Bloody Bill Bowie Knife
Inspired by the close quarters combat Bowie knives of the Civil War and designed with input for the modern warrior from an Israeli friend in an elite anti-terrorism unit: the Bloody Bill Bowie is the ultimate in large blade combat ready fighting knives.
The Bowie Knife originated not only in a time when firearms were unreliable, but it’s infamy can be traced back to a specific event in American history when the pistols of two duelists both failed, and a gun fight became a knife fight. After being made famous by Jim Bowie in the sandbar fight, Confederate guerrilla fighters in the civil war like Bloody Bill Anderson (one of the most daring and successful military strategists of the conflict) further modified the design to be used heavily in what was a turning point both for modern warfare and our personal freedoms.
Considered one of the greatest close quarters combat weapons of all time, we've long wanted to add a publicly available Bone Tactical version of this blade to our line-up. Desires merge with reality began some time ago while Mr. Bone was in the Middle East. Discussing his plans to build this knife with a friend in an Israeli counter-terrorism unit, our friend expressed his desire for Greg to make him a blade. He explained how that for certain men like himself, extremely large backup knives were not a thing of the past, but rather a job requirement. He wanted a large edged-weapon that could be used to hack, chop, and stab in close quarters the same way Americans did so many years ago in a cloud of black powder smoke. Specifically, this modern warfighter in the GWOT (Global War On Terror) wanted a knife that could chop in one swipe with enough force to the forearm of a terrorist so as to render any remote control said terrorist may have in the hand unable to be triggered.
Greg immediately began making new prototype versions of his personal style of Bowie, now with new features integrated from his own experiences as well as time spent with Israeli friends. The end result was the Bone Tactical Bloody Bill Bowie DoubleTapper Edition that features serrations (shown here), and the Standard Bloody Bill Bowie that has a non-serrated blade. The two key features DoubleTapper wanted integrated into the blade (apart from the size) was the sawback and the serrations. The reasoning behind his request was to specifically aid in deterring an attacker from grabbing the blade during a CQB martial combatives situation (Bone Tactical Sawback/Serrations), and also to have a section of the blade designated for cutting cordage/wire (Bone Tactical Serrations only available in the DoubleTapper Edition).
Apart from being a game-changer in the world of modern combat knives, this large blade also excels at many Bushcraft and camp tasks (just as it's predecessors we're used by soldiers for hundreds of years in non-combat roles like wilderness survival and routine cutting chores). The top side of the drop point blade remains completely un-sharpened so it can be used for heavy splitting and chopping of wood when aided with a baton (see "batoning" wood). The inner part of the re-curve is great for slashing, whittling, and fine detail work. The sharp point excels in stabbing and penetration, while the large belly can be used both for chopping and skinning wild game (Greg once used his to skin a buffalo, see the video on our YouTube if interested).
A monster of a blade in 1/4" thick 1095 steel (3/8" 5160 in the DoubleTapper Edition). Bloody Bill Bowie's are individually hand forged at our blacksmith shop. Every surface is shaped, filed, sanded, ground, and chamfered with extreme attention to detail to ensure unbelievable quality and usability. They are then individually heat treated by hand as well, tempered down to a perfect 59-61 Rockwell hardness, shot-peened to relieve stress, and re-worked in every aspect. We re-grind, chamfer, and apply our famous “Resolute Warrior” patina finish. This finish includes re-claimed hardwood handles Mr. Bone sourced himself from fallen trees in the rainforests of Central America (an extremely rare and nearly extinct breed of CocoBolo in this case). We put on the shaving sharp edge our blades are known for, we build a custom sheath for each, and we again inspect each knife before shipping out. The blades come pre-oiled, but you should keep any high quality blade clean and well-oiled. With proper care, these blades will not just last your lifetime, they can be passed on to your children, and your children’s children as well.
*Orders often ship same day but always within two business days. You'll automatically receive an order confirmation e-mail when your order goes through, and then another e-mail with tracking info once it ships. Please e-mail LT@bonetactical.com with any questions regarding shipping or your order. All sales are final.*
Specs:
DoubleTapper Edition:
Total Package Weight: 1 lb. 4 oz.
Total Package OAL: 13 3/4"
Total Package Max Width: 3 1/4"
Knife Maximum OAL: 13 1/2”
Minimum Blade Length: 7 1/2”
Minimum Blade width: 1” (2 3/16” at guard)
Maximum Handle Thickness: 13/16”
Blade Steel: 3/8” 5160 high carbon approx. 60 HRC
Standard Bloody Bill Bowie:
Total Package Weight: .75 lbs
Total Package OAL: 13 3/4"
Total Package Max Width: 3 1/4"
Knife Maximum OAL: 13 1/2”
Minimum Blade Length: 7 1/2”
Minimum Blade width: 1” (2 3/16” at guard)
Maximum Handle Thickness: 13/16”
Blade Steel: 1/4” 1095 approx. 60 HRC