Best Bowie Knife For Extreme Survival And Combat

Looking To Add A Bowie Knife To Your Arsenal? You’ve Come To The Right Place!

Why? Because many people consider the Bowie Knife the ideal tool for survival.

And nowadays, there are countless makes and models on the market.

But that creates a problem of having too many choices.

With the overwhelming number of options, how do you decide which Bowie Knife is “best”?

Which one should you get?

Or, more importantly – which ones should you avoid?

How can you tell an excellent tactical knife from a cheap one?

That’s why today I’m going to rely upon my experience on a Mountain Search and Rescue Team to share the following:

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Best Bowie Knives For Sale

What Makes A Knife A Bowie?

Reasons Why You Should Get One

How To Use A Bowie Knife

Best Bowie Knife Features

How To Sharpen A Knife

How To Make A Bowie

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Best Bowie Knives For Sale Today

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Are You Ready For The Tough Times Ahead? Take My 60 Sec Quiz To See If You’re Part Of ‘The Fragile Masses’ Or Not… Start Quiz Now!

What Makes A Knife A Bowie?

Unless you’ve been living in a cave over the past few decades, you’ve heard the term “Bowie Knife” before today.

Why? Because they’ve been prominently featured in several popular movies.

For example, Rambo and Crocodile Dundee both used Bowie knives.

And they became an essential tool for survival in the wild and defeating their enemies.

↓ The Rambo Knives Montage ↓

Bowie Basic Specifications

A Bowie knife is a fighting knife with a large, heavy, fixed blade.

They generally have a blade 5-12 inches long, with an overall length of up to 18″, including the handle.

So shorter than a survival machete but longer than most EDC knives.

The blade itself features a distinctive clip-point profile.

A clip point starts with a wide blade at the base that tapers to a narrow, swept tip.

But it’s much different than a karambit’s other popular fighting knife shape.

The blade can be either a full-tang or partial tang (but avoid “rat-tail tangs).

↓ Bowie Tangs: Narrow, or Hidden, But Never Rat Tail ↓

Full tang knives are more expensive, but you get higher durability for your money.

Bowie Combat Features

As a fighting knife, the clip-point provides a long edge for slashing and a sharp point for stabbing.

It also features a blade guard that protects your knuckles and deflects an opponent’s blow.

Another common feature is a small notch at the very base of the blade.

This notch may not seem like much, but it’s useful for the following:

• catching an opponent’s blade
• cutting and repairing rope
• and it acts as a strain relief to prevent the blade from snapping

The Jim Bowie Origin Story

The original Bowie knife was made popular by an American frontiersman named Jim Bowie.

He used this style of knife in the early 1800s after the famous “Sandbar Fight” knife duel in Mississippi.

There are several descriptions of the knife used during the Sandbar Fight – ranging from something close to a chef’s knife to a blade approaching a small sword.

In the years following the Sandbar Fight, Bowie made alterations to the design.

He even worked with blacksmith James Black in Arkansas in 1830 to perfect the design.

He continued to use the same type of blade for the rest of his life until meeting his fate at the Alamo.

A famous Arkansas historian, Russell Johnson, sums up the Jim Bowie Knife in this way:

“It must be long enough to use as a sword, sharp enough to use as a razor, wide enough to use as a paddle, and heavy enough to use as a hatchet.”

That quote pretty well sums up what a Bowie Knife should be.

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Reasons Why You Should Get One

Perhaps the origin story of the Bowie wasn’t enough to convince you of its usefulness as a survival knife and combat weapon.

Then how about the fact that the US military issues a similar Bowie-inspired blade?

Military Operations

The famous USMC Ka-Bar fighting knife is mainly based on previous Bowie designs.

Not to be outdone, the USAF issued flight crews a Bowie survival knife to flight crews.

These bowie fighting knives had the added feature of a sawtooth design machined into the blade’s top edge.

This addition provides a tool to saw through the acrylic canopies of downed aircraft.

Of course, the hunters and trappers of the American Frontier would have NEVER carried a knife made solely for combat alone.

Hunting and Skinning Techniques

The long, swept blade provides a lot of blade edge, which is great for skinning animals for furs.

And the straight edge section of the blade near the base also works well as a cleaver for chopping meat.

Plus, it can even break bones to get to the marrow inside.

Survival Skills

The heavy blade efficiently chops wood, while the flat back or pommel can act as a crude hammer.

Models with a saw blade back are great for processing firewood and cutting up poles for wilderness shelters.

Knife Throwing

Now there’s one thing the Bowie is not great at – being thrown.

Despite the famous scene in Crocodile Dundee, a Bowie is not the best choice as a throwing knife.

↓ Crocodile Dundee 2 – Chances Of Jacket? ↓

Why? Because they don’t have the proper weight balance.

They have a relatively long blade (compared to the handle) and a fine tip.

Yes, there are Bowie-shaped knives designed for throwing.

But they tend to have a wider tip and are smaller than other versions.

Plus, it takes a lot of practice to throw a knife made to be thrown; it’s even harder to do so consistently with a Bowie.

With that said, like most survival skills, it can be mastered with enough practice!

But throwing knives is more of a hobby than a serious fighting technique.

Why? Because if your knife misses the mark, you’re now unarmed and just gave your opponent your knife. Not a wise move.

But in general, it’s a strong performer as both a combat and hunting knife.

That’s why it’s no surprise a Bowie makes a great choice as a survival knife.

As A Way To Introduce You To Skilled Survival, We’re Giving Away Our

Ultimate Survival Gear Checklist. Click Here To Get Your FREE Copy Of It.

