Jonathan Davis: amazing battle!

[Jake MacReedy]

Dave, when I read about Jonathan Davis, I was amazed at what he accomplished while greatly outnumbered!  Reading, I thought about his "close-in work" with his Bowie, and I looked at my own Sheffield blade.  I'd like to think it was close to the one he was carrying that fateful day.  I had the blade made in Sheffield by J. Adams & Co. to my specs.  I made the guard and bolsters from mild steel, cutting & filing the dumbbell guard, and filing in the sunbursts on the lower bolsters.  The handle is elk stag.  I sewed the sheath up...nothing fancy, but it works!
Regards,
Ron

[Niederlander]

VERY nice!

[Tsalagidave]

That's a beautiful knife Jake. I can't say enough about how much I love the quality of a Sheffield blade. It looks good and will serve you well as an outdoor tool or a weapon of warfare.

As far as his fighting goes, I have this perspective from my own personal experiences. I got into fencing and practiced kali (Filipino knife fighting) around high school/college and found the average Bowie blade between 6-11" to be ideal for the muscle memory I developed. I really liked the hand-trapping methods that came out of the Filipino culture. When I later studied the Andalusian Mojosa and Spanish Baratero,  I noticed that all the basic movements and muscle memory were on the same principle which makes sense due to the strong influence of Spanish culture. Despite some similarities between fencing and knife-fighting, there are a ton of differences. Over the years, when I had a chance to meet with some European knife fighters, I found the movements of Anglo, German, and French styles to be comparable in their effectiveness and lethality.

Regardless of style, it really comes down to  economy of movement, muscle memory, conditioned reflexes and physical condition. Keep all these well-honed and you will be formidable in most situations. I definitely learned that I could never be the toughest guy in the world and that there was always someone who'd be a lot better but it built confidence and I learned a lot. In the case of Davis, I think he was incredibly well conditioned and skilled from extensive practice. I also think that some people are more gifted in reflex speed & hand-eye-coordination than others. In the case of Davis, he was a tiger and the coyotes who chose him for a mark paid dearly for it.

-Dave

[Jake MacReedy]

Had some personal experience with that as well, Dave.  Was taught some knife fighting techniques along the way in my past professional life.  I also fenced foil, epee and saber for a while.  I agree totally with your assessment and experience!  Knife fighting and fencing, while having some similarities, are different.  I do like a print I once saw...it's an old viking, in armor, with this sword.  He is saying, "Fight me if you wish, but remember, there's a reason I'm old!"
Regards,
Ron

[Niederlander]

I'm absolutely NOT any sort of knife fighting expert, nor do I play one on TV.  I didn't even stay in a Holiday Inn Express.  The one thing I remember from knife training in the Marine Corps and the State Patrol was if you are in a knife fight, expect to get cut and or stabbed.  With my "skill" level, I'd say that would be accurate.

[Jake MacReedy]

Rule #1: Everyone gets cut in a knife fight.
Rule #2: He who gets cut least, wins (not necessarily survives!)

Dark humor from another time, another place.

[Jake MacReedy]

Dave, if I may ask, who made the Bowie you show in that article, that belongs to you?  I've seen it in other of your threads as well.
Thanks!
Ron

[Tsalagidave]

I especially like the old Viking comment and the part about getting cut in a knife fight reminds me of those guys with perfect straight noses saying that 'they've never lost a fight'. Never seen a fight where both sides didn't take their licks (one-punch knock outs excluded). Had the sparring blades i learned with been real, I would not have hands to type with.

The knife I used in that article was made by Hanwei. Normally, I don't like 'made in China' quality but this company makes excellent kitchen cutlery and the steel they use is really first rate. They tried their hand at historical reproductions but they really sucked with their marketing so the project failed. Nowadays, their 'Horse-Alligator Bowie'  like the one I have is a real rare find. The few times I come across them lately, they are selling well north of $300. If you can find one, buy it. It is real good meat cutting steel. It's too pretty to soil up on skinning and parceling though. That is my only complaint about it.

-Dave

[Mogorilla]

I have seen that print of the older warrior.   It always reminds me of Wanderer, an old Anglo Saxon poem.   Tolkien used lots of pieces of it in Lord of the Rings, a line stands out that I understand the older I get.  "A man cannot become wise before he has a portion of winters in the kingdom of the world." 

[Tsalagidave]

I have seen that print of the older warrior.   It always reminds me of Wanderer, an old Anglo Saxon poem.   Tolkien used lots of pieces of it in Lord of the Rings, a line stands out that I understand the older I get.  "A man cannot become wise before he has a portion of winters in the kingdom of the world."

Was just going over my copies of the Screwtape Letters and Mere Christianity. Lewis is one of my favorites.

I was planning on an intro section on knife fighting in my Guidebook on Lawmen and Desperadoes. I was basing it on the few known texts that actually covered the topic of properly using a knife in the American West.

-Dave

[Jake MacReedy]

I love C.S. Lewis!  I thought that might be a Hanwei Bowie...they were truly fine knives.  Dave, have you seen a copy of Norm Flaydeman's BOWIE book?  I have a copy myself, and it is well worth the cost to get one!  Tons of info on Bowies from our period.  I'm in the process of making a couple more from more primitive looking blades, which I will post when they're complete.
Ron

[Tsalagidave]

Thanks Ron, now that you mention it, I'd love to get a copy of Flaydeman's book. I haven't put together a knife in years and they were never Bowies; just little patch knives and other working knives.  I look forward to seeing what you come up with.

-Dave

[Jake MacReedy]

Here are a couple, Dave.
10" blade

7 3/4" blade

[Tsalagidave]

I like these. Thick bladed, meat cutting and can do a bunch of other camp tasks in addition to talking a footpad out of taking your pocketbook.

-Dave