California Bowie Knife (KH2186)

When the forty-niners went overland to the Gold Rush of California, most took along a Bowie knife to use on the trail and for so called social purposes (if the need should arise). Some had a fancy side etch like our Californian Bowie Knife. The original of this knife was made by the I. Lingard Company in Sheffield (not California!) and used in the marketability of California in the post-Civil War period. (Such knives are difficult to find today.)

The Bowie Period in American History was a turbulent one. It was born on a sandbar on the Mississippi River near Natchez, Mississippi in 1827, when a political duel became a free-for-all. James (Jim) Bowie, who was an observer at the duel, was shot and stabbed through with a sword cane. Even though his wounds were so grave that his life hung by a thread for weeks afterwards, during the fighting he managed to dispatch his major opponents using his large, custom made knife. The infamous Sandbar Fight, as it was later called, took the imagination of the country by storm. Newspapers far and wide copied the stories from the Natchez papers and soon every man wanted a knife like Jim Bowie - a Bowie knife.

American cutlers and cutlers in Sheffield, England began to make Bowie knives to fill the market demand. The Bowie Knife Period only lasted about forty years - from the Sandbar Fight to the end of the Civil War. As pistols became more reliable and plentiful the size of the Bowie knife shrank. By the 1870s and 1880s, the Bowie knife was used primarily as a hunting knife and less as a defense arm.

The Historical Bowie Knife Series from Hanwei covers Bowie knives made in different American States as well as Bowie knives made in Sheffield for the American market. Each piece in the series is crafted with a forged high-carbon steel blade, nickel silver fittings and natural grip materials, as were the originals. Each sheath is crafted in top-grain leather and a belt frog, where applicable, is included. Every effort has been made to replicate accurately the details of the original pieces, so as to provide an heirloom-quality Bowie to the collector.

Features
Overall Length: 13 inches
High Carbon Steel Blade: (sharp)
Handle Length: 4-1/4 inches
Weight: 8-oz
Historically Accurate

Functional Medieval Swords / Battle-Ready Swords

Made of high-carbon steel and quality craftsmanship, these Medieval Swords are of SCA-LARP quality.

Hanwei-Paul Chen Bowie Knives
If you are not familiar with Hanwei knives made by Paul Chen, here is a summary. These are likely the best brand of professional swords and knives made today. Fully functional and battle-ready, this line of Bowie knives is highly sought after by professionals and collectors.

Note: Real Armor of God.com is an authorized partner level dealer for all Hanwei (Paul Chen) rapier swords, katanas, medieval swords and all other Hanwei-Paul Chen products. Contact us with your special Hanwei-Paul Chen needs to get special, personalized pricing. The images used herein are copyrighted and trademarked by CAS Iberia, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Occasionally, lead times can be impacted by availability. Specs will vary slightly from piece to piece.

Sword Cleaning Instructions Regular use of sword cleaning kits to maintain high carbon steel swords helps prevent deterioration.