How To Use A Bowie Knife (Grips and Techniques)

With such versatility, a Bowie is perfect for many unique tasks.

And there are several ways to grip a large knife for combat purposes. And mastering each grip is essential for success.

If you plan to learn close-quarters combat with a knife, it’s worth getting one-on-one instruction.

There are so many small details that can drastically improve your success.

The good news is that plenty of videos online can help you learn the basics.

For example, the hour-long instructional video below works through many slow-motion techniques.

The slow-motion footage helps to understand better how each technique works.

They also use oversized, blunted Bowie-style practice knives.

These practice knives also show how the blade lands on each strike.

Similarly, there are specific ways to hold and use a Bowie Knife for tasks such as chopping wood.

For the most part, a standard hatchet-style grip is best as you swing the blade downward.

And while you CAN chop with Bowie, the wider blade and shorter handle make for less efficient cutting than a hatchet or axe.

↓ GERBER Utility Bowie Chopping Test ↓

As A Way To Introduce You To Skilled Survival, We’re Giving Away Our

Ultimate Survival Gear Checklist. Click Here To Get Your FREE Copy Of It.

Best Bowie Knife Features To Look For

As with any other survival tool, there are a lot of key features to look for in a quality tactical Bowie knife.

High-Quality Steel

Any edged tool must use high-quality metals.

You need a metal that allows you to sharpen it to a fine edge AND hold that edge through use (and abuse).

But that’s the problem; the more durable steels are harder to sharpen, while any steel that’s easy to sharpen is too mild to hold up to heavy abuse.

That’s why most Bowies use high-carbon steel for their blade.

High carbon provides a good balance between durability and sharpness.

There are plenty of different grades of carbon steel, but A2, O1, 1095, 1055, and 5160 alloys are all high quality.

Here’s a debate over A2 vs. 1095 steel toughness for those who want to delve deep into this topic.

I generally avoid stainless steel blades.

Why? Because while stainless steel has great edge retention and won’t rust, it’s way too hard to sharpen after the edge receives damage.

Blade Design

Most Bowie knives feature a similar design, with a long, straight edge for slicing and carving.

Other variations have a slightly concave design.

This concave design puts some weight toward the point and makes chopping tasks easier.

The long, clip-point tip lets you put maximum cutting pressure down on a small point at the tip.

A long blade also provides a longer cutting edge, which is handy for cutting tasks.

It also puts the point in line with the handle. Such an in-line design gives you better performance for thrusting and stabbing tasks.

Full-Tang

While a full tang design isn’t necessary, it is far more durable.

Of course, plenty of popular designs don’t feature a full tang.

So a partial tang design shouldn’t rule a knife out if it checks all the other quality boxes.

However, I avoid knives with a rat tail design – unless you only plan to use them for delicate activities.

Rattail tangs will not hold up to chopping, hammering, or combat.

Here’s an example of a knife that features a rat tail tang.

Handle Design

A real Bowie should have a blade guard and a solid grip.

Remember, it should never break during high-impact tasks such as chopping, stabbing, or swinging.

That’s why maintaining a solid grip is crucial.

Slip prevention is necessary for both your safety and anyone who happens to be around you.

Size

While you can find one anywhere from 4 to 18 inches long (or even bigger), most prefer a blade between 7 and 9 inches long.

This length provides a good balance between the following:

• Long enough to chop and baton firewood.
• Small enough to maintain control over the tip and to be nimble in a knife fight.
• Short enough to wear on your hip belt or in a survival backpack or bug-out bag.

As A Way To Introduce You To Skilled Survival, We’re Giving Away Our

Ultimate Survival Gear Checklist. Click Here To Get Your FREE Copy Of It.

How To Sharpen A Knife To Get A Razors Edge

Using a water or oil stone to sharpen a knife is a skill that takes time to learn.

It takes time to master the smooth stroke and edge control necessary to get a razor-sharp edge.
There are plenty of videos online that can help you learn the basics.

But practicing with an old kitchen knife is a good idea before moving on to your good ones.

↓ Sharpening A Bowie Hunting Knife ↓

↓ How To Sharpen A Knife With A Stone – Shaving Sharp ↓

If sharpening stones are intimidating, use a honing guide to maintain a precise angle.

These can be indispensable when you have a new knife and want to set a specific grind angle.

 

As A Way To Introduce You To Skilled Survival, We’re Giving Away Our

Ultimate Survival Gear Checklist. Click Here To Get Your FREE Copy Of It.

How To Make A Bowie From Scratch

Making a knife is a great way to learn about everything that goes into a successful design.

You can make it as involved as you’d like, from assembling a kit to forging your blade from a saw or file blade.

Plenty of resources are online, but the one below goes through the ENTIRE process – from selecting the proper steel to finishing the handle.

It is the most complete and comprehensive tutorial I’ve ever come across.

↓ Forging The Ultimate Bowie Fighting Knife ↓

Final Thoughts

The Bowie knife has been a mainstay of the American frontier culture for nearly 200 years.

If the Winchester Model 1973 is “The Gun That Won The West,” the Bowie is its partner!

For everything from chores to combat, it’s an excellent choice for many situations.

Jason K.

Born & Raised In The Remote Woods Of Michigan

Engineering Degree From A Major University

Long Standing Member Of Mountain Search & Rescue

Offical Gear Tester For Several Outdoor Companies

Avid Outdoorsman: Backpacking, Camping, Fishing

Years Researching & Writing About Surival & Gear

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