Fallkniven 10" Modern Bowie Knife Premium Package Discussions | Drop

Sep 28, 2020

Gustavus Ferdinand von Tempsky, from the grave, sez, "Puny"

Sep 28, 2020

Sep 29, 2020

Axeguyto be fair the von Tempsky Bowie looks like something out of Final Fantasy

Sep 29, 2020

Sep 30, 2020

reswrightTo be even more fair, the Major's actual reputation in the 1800s American West, Mexico, Central America, and New Zealand and his historical bowies made in NZ for his company of Rangers, speaks louder than Svord's homage pieces (or Fallkniven's sterile and gentrified attempts at the genre)... [I do see your point but I was aiming at the historical figure himself. Thank you for pointing to my need to be more clear and less 'clever'. The history and evolution of these beastly knives is endlessly fascinating. Cheers!]

(Edited)

Sep 30, 2020

Sep 30, 2020

AxeguyActually I was just kinda ribbing on the fact that the Von Tempsky Bowie from Svord has a crossguard that's kinda two feet wide, not so much on the historical Von Tempsky who was indeed a ballsy badass. I like that people bring up folks like Von Tempsky here more than, say, Rambo, when talkin' steel. :) Cheers!

Sep 30, 2020

Vote

Sep 30, 2020

reswrightThanks for that! I am in perfect agreement with you on the Rambo issue: there are so many badass historical figures to back up anyone's big-blade fetish that Rambo references just reveal the sort of 'knowledge malaise' that makes me feel like sentencing the entire continent to a month of some kind of 'library confinement'. Still, we all communicate in different ways and these forums are always compelling, regardless of our own preferences. [And, yeah, having a crossguard long enough to unhorse (or even pick the nose of) a cavalryman two ranks back is...gross—like having a big-ass tumour hanging off your forehead and expecting your sunglasses to fit. I'm inviting Svord VTB fans to join Crossguards Anonymous: meet some friendly folks 'takin' charge' of their lives...and enjoy a free coffee!] Cheers back at ya and have a great week!

Sep 30, 2020

Sep 30, 2020

AxeguyRight on. I like historical knives that were designed for purposes other than to sell to someone else -- little work knives, big fighting knives, weird kitchen knives. The one I really wish I'd picked up the last time I saw it in stock is the Smatchet. It was pricey but damn what a knife, like a leaf shaped gladius. Sooner or later I'm going to get one of those. Also a fan of the Fairbairn Sykes. I wouldn't turn my nose up at an Applegate Fairbairn but there's just something about the lines on the Fairbairn Sykes that has stuck with me (pardon the pun) ever since I was a kid reading about commando ops in WWII. I just realized that out of all the knives I own, while I have several large knives (the largest being a 14" kukri), none of them is a proper full-on Bowie. The closest is a Kabar. I should do something about that too. Decisions decisions

Sep 30, 2020

Oct 1, 2020

reswrightWell, all the luck in the world to you in your noble quest, Sir. The smatchett has its detractors but I think that was a for-real Rex Applegate design and an attempt as valid as anyone elses' to find the Holy Grail of do-it-all tools…and if that were an easy one, we'd all be buying the same knife. Of course, the Sykes-Fairbairn is a classic because it was in official use and some pretty practical close-quarters combat styles were based around it. All the knives you mention still make the rounds because there is a ready demand for them in all past, present, and (likely) future forms. Another knife that seems to make the rounds is Bob Taylor's Warrior and Pygmy Warrior and their variations from Al Mar or REKAT (Round Eyes Knife and Tool—a long story), and even a couple of Spyderco iterations. You'll see them kicking around at ever-increasing prices—effective knife and a hit with the Kali folks. I thought I might collect them and did until they crossed the $1K mark for the older ones... Heck, Spyderco even published a book on those knives. Just like you, I don't think I even have a solid Bowie in my collection but my excuse is that there are so many knives influenced by or influencing bowies that I'd go broke trying to make a coherent survey of the category in collection-form... I like what Lon Humphrey and Mike Stewart (Bark River, older Blackjack) do with the genre. One day I'll own a bowie. Honestly, I'm drawn to the wierd and one-off stuff and the history and my personal preferences steer me clear of clip-point anything! (Give me Drop-Point or Wierd and a good story!) For martial use: small daggers, persian-style or Japanese-influenced small blades, Pygmy Warrior, kukri, tomahawk, or, basically, a weighted stick (and my stick, kukri, and axe styles are so close to straight jabs that it's hard to intercept them or even see'em coming.) Axeguy is not a nickname I chose. If you 'punch' with your kukri, you are my Brother! Here's my fave pygmy warrior, a Japanese-style Williams blade, and fave kukri—a reground old INFI Busse:

