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Maple sap sprout guard Bowie(ish)


Joël Mercier

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I'd call that a fighter rather than a bowie, but that's just a matter of opinion.  And I think it's a cool idea in the north where sapping is a long tradition!  Plus it looks like you could use the bucket hook as a bottle opener if needed. ;)

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46 minutes ago, Alan Longmire said:

I'd call that a fighter rather than a bowie, but that's just a matter of opinion.

Another question from one who doesn't know much (if anything) about Bowies or fighters...

In your opinion, what's the difference?

RIP Bear....be free!

 

as always

peace and love

billyO

 

 

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In general, and in my opinion (and there are many!) a Bowie has a mostly parallel blade for the first two-thirds of the blade (usually!) and has a symmetrical (usually!) handle.  Nobody knows what the knife Jim Bowie had at the Sandbar Fight in 1828 looked like, it was described at the time as "a large butcher knife."  I base my opinion on the so-called golden age Bowies of 1829-1860.  These have a lot of variation, and some did have slightly sculpted handles, but more in a sabre-esque way.  A few of the earliest did have more of a curve to the edge, some even had a blade that widened out to the clip or spearpoint.  

 

But I'm a classics kind of guy.  You can find the exact opposite opinion from people just as qualified as me (which is not much more than most unless you're talking historical stuff).  To some people any large-ish single edged knife with a guard is a bowie.  To me, a "fighter" has a pointier profile than a bowie, and always has a sculpted grip.  But that's me.

 

In other words, it's not in any way important! :lol:  This is a great design Joel has come up with, and that's all it needs.

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22 hours ago, Zeb Camper said:

It would be cool if you had a hidden compartment for syrup... 

I'm going to have to make a sheath and it is definitely feasible.  

 

Edit: I could fit something like this in the sheath.

Screenshot_20200216-181054~2.png

Edited by Joël Mercier
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Awesome! It would be cool if it was in the handle though...........

 

Say you walk into a waffle house around 2am. The salty ol' waitress that didn't want to serve you throws your food down and says in a raspy new england accent "sorry sweetheart, we're out of syrup". So you narrow your eyes, spit a stream of tobacco juice on the floor, and rip a 7.5" knife from your hip without breaking eye contact, then remove a cap from the hilt dispensing maple syrup on your dried stack of bland food. Then you give it a lil twirl from the bucket hook and re-holster that bad boy in wild west fashion. Then, the Rob Halford doppelgangers tap your shoulder and....

 

Obviously just kidding btw :D

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34 minutes ago, Zeb Camper said:

Say you walk into a waffle house...

That's great, Zeb. 

 

If you're old enough, and I were anywhere near Buchanan, I'd like to buy you a pint or two.  Especially if that'd loosen your tongue for more of the above.

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RIP Bear....be free!

 

as always

peace and love

billyO

 

 

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Cool design, Joël, I like the forward curving bucket hook guard. That's a really neat touch. 

 

And also a syrup flask may be one of the best ideas I've heard in a long time! 

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  • 1 month later...
  • 4 weeks later...

Okay, I don't know if I was supposed to take more step by step pictures of my work, but here's where I am at now. The blade has been HTed with clay and final ground. I am currently cleaning up all the mess I did on the grinder(I need more practice at plunges and false edges for sure). I think it's going to have a nice hamon as it shown itself a bit with trizac belts. 

IMG_20200416_095120.jpg

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2 hours ago, Joël Mercier said:

Okay, I don't know if I was supposed to take more step by step pictures of my work,

Yep, sorry.  You have to go back and start over so you can document it correctly.  Send me that blade and I'll dispose of it properly :)

 Looking good!

 

Mr. States has a video or two that demonstrates  a nice way to control the grind on a false edge.

-Brian

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2 hours ago, Joël Mercier said:

hamon is showing up

Yeah, for sure!!! 

looking forward to seeing the whole package.

RIP Bear....be free!

 

as always

peace and love

billyO

 

 

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6 hours ago, billyO said:

Yeah, for sure!!! 

looking forward to seeing the whole package.

It's definitely there! The lighting in my shop is so strong that every little scratch is reflected x10. While it's perfect for getting a good finish on the blades, I can't properly shoot a hamon even on video :lol:

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21 minutes ago, Zeb Camper said:

Looking good man! Hope that wrought works out. That one flat piece was left out of the stack from a past project, I labeled it wrought, so I hope it really is! 

I was going to use one of the chain links you sent me. 

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Wow!  That looks great, Joel!

Are you even going to have to etch????

RIP Bear....be free!

 

as always

peace and love

billyO

 

 

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7 hours ago, billyO said:

Wow!  That looks great, Joel!

Are you even going to have to etch????

Thanks Billy

I usually do a short etch to help make the hamon visible at a wider viewing angle, because we can currently only see it from a certain angle and lighting. 

Edited by Joël Mercier
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