Bowie knife article

[Grizz]

Article printed in 1846 in Vol2 No1 of Scientific American

This section is from "Scientific American Vol II. No. 1", by Munn & Co. Also available from Amazon: Scientific American Science Desk Reference.
The Bowie Knife And Its Inventor

This instrument was devised by Col. James Bowie, an American, and a man of desperate valor. He considered, and apparently with justice, too, that, in close fighting, a much shorter weapon than the sword ordinarily in use, but still heavy enough to give it sufficient force, and, at the same time, contrive to cut and thrust, would be far preferable, and more advantageous to the wearer. He accordingly invented the short sword, or knife, which has since gone under his name. It is made of various sizes; but the best, I may say, is about the length of a carving knife--case perfectly straight in the first instance, but greatly rounded at the end on the edge side; the upper edge at the end, for the length of about two inches, is ground into the small segment of a circle and rendered sharp; thus leaving an apparent curve of the knife, although in reality the upturned point is not higher than the line of the back. The back itself gradually increases in weight of metal as it approaches the hilt, on which a small guard is placed. The Bowie knife, therefore, has a curved, keen point; is double edged for the space of about a couple of inches of its length; and when in use, falls with the weight of a bill hook.--Bowie went to Texas during the troubles which preceded the independence of that country,--and was lying sick in bed at the fortress of the Alamo, when, on the 6th of March, 1836, it was stormed by Santa Anna and taken. Bowie was murdered there upon his pillow.

The hand that formed the dreadful knife could no longer wield it.

http://chestofbooks.com/crafts/scientif ... entor.html

[Blaine]

Fact or fiction: "There were dead Mexicans stacked like cordwood all around him...."
I always remember hearing that said.... It would have been fun to show up that day with a MK-19 (or, even an M-79) and a few hundred 40mm shells

[Grizz]

or an HK with a couple pallets of ball

[Old Savage]

Interesting info.

[Homer]

"a man of desperate valor"

There exists only a handful of more coveted descriptions. Thanks Grizz for the good read, about someone whose captured my imagination more than I'd like to admit.

BTW, Jason Patrick plays him well in the latest (and best) rendition of the movie "The Alamo."

[Grizz]

Good to see ya Homer

I have a really hard time watching those films, it seems I'm always shouting "where's the air cover?"

OTOH I just watched a pretty good explanation and visualization of Taffy III holding off the entire Japanese capitol fleet, denying them Leyte Gulf. Not that there's any connection. But the air cover there went into the battle UNARMED and made pass after pass at the ships, forcing them to engage, buying more time for the tin cans and the supermen who were on them.

The survivors are still astonished that the lived to tell about it....

Grizz

[Mescalero]

When I was young, I know that in Texas and Louisiana? it was against the law to kill someone with a Bowie knife.
It was not against the law to defend youself, both states felt that the Bowie knife user had unfair advantage.
I do not know if these laws are still on the books.

[octagon]

Mescalero, any knife over 5.5 inches is illegal here, unless you are hunting. I like to quarter a deer with my puma Bowie, but I don't take it into the store. If you defended yourself with one in a parking lot, you'd be charged with possession of an illegal weapon.

[Mescalero]

octagon,
So I was not wrong,
I think it is a not too bright law, but then lawmakers are not the sharpest tools in the shed.

[Homer]

Mescalero, any knife over 5.5 inches is illegal here, unless you are hunting. I like to quarter a deer with my puma Bowie, but I don't take it into the store. If you defended yourself with one in a parking lot, you'd be charged with possession of an illegal weapon.

Really? And all this time I'd thought Texas was on our side. I don't think Arizona has such dumb restrictions - heck most people around here carry automatic knives - legally. And big knives are often seen bootside just below a long barreled single-action.

[klhill]

I have heard from several normally reliable sources that the knife laws here in Texas were changed last year. Autos are now legal to carry everywhere except the city of Austin which still has knife restrictions.Not sure about any length restrictions.I should check into that.

[Mescalero]

Where in west texas?

[octagon]

I have not heard of any changes. The law has always been no autos, double edged, or over 5.5 inches unless hunting. San Antone also has a no lock blade law. Don't know about Austin, as I don't go there - too many hippies. A friend is a cop, I'll ask him about new knife laws. I would love to carry over 5.5 and double edged.

[octagon]

Looks like the auto ban was reversed in September, very exciting. The ban on double edged, over 5.5, and lock blades in San Antone still exists. I will have to search for a new auto immediately. With any luck, the rest of the idiot knife laws will be repealed as well.