Confederate Bowie Knives

Joined
Jun 24, 2011
Location
Middle Tennessee
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The Bowie knife was born in the South and was carried by every Southern soldier during the war that could obtain one. The most famous war Bowie is the Confederate D Guard Bowie.
 
Those are wicked looking edged weapons. Thanks for posting the pics.
 
View attachment 5216 A D-guard spear point Confederate Bowie
I have a replica of the d-guard. I usually keep it on my belt at reancatments. I cant imagine a man running at me with killing on his mind,and a d-guard in his hand.. The d-guard was also capable of being altered. The blade could be reversed to the udge faced upward. Most experianced knife fighters prefered the blade turned up for lower body strikes. What an awesome tool!
 
I have a replica of the d-guard. I usually keep it on my belt at reancatments. I cant imagine a man running at me with killing on his mind,and a d-guard in his hand.. The d-guard was also capable of being altered. The blade could be reversed to the udge faced upward. Most experianced knife fighters prefered the blade turned up for lower body strikes. What an awesome tool!

I have heard that about those who preferred to do combat with edged weapons. I swear give me a duel with pistols or a bar room brawl breaking out in baseball bat plant over a knife fight. <g>
 
We have one in the Museum I volunteer at. I also own a period "Arkansas Toothpick"

Johan I am curious is your Arkansas Toothpick similar to the "spear point Bowie" in the picture Bob Owen posted above as in a dagger style with both edges of the blade sharpened?
 
Johan I am curious is your Arkansas Toothpick similar to the "spear point Bowie" in the picture Bob Owen posted above as in a dagger style with both edges of the blade sharpened?
More pronounced point and completely different hilt; though I'm not certain the handle & hilt are original.
 
This is a knife I have had for a number of years. I believe it to be a reproduction of a period knife. The only markings on it say;

Leech & Rigdon
Memphis Tenn

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The blade is about 10 inches long and the overall length is about 15.5 inches.


Sorry for the bad pictures. Cellphone camera and poor lighting makes for weird pics.
 
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More pronounced point and completely different hilt; though I'm n
ot certain the handle & hilt are original.

Thank you. Your description coincides with my experience viewing a number of knives called "Arkansas Toothpicks" in that they have a very pronounced point and a long dagger style blade with both edges sharpened.
 
A really good book on the subject of knives during the War Between the States is:

Book title: Civil War Knives
Author: Marc Newman
* Hardcover: 120 pages
* Publisher: Paladin Press; illustrated (November 1, 1998)
* Language: English
* ISBN-10: 0873649990
* ISBN-13: 978-0873649995
* Product Dimensions: 11.5 x 9.2 x 0.5 inches
* Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds

I might also add that my book has a chapter providing step-by-step (with pictures) instructions on making a Bowie style knife.
 
Leech and rigdon made knifes,swords and revolvers i believe...I dont think this is an original piece but its a really nice repro!
 
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I figured it was a repro. I have some old knives and this one seems to have been artificially aged
. It is nicely made though and and a usable knife.
 
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