The Bowie is the knife America argued about for two hundred years. Jim Bowie made it famous at a Mississippi sandbar in 1827 and every maker since has had an opinion about the clip point, the guard and how big is too big. Ours keep the parts that work: a deep belly for skinning, a clipped false edge that gives the tip its bite, and a guard that stops the hand sliding forward.Size. Nine to eleven inches overall is a working Bowie you can carry and use. Twelve to sixteen inches is a camp and display piece, better at chopping than at anything delicate. Choose on what you will actually do with it, not on the photograph.Steel. Hand-forged 1095 and 15n20 Damascus at 58 to 60 HRC, full tang, with a fitted leather sheath. The pattern runs through the steel because the billet is folded, not because anything was printed on the surface.
-
-
Set of 6 Dragon Knife 12″ Long 7“ Blade 13oz Damascus Steel Fixed | Groomsmen Gift Set | BMK-105-S6
Original price was: $894.00.$759.90Current price is: $759.90. -
Set of 6 Black Mamba Wildwood Warden Handmade Damascus Steel with | Groomsmen Gift Set | BMK-666-S6
Original price was: $714.00.$606.90Current price is: $606.90. -
Set of 6 Handmade 32″ Japanese Damascus Katana Samurai Ninja Sword | Groomsmen Gift Set | BMK-561-S6
Original price was: $3,396.00.$2,886.60Current price is: $2,886.60. -
Set of 6 Briar Rose Handmade Damascus Bowie Sword | Groomsmen Gift Set | BMK-1128-S6
Original price was: $2,538.00.$2,157.30Current price is: $2,157.30. -
Set of 6 Yakushima Knife 12 Inch Long Damascus Fixed Blade Hunting | Groomsmen Gift Set | BMK-808-S6
Original price was: $828.00.$703.80Current price is: $703.80. -
Set of 6 Handmade 32″ Damascus Katana Japanese Sword Damascus | Groomsmen Gift Set | BMK-560-S6
Original price was: $3,396.00.$2,886.60Current price is: $2,886.60.
Handles. Stag, buffalo horn, camel bone, rose wood and brass-fitted combinations. Natural materials mean no two are identical.Is a Bowie legal to carry? Please check your local law before ordering.Bowie or hunting knife? A Bowie will do hunting work but is heavier than it needs to be. If dressing game is the main job, a four inch drop point is the better tool.Can I have one engraved? Yes, 20 characters, flat 29 dollar fee.
More reading. Read our guides on telling real Damascus from a printed pattern, what 352 layers means and caring for a Damascus blade.
More reading. Read our guides on telling real Damascus from a printed pattern, what 352 layers means and caring for a Damascus blade.
The Clip Point, Explained
The clip point is what makes a bowie a bowie: the spine runs straight, then “clips” down to a fine, controllable tip. You get a strong blade with a point that still does detail work, which is why the pattern has survived everything from sandbar duels to deer camp. Every Damascus bowie knife here is hand-forged from 1095 and 15N20 high-carbon steel, folded to 352 layers, and hardened to 58 to 60 HRC.
Bowie Knife Size Guide
| Blade Length | Best For | Carry |
|---|---|---|
| 5 to 6 inches | Camp chores, skinning, everyday field work | Belt sheath, light |
| 7 to 8 inches | The classic bowie, balance of reach and control | Belt sheath |
| 9 to 10+ inches | Heavy cutting, display, presentation pieces | Sheath or display |
Forged in Memphis, USA
These are not imported blanks with a logo, each handmade bowie knife is forged, ground, etched, and fitted in our Memphis, Tennessee workshop with stag antler, camel bone, micarta, and hardwood handles, then shipped with a hand-stitched leather sheath. Pair yours with a cowboy or bull cutter knife, a Damascus skinner, or browse our Damascus daggers.
Choosing a Custom Bowie Knife
A custom bowie knife makes the kind of gift that outlives the giver, add laser engraving at checkout, or talk to us about a one-off build. Collectors gravitate to the 9-inch-plus presentation pieces; hunters usually live happily in the 6 to 8 inch range with our damascus steel bowie knife patterns.
FAQs
What makes a knife a bowie knife? A fixed blade with a clip point, a spine that drops to a fine tip, usually with a crossguard and a blade of 5 inches or more. It is America’s most argued-about knife pattern, and ours keep the parts that actually work.
What size bowie knife is best? For real use, 6 to 8 inches balances reach and control. Go 9 inches or more for heavy cutting or a presentation piece, see the size guide above.
Are your bowie knives real Damascus steel? Yes, hand-forged 1095 and 15N20 high-carbon steel folded to 352 layers, hardened to 58 to 60 HRC, with the pattern running all the way through the blade, not etched on the surface.
Do bowie knives come with a sheath? Yes, every bowie ships with a hand-stitched leather belt sheath.
Can I get a personalized bowie knife? Yes, laser engraving is available before checkout, and custom one-off builds are welcome.
Most recently forged here: Pathfinder Feather Damascus Steel Blade Bowie Knife, Black Mamba Wildwood Warden Bowie Knife, Explorer’s Legacy Blade Stainless Steel Hand Engraved Bowie Knife and Hunter’s Legacy Damascus Hunting Knife with Leather Bowie Knife.
The guard, the false edge and the spine
Three parts of a bowie do the work that the profile gets credit for. The crossguard stops your hand running onto the edge when the tip catches, which matters most on the longer blades. The false edge is the clipped section on the top of the blade near the tip; on ours it is ground but left unsharpened, so it thins the point for piercing without giving you a second edge to cut yourself on. The spine behind it stays thick, which is what lets a bowie take a baton without folding. If you are choosing between two of these, look at how far the clip runs back and how thick the spine stays behind it.
Bowie against the other big blades
A bowie is the generalist. A tomahawk chops harder and does nothing else well. A tracker knife trades tip work for a chopping section and a saw back, which suits bushcraft more than butchering. A skinner beats a bowie on hide and loses to it everywhere else. If you want one fixed blade in the truck that will split kindling, break down a carcass and still carve a tent peg, the bowie is the pattern that does all three at a decent standard. See the rest of the range in fixed blade knives.
Buying for a wedding party? The groomsmen knife sets come as six matched knives, 15% less than buying them singly, and each one can carry its own engraved name.
