Thursday, June 21, 2018

The Bear Bowie Knife and Historic Examples

"The Bear"
The Bear Bowie was made as a prop for the feature film "Jack London's Son of the Wolf".  The character who wields this 12" blade is a Native American named Makwa (translated as Bear), who in keeping with his name is large in stature.  At the climax of the film, he engages in a knife fight with the main character, Jack McKenzie (aka the. Malamute Kid).  Jack London's short story of the same name describes the Bear's knife as a Russian blade, so I gave the bowie a crescent shaped curve to resemble a Russian shashka saber. Below are the reference photos I used for inspiration to make my knife some historical accuracy.

Auction house photo, described as a "Crow Indian" knife, with a tacked sheath.
https://www.sherwoodsspirit.com/weapons/
The bottom blade has a curved handle and no guard, similar to the Bear Bowie.  

Bowie knife attributed to having belonged to Caiaphas Ham (1820). Ham was friends of the Bowies, and this is the knife on display at the Alamo Museum in Texas, which was allegedly given to Ham by Rezin Bowie (Jim Bowie's brother).


The "Moore Bowie" is one of the knife supposedly belonging to Jim Bowie.  The tale with this one was that it was taken from Bowie's body by a Mexican soldier, and later traded to the Moore family as a form a payment for rent.  Note the slight notch at the bade of the false edge. I used this as the inspiration for the notch on the Bear Bowie, to be used as a blade-catcher. 


Thursday, May 10, 2018

"Equinox" Viking Knife (photo set)

Buy this knife here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/613348749/viking-scramasax-hand-forged-with-an-ash?ref=shop_home_active_2

Forged out of a coil spring on the last day of winter, I have come to call this one the "Equinox". The six-inch drop-point blade was forged from a coil spring into a scramasax style inspired by Norwegian archaeological finds. In an effort to keep the knife as historically accurate as possible, I used mainly hand tools such as files to shape the edge bevels and a draw knife to carve the handle. The sheath is hand-stitched leather, dyed with homemade birch oil and coated with a beeswax-based leather conditioner to give it some water-resistance. 

The sheath is set up for a horizontal carry method, as in the Viking Age large knives like this would have been worn on the front of the belt. The belt loops are held in place with copper fittings in the style of some Swedish examples.

The handle is a beautiful ash wood, stained with linseed oil to bring the most out of the dark grain. It has a good feel in hand, with a slightly oval shape to it. Fairly light and well-balanced, the weight favors the blade to make it nimble in use and it would excel for hunting or camping chores. It would also serve well as a food or utility knife around the homestead. 

This is a a one-of-a-kind knife, and while I may make another one similar, there will never one quite like this one.










Tuesday, April 17, 2018

"Brutus": Knife Forged on the Ides of March (photo set)

Buy this knife: https://www.etsy.com/listing/594332454/vikings-companion-coilspring-knife-hand?ref=shop_home_feat_4











Friday, April 6, 2018

Interesting Flintlocks From the Athens War Museum

Buttstock elaborately carved into a fish, dragon, or serpent. 
Close-up detail of carved beast head on gun stock.


Silver adornment on the grip of the rifle.

Two flintlocks and powder horn.

Large flintlocks that required the use of support (tripod) to fire. Abus gun or wall gun I believe would be what there were called. Similar to a punt gun.
Close-up of the double locks of a blunderbuss.

Double-barreled blunderbuss.

Side-by-side blunderbuss with a carved stock. 

Over-under flintlock, stock carved in the shape of a dragon, and a blunderbuss.

Close-up of a over-under flintlock rifle barrel.

Over-under flintlock rifle. 

Close-up elaborately carved stock with silver inlay. 

Engraved flintlock with silver inlay. 

Sunday, March 25, 2018

Sword and Pistol of Greek Freedom Fighter Theodoros Kolokotronis

In honor of Greek Independence Day, here are some photos of the weapons belonging to Theodoros Kolokotronis.  He was a prominent general in the Greek War of Independence (1821-1829).  Photos taken by Phil Baumhardt of the display in the Athens War Museum (Greece).
Funeral mask, General Kolokotronis

Sword of Kolokotronis






Sketch of Kolokotronis in prayer.

Flint-lock pistol