Your bowie knife is a quintessential element in much of your life. Those who use these knives for any period of time quickly find that they are indispensible. They serve general usage needs, are vital when hunting, camping or fishing and make astounding fighting knives (as they were designed for self-protection). However, understanding the features of the blade can be a bit of a quandary. What do all of those specific areas do, anyway? You’ll find that different bowie knife models feature different uses.
Blood Groove – A deep (relatively) groove that runs from near the back end of the blade to near the point, the blood groove serves a very specific purpose. This groove is used to allow blood to flow out from a stab, ensuring that the blade does not become trapped by suction. However, not all bowie knife models feature this groove, as it is a recent, modern development.
False Edge – The false edge of a bowie knife is the portion of the point that curves inward and upward from the point to meet the spine of the blade. This has little use unless sharpened (these are called Sheffield Bowies). When sharpened, the false edge allows for back cutting, but also provides better performance when skinning, gutting or stabbing, as it increases the tip’s cutting surface significantly.
Spanish Notch – Some bowie knife models include a Spanish Notch, while others do not. The true use of this feature seems to have been lost to the mists of time, but today, it serves as a guide to show where sharpening should begin. Some people attest that the notch was placed there to help catch an opponent’s blade, but most collectors and historians are skeptical of these claims.
The Tip – The tip of bowie knives is quite unique. Called a clipped point, it provides better punch-through power in stabbing motions, but also provides better tip control, as well. You will find that this unique tip is actually one of the defining elements that sets bowie knives apart from other large, fixed blade sheath knives on the market today. If a knife does not have such a tip, it is not a bowie knife.
Dylan Sabot is the owner of an online bowie knife store featuring the jim bowie knife as well as lighters for camping.