Here is my first bowie. The blade is from ATS34 10 3/4" long & 2" wide. The guard i made from a billet of twist damascus that Custom Knifemaker Tim Potier forged for me. I still have to sand the guard down to 400 grit. Then I'll acid dip it to bring the twist out. The scales are ebony to keep things "classic" The HT oven that i will be useing isn't deep enough so i am forced to make the hilt in two sections. I still have to shorten the hilt & mill a male dovetail. Then after the HT I'll silver solder the two halves together.

Very nice work

I'd rather make it one piece even if it had to be sent out for HT. If you solder after HT you have to the low temperature silver solder [ 95Sn-5Ag] and use flux made specifically for stainless steel. The solder melts at about 400 F.
ATS-34 is a nice choice for blades .
BTW the original bowie knife was never a fighting knife as most assume . It was only a heavy duty hunting and camping knife.There is documentation for this.

Man that is nice!!! I particularly like the hilt.

quote:

BTW the original bowie knife was never a fighting knife as most assume . It was only a heavy duty hunting and camping knife.There is documentation for this.

Yep the original was nothing more than a big butcher knife with a thicker blade.

(I'd rather make it one piece even if it had to be sent out for HT.)

I know. Hindsight is always 20/20. I make a lot of extra work for myself.


I am also considering tig welding the prommel in place. also the dovetail will be a tight mechanical joint.