want cut some wood my ugly heavy machete will be used not my pretty bowie

[jamaldog87]

I did not know what Batoning was and then i saw someone on youtube  Batoning with a folding knife. Now i see why people say this knife breaks easily  because i would never do that to ANY knife.  If i needed to cut logs my machete  or small axe(they were design  for that) and would never use my field knife because it can do the fine work(like skinning game) that a blunt tool can't do.

[Curtis]

Batoning with a folding knife.

The last time I mistreated my Buck 110 folder, it closed on the middle knuckle of my right hand.  OUCH!

Curtis

[Joel]

Batoning is something I've done on occasion, but only on length wise splitting of small chunks of dead wood to make them more suitable for fire starting.  The knife I carry had that practice in mind and  was built to handle that.  There's times when I don't have a small axe or machete with me because the hike I'm on doesn't require carrying the weight of one.  I do have both, the machete being a shortened version of a regular one, and they get carried when I know they'll probably be useful.  Some of the crap they show on Utube using a small knife( I've seen it done with a SAK) is just a stunt.  A knife is a multi function tool when you're actually out there, and is capable of doing more than just skinning soft meat.  But keep it sane.

[gcrank1]

The 'romance' of the big knife has caught me more than once, but they have all gone away. Now I find a 6" too long for most use and a 1/4" backbone is wayyyy too much metal to carry around without a horse. They sure do attract attention though.......
Remember those horrible Rambo, store stuff in the butt, cheapies that broke the blade at the handle; Wonder how many people got hurt?
If they sold it for $20 and made money, how much do you think it cost to make so the manufacturer made money (dont depend on it too much).

[mechanic]

One old car leaf spring.  A couple hours at the forge.....upset and shape handle in one end.  Forge a thick blade and draw out an edge.  A little work with a side grinder and you have a blade that will handle any camp chore, will not break unless a train runs over it, can be sharpened with a small file...lasts a lifetime.
 
If Jim Bowie had one he would have thrown that pig sticker away......
 
Ben