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Blade Design On A Bowie Knife
By: Blake Benson
The Blade design on a Bowie knife oftentimes incorporates many different features. Each of these features has its own intended purpose. Some of the features are more historical and contemporary and others are obvious innovations of the modern era. A good-quality Bowie knife will oftentimes be expanded in its useful applications by the inclusion of innovative tools right on the blade. This has always been a part of the Bowie design and part of the reason that this knife has endured for so many years.
The most distinctive feature on a Bowie knife is the clipped point. This is the part of the knife, near the end, where the spine of the blade is higher than the tip. This feature was originally intended to provide better stabbing power to the user in the event of a fight. In fact, this blade design can be seen on some cavalry sabers and other fighting knives of the Bowie's era, and even on some modern knives. It allows for deeper penetration when stabbing and makes the knife a lethal weapon.
Bowie knives also tend to have a Spanish notch near the end. Some claim that this was used by master knife fighters to trap the blades of attackers. This is probably legend as the notch is so small that it makes this scenario very doubtful. In reality, the notch is excellent for cutting cord and sinew and provides a handy guide as to where the blade begins.
The blood groove is a modern feature. This is probably most associated with the Bowie knives manufactured for the US Marine Corps in World War 2. This adaptation quickly proved its usefulness as a technology of war. The blood groove prevents the knife from creating a vacuum when a stab wound is made. It allows the knife to be withdrawn easily and prevents the blade from stopping blood loss.
Bowie knives without hand guards are not truly Bowies at all. The hand guard's purpose was obvious. The downward-pointing spike on the bottom of the handle protected the user's fingers and hand, and the upward-pointing top spike provided a deflection, and possibly trapping, point for the opponent's blade. They also have the handy characteristic of making it almost impossible to accidentally slide one's hand up the blade while working, a useful trait in any era!
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