Bear MGC Bowie report, but NOT from a knife snob.

[Josh O Mason]

I imagine sticking a knife where I told ya would be terrible....custom or not.

sorry man.

[Big Ugly Gringo]

Originally Posted by Sandy Morrissey

As far as I am concerned and from what I have read here, I find nothing wrong in what our fledgling member has stated. He wanted inexpensive knives as window dressing and that is what he purchased. Where is the wrong in being frugal? The man is obviously interested in knives, for gawd's sake give him some encouragement with the extended hand of friendship. He is obviously an educated man with a #### fine sense of humour as he had ample ample reason to tell us to BUG off! Pun intended!! I for one thought that he has handled himself rather well under less than favorable circumstances! ---Sandy---

Hey, I'm a fifth generation Texan, but my ancestors came from Savannah, Georgia - where there is a Sutlive Street. Good Southern stock. What I"m looking forward to is when I get the first one of those displays finished and post photos.

[SharpByCoop]

BUG,

In retrospect I , too, am surprised at my knee-jerk reaction. Yup I was harsh.

You have a pretty thick skin and it's good. For you. You also are starting to interject and make statements that do not oversimplify what others are doing. Whether you realize it or not, by doing so you ARE starting to become part of the community. Welcome.

I've tasted Humble Pie many times. May I have another large slice, please....!

Coop

[Drac]

Ok, I'll eat my pie as well. Hopefully I didn't get to far out of line in misunderstanding your comments. Welcome aboard.

Jim

[hammerdownnow]

And out of the west comes a gunslinger...he's big....he's ugly...and he's a Gringo.

See Bigun' I tol' you these guys were awww-ight. We will wean you off them things. Besides, we got an insider to work on ya. Speak of the devil, is your little bro online? If so invite him over for a look see at what beatin' you took. lol. (remind me not to go out to the bar with you) hahahahahaha!

I invited BUG over to the forum and said that we were friendly and would not flame on him.. I did not know he was gonna come in swingin' and call us all knife snobs...lol He really didn't he just stated he was not one. Too funny. Welcome BUG!, Roc (Tool steel snob and proud of it)

[Big Ugly Gringo]

I am glad I didn't piss you guys off too much. I am interested in learning how to build my own knives - mainly because I don't like stainless steel - and I know you guys can be a valuable source of knowledge.

Anyone who knows East Texas Rednecks, and I ARE one, can tell you knives are a big part of our culture. At work, I carry four and a multi-tool. None of them cost me more than $20. That;'s right, the little birds call my name... cheap, cheap, cheap.

I would like to have a good carbon steel folder, but about the only way I'll ever get one is to build it myself. I don't have the set up my brother has. He lives in the country and has a separate shop buidling. I live in a rental house in the city.

And, no, my brother doesn't go online. His son does, to a certain extent. He gets a lot of his stuff from Texas Knifemakers Supply and is working off a 10-year old catalog. I go on line and get info on the latest stuff.

As for as this little blow up we had. I knew you guys were misunderstanding me. What I was saying made too much sense. Nobody is going to use good knives to make a display. I also knew I hadn't been badmouthing custom knives.

What I did say, and it still makes sense to me, is that there is a niche for knives like the Bear MGC. and there is a niche for custom knives. They appeal to different markets.

There is also a niche for the extremely poorly made and cheap knives I and buying for the displays I plan to build. I don't know yet, but I suspect some of the carbon steel knives offered by Atlanta Cutlery may be useful for more than displays, but the $15 knife I bought as an example of a coffin-handled Bowie and the $22 knife that should have been delivered to me a couple of days ago, but still hasn't showed up... are good for NOTHING except what I plan to use them for... hanging on the wall.

I would rate the Bear MGC as high above those blades as you guys would rate your customs above the Bear MGC. And we both would be right.

I went to the forums where you guys are selling your works and those aren't knives... those are works of art. Some of them were breathtakingly beautiful. They are worth every penny you are asking for them... to someone in the market for that kind of a knife. I'm not that level of knife buyer. I have a guilty conscience for spending the grand total of $84.95 for the Bear Bowie.

