rough rider bowie

[Lord Eoin MacKenzie]

  They were making a T R rough rider bowie s used by the rough riders in cuba.  any pictures?

[1961MJS]

Hi, can't wait to see that.  Cowboys in Uniform (right?) didn't show a Bowie knife.  That's the uniform and equipment of the rough rider's book if I got the title right.

Later

[Niederlander]

I don't know that there was any specific knife in use.  I'm sure they carried pretty much what they wanted, but I'm certainly no expert.

[Lord Eoin MacKenzie]

 It was part of forge to fire contest.   they had the smiths copy the rough rider bowie as the first part of contest.  they stated that all rough riders were issued one?  the blade drawing reminded me of a Kabar in size and shape and handle tang.

[Jeremiah Jones]

Add me to the crowd of; there probably was not one pattern knife as general issue.  I would expect every man that had a knife to have brought his own.  I have seen that they "used" Bowie knives, but not that they were issued.  But, I am open to being wrong.

[Delmonico]

I'm still waiting for someone to define a Bowie, by most things I've seen my Sheffield made butcher knife would count if I made a sheath and hung it on my side.

[1961MJS]

I'm still waiting for someone to define a Bowie, by most things I've seen my Sheffield made butcher knife would count if I made a sheath and hung it on my side.

Hi Del

Yes it would.  I have the Bowie knife book by Norm Flayderman and there are ALL sorts of knives in there and a LOT of them look like a kitchen knife.

Later

[Delmonico]

I figured out a long time ago it's a very loose term that likely would have not been if not for the dime novels.

[St. George]

When you look at the Dime Novels and newspapers of the era, every revolver was a Colt and every lever action was a Winchester - those terms covered the gamut, insofar as the articles were concerned.

The term 'bowie knife' fell into the same category - even at a time when most side knives were butcher knives of some type - it read well.

When the Rough Riders were equipped, the Army did issue the Model 1880 Hunting Knife, and those sometimes show up in period photography, but when compared to a readily available butcher knife, their utility was suspect.

Remember too, that that TV show has zero basis in reality.

Scouts Out!

[Robert Swartz]

Hi Del

Yes it would.  I have the Bowie knife book by Norm Flayderman and there are ALL sorts of knives in there and a LOT of them look like a kitchen knife.

Later

Yes, if you dig thru the Flayderman book. You quickly discover that the term "Bowie Knife" covers all sort of blades.

[1961MJS]

Yes, if you dig thru the Flayderman book. You quickly discover that the term "Bowie Knife" covers all sort of blades.

Unfortunately I let my 30 year old daughter look at Norm's book, now I"m out $200 and she has a new Bowie knife from a guy at the Tulsa Gun Show.  His book is SUPPOSED to be a historical reference guide, not a catalog.  Can't do pictures right now, knife is 50 miles away.

Later

[Robert Swartz]

Unfortunately I let my 30 year old daughter look at Norm's book, now I"m out $200 and she has a new Bowie knife from a guy at the Tulsa Gun Show.  His book is SUPPOSED to be a historical reference guide, not a catalog.  Can't do pictures right now, knife is 50 miles away.

Later

Ha, funny how that works, ain't it. Good buddy of mine is well known in the world of handbuilt pocket knives. He's borrowed mine to use as reference to build customer knives. After everytime he swears he'll never build another.

[The Pathfinder]

Hey, 1961MJS, at least your daughter only hit you up for a $200 knife. My 36 year old at the time saw my old Walther PP and I ended up gifting her with her own $450 PPK, "it's just like James Bond's, daddy!"

[smoke]

IIRC the most common used knife among the mountain men, long hunters, colonial era and such were commercially available large household knives.  This is based on archaeological diggings at know sights of forts, battles etc.

[1961MJS]

Hey, 1961MJS, at least your daughter only hit you up for a $200 knife. My 36 year old at the time saw my old Walther PP and I ended up gifting her with her own $450 PPK, "it's just like James Bond's, daddy!"

Thanks, now I have to remember to NOT let her watch Bond movies, or Rambo Movies (the knife and bow), or a few Westerns.

Later