Description
Briar Rose is a 22-inch Damascus bowie built at sword length. The blade is a clip point with a long swedge, forged from layered steel in a twisted rose pattern and etched deep enough that the rosettes read as dark rings on a matte ground. The handle is stabilized walnut burl between a brass cross guard and a brass butt cap.
| Overall length | 22 inches |
| Blade | Clip point with long swedge |
| Steel | Hand-forged Damascus, twisted rose pattern |
| Finish | Deep acid etched, matte |
| Handle | Stabilized walnut burl |
| Fittings | Brass cross guard, brass pins, brass butt cap |
| Lanyard | Drilled lanyard hole with leather thong |
| Included | Fitted leather scabbard |
What it is for: being owned, mostly — and chopping, if you want it to. At 22 inches this sits between a large bowie and a short sword: the weight and edge to clear a trail, and a pattern most owners would rather not put through it.
How the twisted rose pattern is made
A plain layered billet gives straight banding. To get rosettes, the billet is drawn into a bar, heated and twisted along its length, then forged flat again. The layers inside are spirals rather than sheets, so grinding cuts across them and exposes concentric rings — one cluster per turn of the twist. Etching then darkens the pattern. How Damascus steel is made walks through the forging.
The clip point and the long swedge
The clip is the concave section cut from the spine near the tip. Removing that metal drops the point toward the centerline, which makes a bowie point controllable rather than merely long — the tip sits roughly in line with the force of a thrust instead of above it. The swedge is the bevel ground along the clip. It thins the last few inches so the point enters cleanly, and it sheds weight at the far end without touching the belly.
Brass, burl and the scabbard
Brass is soft and it patinas: guard, pins and butt cap dull to a warm gold within a year. The walnut burl is stabilized — resin drawn into the wood under pressure — so a porous, figured material stops behaving like wood and will not shrink away from the fittings. Bronze Legion is 22 inches from a different tradition entirely.
Care: Keep oil on the blade; 22 inches of layered carbon steel gives rust room to work. Wipe fingerprints off after handling — the acids cut a matte finish faster than water. Never take an abrasive to the pattern, which is a shallow etch that polishing removes for good. The Damascus care guide has the routine.
FAQs
Will the pattern wear off? Not from handling. It fades only if you polish it — the layers run through the steel, so a scratch shows pattern rather than bare metal.
Can I chop with it? Yes, if you accept marking the etch. Forward weight and a 22-inch reach make it capable.
Will the brass tarnish? Yes, and you cannot stop it. Polish it back with a brass cloth, or let it darken.
How does it carry? It ships in a fitted leather scabbard. At 22 inches this is not a belt knife in any practical sense, so most owners use the scabbard to move it and to protect the etch, rather than to wear it.
What is included? The sword, its fitted leather scabbard, and a gift-ready box.
Make it a gift: add laser engraving at checkout. Every order ships from Memphis, TN with a lifetime warranty — backed by 2,000+ verified customer reviews.
Model: BMK-1128
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