# Crusader Bowie



## Squawsach (Apr 26, 2008)

I made this knife for a soldier stationed in Afghanistan.



He liked it but asked if I could make a bigger, flashier knife. He explained that he was in the Special Forces and part of his job was to speak to tribal leaders about stuff. He said that they are kinda primitive and set in their ways. As primitive as they are, they still remember the Crusades. He said that the big, flashy knife should have a cross prominently displayed in the handle. The cross worn by a warrior is still big medicine.

Big knife, flashy, for an American soldier, with a cross displayed for effect, it has to be a Bowie. 

I started off with some S30V and 416 stainless. I decided on a coffin frame handle for this knife, lots of parts and lots of work.




All the spacers and frame received filework, lots of filework. I don't like filework on blades and I think it would have pushed the knife into the filework overkill zone so I left the blade alone. 



I cut the cross from chunk of 416 stainless with a hacksaw and shaped it with files. I have never done that before but it turned out good. I once told someone that I have a third degree black belt in file. I'm beginning to believe it.



After I have all the parts fit and filed, it was time to glue it together. What a mess. 27 seperate pieces had to glued up at the same time. I used an epoxy that takes 18 hours to cure and I layed it down like it was free. A gallon squeezed out when I put the clamps to it. Gawd what a mess! The handle looked like a big, black blob when it cured. I pulled out the files and burned through a mile of sandpaper to even find the handle. 









It's about done but I hope to get better pics when the sun comes up.


----------



## woodyw333 (Feb 9, 2010)

Looks dam good! Nice work!!


----------



## randallss7 (Nov 9, 2007)

Dang that is nice, I love it. And very refreshing knife to see posted.


----------



## Rick Hodges (Nov 3, 2008)

That should fill the bill. Big, flashy, cross.....what beautiful workmanship. May that knife and God's Speed go with that trooper.


----------



## bonecollector66 (Mar 2, 2011)

its a piece of art , great work.
problem in now i want one !
lol


----------



## BUDDYBAGS (Dec 13, 2009)

being one who owns one of your Bowie knives i love it,looks awesome love the crosses in the file work and in the handle,im sure that soldier will be very pleased and im sure the primitives will also remmber that knife!!!


----------



## Cheese1 (Sep 6, 2009)

sweet.


----------



## Gunner7800 (Jul 11, 2007)

Beautiful!

I also have a dumb question. If you put pins through the scales, spacers and frame but not through the tang, how does it not come apart? Is the tang just pinched between the spacers or is there something I'm not seeing?


----------



## Squawsach (Apr 26, 2008)

Gunner7800 said:


> Beautiful!
> 
> I also have a dumb question. If you put pins through the scales, spacers and frame but not through the tang, how does it not come apart? Is the tang just pinched between the spacers or is there something I'm not seeing?


Thanks everyone for the kind words. It was a fun project. 

The epoxy alone should keep this knife in one piece for 1000 years but there needs to be a mechanical connection between the handle and tang. I didn't show that in the pics. I didn't want to cross pin the tang with a visible pin so I used a hidden method.


----------



## vhram (Jul 1, 2005)

Beautiful work !


----------



## lern (Mar 21, 2005)

Man, what a knife!!


----------



## JHENS87 (Nov 7, 2009)

now thats awesome, both knives look great


----------



## oldschoolcj5 (Jun 8, 2009)

Rick Hodges said:


> That should fill the bill. Big, flashy, cross.....what beautiful workmanship. May that knife and God's Speed go with that trooper.


what Rick said ... Beautiful work. I would add 8th degree to your black belt in file work btw!


----------



## JeremyReed (Dec 16, 2012)

WOW!!! will you be making/selling anymore?

TREESNIPER


----------



## Squawsach (Apr 26, 2008)

JeremyReed said:


> WOW!!! will you be making/selling anymore?
> 
> TREESNIPER


Thanks. This is the third Bowie I have made and I don't plan to make another for awhile. I usually make field use type knives, the type of knife that any hunter could get some use out of. Bowies are not very practical and there is a very small market for them. The average person won't part with $1000 for a knife so making custom Bowies is not really my thing. I could have made four or five hunters with the time and effort put into this one. I'm very slow when it comes to big knives.


----------



## JeremyReed (Dec 16, 2012)

Could u pm me price and some pics of the practical hunting/survival knives you make?

TREESNIPER


----------



## bringer of rain (Jul 27, 2011)

Awesome work


----------



## #1 Hogger (Aug 17, 2005)

you out did yourseif this time if the soldier doesn't think this will impress the locals it is sure impressing us You may be able to swap this for 2 goats and a chicken at the market place


----------



## bringer of rain (Jul 27, 2011)

Can you tell us the tale of the tape on these two knives


----------



## NoDeerInIowa (Mar 5, 2012)

That, sir, is a an incredible knife. I am not a huge fan of the bowie, but that one is amazing.


----------



## Diggs223 (Jan 25, 2004)

*Very nice*


----------



## Squawsach (Apr 26, 2008)

The Bowie now has a sheath and is almost ready to be shipped off. I will miss it but I have no use for a knife like this. The sheath was made from veggie tanned leather of a couple different weights and the front of the sheath is lined to give it that cool rolled over lip treatment. The inlay is veggie tanned textured to look like fine ray skin.


----------



## 10ptwhitetail (May 1, 2011)

Nice Work


----------



## 1roper (Mar 28, 2011)

Words seem inadequate to comment on such a beautiful piece of art


----------



## Bytesback (Apr 8, 2013)

This is too incredible for words....


----------



## YBSLO (Nov 3, 2005)

WHOA!!!!
Thats a killer knife bro!
Do you sleep? Your mind must never stop.
These designs you come up with are out of this world...The hidden cross pin in the tang...Genius!
So simple its genius!

Your leather works is tops as well!
I just love looking at your knives / leatherwork! You sir are a true craftsman!
WOW!

Thanks for sharing!


----------



## War_Valley_Boy (Sep 19, 2010)

Beautiful knives love seeing stuff like this done I have had two knives custom made got matching ones for me and my dad when he turned 45 and I'm very happy with them but your work is amazing.


----------



## catfishmafia76 (Aug 23, 2009)

Wow, what a beautiful knife. The file work is unreal. Words simply can't describe how impressive it is. I also really, really like the first knife that you made him.


----------



## silbowhunter (Nov 29, 2004)

My chin just hit the floor...........

_proud owner of a _G. Dukeman knife. ;~)


----------



## justinhonkytonk (Apr 29, 2013)

That's an awesome bowie. Truly a beautiful knife. Excellent work on the sheath.


----------



## wy_will (Mar 14, 2013)

I really like the original one.


----------



## SeeMont (Jan 18, 2011)

That is the most beautiful piece of knife building I have ever seen.


----------