Please ignore the others below and the rug-like cat protecting my stash. For size reference, the reground kukri blade is perhaps 12.25" so smaller than your 14" blade, the Williams is an HZT 003 series, and the pygmy is a REKAT SOF 20th Convention (1975-1995) #12/25 (and the cat is like 20lbs...) :) Best wishes with smatchett-quest 2020, man! They're out there!

Oct 1, 2020

Oct 1, 2020

Axeguyif that were an easy one, we'd all be buying the same knife It takes folks a while to figure that one out sometimes. Time and luck I suppose -- you have to come across something that's both well built and fit, and well fit to your build, if you'll permit the phrase, before you get why it's such a good thing to have. Otherwise you'll just think it's all the same and figure that people talking about that just right knife are blowing smoke. Very interested in Busse. Was just looking at his site again yesterday, in fact. The first I heard about them, honestly, I figured at least some of what was being said about them was hype... some people get pretty lyrical about their Busse knives, you know? But sometimes people doing that are half trying to convince themselves that they didn't just overspend for their knife. And I get a little skeptical when steels that are proprietary to the maker but based on inexpensive formulae are on the table at high prices. So to be honest for a long time I didn't really think about checking them out. But the more I researched and read over time the more I thought to myself 'ok, this doesn't really sound like bullshit anymore'. And people who don't seem to pay attention to hype but do shell out money for custom work have a habit of owning Busse knives. (Calling them Busses just sounds wrong). Putting it together, I might have to set aside some petty knife purchases for a while and see what they're about. Re: the Smatchet: I'm a patient man. And one that will probably still be satisfied without ever owning one, and if I do one day get one and it turns out to kinda be the worst parts of hatchet and knife combined instead of the best, that's how this stuff goes. Not hard to see how it might be the case, seeing as how as the knife industry copies everything that's even remotely successful, and yet, mostly leaves the Smatchet well alone. But it's that 'just right' factor that has me itching to try one anyway.

(Edited)

Oct 1, 2020

Oct 5, 2020

reswrightIt's not a knife I know. I know another Applegate design where you can change the weight and balance through handle inserts, so I hope that's a feature. Regardless, you've got a great attitude for this sort of exploration. Sometimes, it's easy to be blinded by one factor or another but best choices are made in full awareness of all relevant factors of both the knife and the user (and user needs): open minds equal better decisions. Re Busse: I've had to rely on one. Apparently, the INFI from a decade or so back had nitrogen and a smidge more vanadium but, otherwise, a pretty sparse alloy. His proprietary heat treat is likely the key and the field testing (which highlights good edge geometry and design). This is an important reminder that some makers are just wizards with any alloy. I'm thinking of guys like Bos or the fellow from Entrek working magic with 440C. Open minds pay dividends...ALWAYS. Best of luck in the journey and enjoy it!

Oct 5, 2020

Oct 5, 2020

reswrightA PS... Is there a chance we are anywhere close geographically? If so, and you're willing, I could at least give you a pretty decent Busse experience... Much respect,

Oct 5, 2020

Oct 5, 2020

AxeguyThat'd be cool, but you'd need some fairly large tolerance as to what 'close geographically' means. I'm about fifteen minutes outside the DC Beltway.

Oct 5, 2020

Oct 5, 2020

reswrightSorry, man. It was worth a shot. I'm dangling out a 'little' northeast of you in Canada's 'atlantic bubble' of 4 relatively COVID-free provinces, specifically in Halifax, Nova Scotia—NS is basically a million souls with one road in. Navy town of around 417,000. It's enough of a godforsaken rock that COVID fears to tread, lol! I've lived all over, including MI, IN and FL and hazily remember DC for a Grateful Dead concert at RFK stadium in like '92 or '93. Good times! Even was attached to the USAF for a bit in '95. You've got a front seat to the most consequential election in our lifetimes...anywhere! You all are in my thoughts: it'll work out because there are too many great minds for it to not. Stay healthy, my friend and if you're ever up this way on vacation... Let's connect. Cheers!

(Edited)

Oct 5, 2020

Vote