A+Closer+Look+At+The+Bowie+Knife+The+term+Bowie+Knife+which+is+commonly+used+today+refers+to+any+large+sheath+knife+but+it+also+applies+directly+to+the+specific+original+design+by+Colonel+James+%22Jim%22+Bowie+and+originally+created+by+James+Black.+The+historical+Bowie+knife+was+not+a+single+design%2c+but+was+actually+a+series+of+knives+improved+several+times+by+Jim+Bowie+over+the+years.+The+model+most+commonly+known+as+the+historical+Bowie+knife+was+somewhat+large+and+of+massive+construction%2c+as+knives+go%2c+having+usually+a+blade+at+least+six+inches+long+and+12+inches+was+not+uncommon%2c+with+a+relatively+broad+blade+that+was+an+inch+and+a+half+to+two+inches+wide+and+made+of+steel+usually+between+3%2f16%22+and+1%2f4%22+thick.+The+back+of+the+blade+often+had+a+strip+of+soft+metal+(normally+brass+or+copper)+inlaid+intended+to+catch+an+opponent's+blade%2c+a+concept+borrowed+from+the+medieval+Scottish+dirk%2c+and+also+often+had+an+upper+guard+that+bent+forward+at+an+angle%2c+also+intended+to+catch+an+opponent's+blade.+The+back+edge+of+the+curved+clip+point%2c+also+called+the+%22false+edge%2c%22+was+often+sharpened+in+order+to+allow+someone+trained+in+European+techniques+of+saber+fencing+to+execute+the+maneuver+called+the+%22back+cut%22+or+%22back+slash.%22+A+brass+guard+was+attached+to+protect+the+hand%2c+usually+cast+in+a+mold.+It+is+likely+that+the+blade+shape+was+derived+from+the+Spanish+clasp+knives+carried+in+Spain+and+the+Spanish+colonies+in+the+Americas.+Bowie+was+known+for+his+many+knife+fights+which+is+why+the+original+Bowie+Knife+was+designed+primarily+as+a+weapon.+The+shape+and+style+of+blade+was+chosen+so+that+the+Bowie+knife+could+serve+usefully+as+a+camp+and+hunting+tool+as+well+as+a+weapon.+Many+knives+and+daggers+existed+that+could+serve+well+as+weapons%2c+and+many+knives+existed+that+could+serve+well+as+tools+for+hunters+and+trappers%2c+but+the+Bowie+knife+was+designed+to+do+both+jobs+well%2c+and+is+still+popular+with+hunters+and+sportsmen+even+in+the+present+day.+The+curved+portion+of+the+edge%2c+toward+the+point%2c+is+for+removing+the+skin+from+a+carcass%2c+and+the+straight+portion+of+the+edge%2c+toward+the+guard%2c+is+for+chores+involving+cutting+slices.+The+blade+is+generally+long+enough+and+heavy+enough+that+the+knife+can+be+used+as+a+hatchet+or+machete%2c+but+not+so+heavy+or+long+as+to+be+cumbersome.+Most+such+knives+intended+for+hunting+are+only+sharpened+on+one+edge%2c+to+reduce+the+danger+of+cutting+oneself+while+butchering+and+skinning+the+carcass.+Starting+in+the+1970%e2%80%99s+a+version+of+the+Bowie+Knife+with+sawteeth+on+the+back+side+of+the+blade+have+been+very+popular+with+knife+collectors%2c+probably+due+to+the+knife+being+displayed+and+used+by+Sylvester+Stallone%e2%80%99s+character+in+the+original+%e2%80%9cRambo%e2%80%9d+movie.+These+knives+are+still+popular+today+and+are+sold+as+survival+knives+in+many+cases+and+are+manufactured+with+a+hollow+handle+that+could+carry+small+survival+items.+The+actual+usefulness+of+sawteeth+on+a+knife+is+debatable%2c+not+to+mention+the+hollow+handles%2c+which+may+be+prone+to+breaking+if+the+knife+is+poorly+constructed%2c+and+many+contend+that+the+sharp+teeth+endanger+the+user+when+used+to+gut+and+skin+a+large+animal%0d%0a%0d%0a%0ccarcass+such+as+a+deer+or+elk%2c+as+well+as+making+the+knife+much+less+useful+as+a+weapon+as+they+make+it+prone+to+getting+stuck.+A+proper+Bowie+knife+is+long+enough+and+heavy+enough+that+the+user+can+usually+chop+through+wood+with+it+much+faster+than+he+could+use+the+saw+teeth.+Avid+fans+of+the+Bowie+knife+say+that+for+a+knife+to+be+called+a+%e2%80%9cBowie%e2%80%9d%2c+it+has+to+be+long+enough+to+be+used+as+a+sword%2c+sharp+enough+to+use+as+a+razor%2c+wide+enough+to+use+as+a+paddle%2c+and+heavy+enough+to+use+as+a+hatchet.%0d%0a%0d%0a%0c