Welcome! Log In Create A New Profile

Advanced

The Mistress Bowie

Posted by Chum 
This forum is currently read only. You can not log in or make any changes. This is a temporary situation.
The Mistress Bowie
December 29, 2014 11:05AM
A beauty and a beast! 440C doesn't seem like a good choice for a chopper of this size, but man this thing looks sweet. I love the handle.

Down Under Knives The Mistress Bowie Hunting Knife
Specifications
Overall length: 17-3/4"
Blade length 13"
Blade thickness: 5.5mm
Width: 2-5/8"
Weight: 29.3 oz. (832 g)
Blade Material: 440C heat treated stainless full tang construction, 58-59HRC
Handle Material: Stacked Leather
Genuine leather sheath
Made in Asia
$249.95 at Knifecenter.com: The Mistress

Description
Here's a knife that Down Under has been working on for quite a while. The mission was simple: push the limits and make the biggest, meanest blade that can still be reasonably called a knife, without compromising balance and usability in the slightest. To accomplish this, they began with the dimensions and basic lines of a colossal vintage Bowie dating from around 1858 and started hammering out prototype after prototype until it looked and behaved exactly like they wanted it. Not the easiest or fastest development process in the world, but with a knife this size you just can't slap something together in a CAD package and expect it to work. You have to feel it to know when you got it just right.

The Mistress is Down Under's first curved back design, putting even more mass behind the arc of the blade right where it counts for unprecedented cutting and slashing power. To complement the shape it was given a distinctive coffin handle and a massive S-style handguard machined from a monolithic block of solid brass. In a slight twist, during development they decided to reverse the S to a style more commonly found in swords of the period. When you hold it, you'll know why - in this size class, it just works better that way.

Finally, this beast is contained in their signature heavy leather scabbard patterned to match the very successful Toothpick model. No, they don't know why anyone would need to carry them as a pair, but if you're going to carry one in the first place, "reasonable" is probably not a concept you spend a great deal of time worrying about. In case you missed it, this is one hell of a knife even by Crocodile Dundee's standards.

**Knives have a high mirror polish which may have slight scuffing from factory.









Chumgeyser on Youtube
E-nep throwing Brotherhood. Charter Member
Re: The Mistress Bowie
December 29, 2014 11:10AM
[www.youtube.com]


Chumgeyser on Youtube
E-nep throwing Brotherhood. Charter Member
Re: The Mistress Bowie
December 30, 2014 11:52PM
That's a hunk of steel. Aside from adverse social situations, how functional is the deep curved clip of a bowie? Never really appealed to me....