I still think it's purty.



Of course, comparing the knife to the model helps make it look even purtier.

Also, someone mentioned the kind of a tiff I got into at bladeforum.com. Allow me to explain.

I asked if anyone there knew where Jose Musso says he got the Musso Bowie. I think that would probably be a good story and might help cut through some of the legend around that knife... like the one that says it is the same knife Jim Bowie had at the Alamo.

Bernard Levine... the man I figure MUST know the story, refused to say how Musso claims to have acquired the knife. He said the Musso Bowie is a POS and a total fake built in the 70s and how Musso claims he got the knife isn't important.

You guys have seen how I respond to stuff like that.

I basically accused him of not responding because he didn't know how Musso got the knife... or says he got the knife. Levine told me I should call Joe Musso and ask him, providing a phone number. I got a tad ticked and told him I simply wouldn't bother him anymore. Keep meaning to call Musso, although I expect he will just hang up on me.

I haven't been banned from the website and still go over there to make basically the same posts I make here... and also at what I consider my home on the Net... Texasminutemen.org.

Anyway, I have a question for you knifemaker guys and will go post it now.

[Drac]

Be careful, the argument between carbon & stainless is a classic that rates up there with what makes a hand-made knife and if a kit knife maker should sign his work & how We don't need religion, politics or sex to stir up a hornets nest around here.

Jim

[TexasJack]

If you REALLY want to see a storm, use the term "edge-packing".

[Big Ugly Gringo]

And what is edge packing?

And I figure you guys have your standard arguments that are the equivalent to a gun nuts ongoing debate over the merits or the 9mm vs the .45 ACP... and nowadays the .40 S&W... or using a .44 MAG vs. a hot loaded .45 Long Colt.

[hammerdownnow]

Edge packing is a term used to describe hammering the edge of the knife to pack the molicules closer together. It has been scientifically proven to be impossible but some people insist it is true. I don't know one way or another.

I started making knives because I was too cheap to buy one. Now I have enough tools and materials invested to buy a bunch of them if I would have just spent the money on the knives instead.

Finding a carbon bowie blank in the production market might be a trick. I did see one of the swedish laminated high carbons that would make a nice one. Lots of people rave about the quality of swedish steel and the Moras have a great reputation. I went off looking for one and found one at Brisa, a Frosts Mora, but they are out of stock. You can get to the site by the text on the pic. Another place to look is on ebay. Do a search for "knife blank" and or "Bowie blank" and see what pops up.

I would buy one of these, and will if I can find one.

[Big Ugly Gringo]

Right now I plan to bust my knife making cherry with either this blade



$150 from Damascus USA.

Or this Solingen stainless steel blade from Texas Knifemakers for about $80.



Scales will be yellowed Ivory Micarta, which I plan to scrimshaw with my initials "CS" in the shape of a rattlesnake - a design I created in my mid teens.

[cwp]

I started making knives because I was too cheap to buy one. Now I have enough tools and materials invested to buy a bunch of them if I would have just spent the money on the knives instead.

Roc, I know that feeling, but isn't it a fun ride

Also, do guys know of a source of reasonably priced (less than $200) pre-shaped LARGE carbon steel Bowie blades?

http://www.centercross.com/damascus/damascus.htm

Look around. You are asking the right question there. I think that BK002 and BK003 would do you good. These fit your price range and would give you a lot of experience working with this stuff.

If you want a finished blade, instead of a blank
http://www.centercross.com/damascus/damascusblades.htm
These are ready to handle and put the finishing touches on.

Gene is a good guy, and he does what he calls the ultimate knife kit. Give it a look, I think you will find a better blank in the $200 range than you would elsewhere.

--Carl

[hammerdownnow]

Good thinkin' Carl.

[cwp]

Roc,

I don't know anything about Damascus USA, but if I was going to do a kit bowie in this range, Gene's blades and blanks would be where I would go.

--Carl

[riverfisher]

Do you have a site for Gene's?