I had a Mossy Oak knife for over a year.....i beat the Crap out of it on Purpose !! It never once failed me or broke, threw it at trees & the ground & everything possible. Left it in my unlocked camp & someone stole it. Go Figure. 🙄🤷♂️
@@derekcroft2055i hate people who steal stuff. Especially a beaten up knife like why? Its obvious somebody uses it and likes it alot why be a dirtbag yknow?
Just got a Timber Rattler over the holidays... it's definitely more than a wall hanger. Chewed through a tree as thick as my calf.(and I do a lot of walking.) Only time I put a dent in it is when I swung at a tree that my weirdo nephew put a nail through.(dented the nail even more)
I got that Winchester when I was younger. Recently me and my dad have been building fires a lot so we decided to start using it as a chopper. For $20, we beat the shit out of that knife while chopping logs up. One night we were camping and he was chopping a log. I was so surprised at the beatings it had been through and held together for its price. I started to say “Damn, that thing’s held up well” and as soon as I said that my dad said “Oh no!”, turned to me and it crumbled right there. The tang was full, sure, but it looked like it had somewhat of an awkward taper and the grain was very wide. I think they cheeped out on material for the tang in order to save money. Probably thought nobody would notice or care, which I really didn’t because for 20 bucks, this knife IMPRESSED me. Keep it, use it when it’s necessary and you’ll get your moneys worth. Hell, if you don’t beat the tar out of it the damn thing might even last you a lifetime.
had that same knife for 17 years .still going strong ,only use it to cut meats at my cook outs. always kept it sharp ...always know your knives limitations
My Timber Rattler has been beat in almost every way possible and in my opinion is a beast of a knife 😂 it’s been through everything from wood to car doors and after all that it’s still good lookin
I got my mosse oke 14 in bowie around two years ago carried it almost every day and with proper maintenance it is razor sharp, it is a true dimond in the rough and it hasn't let me down yet, I use it very hard chopping branches and clearing land, its great can't recommend it enough
I own and use regularly the last one you showed and have used it from new for 15 years. I have no complaints. It's rugged and very very forgiving of abuse. It doesn't hold the edge best but it's good enough for farm work and basic camping needs.
I have the Winchester that you have, I've used it Hard as a Survival / Bushcraft knife for 19 Years, it's a very durable blade, mine will shave my arm hair. I love this Knife.
I have the timber rattler personally and i havent had any issues with it yet other than the sheath being kinda cheap feeling on the stitching and the heft of the knife being a bit more than my preferred weight but i could have also gotten lucky and got a really good one. it was also around 80$ from my friends shop here in hawaii but factoring in the shipping/operating costs of a business here in Hawaii plus the jones act which makes even the cheapest of items sometimes over 2X the MSRP it was pretty cheap for a knife that big
That last one looks like a clone of the W49, Western, Boulder, Colorado bowie. The W49 has brass guards. Check em out on Ebay, I found one out in the desert a few years ago and left it out but under cover until just this year. Only one grip panel, took it off, soaked the metal in vinegar overnight, as it was pretty rusty. Wiped it down, wrapped it in vinegar-soaked paper towels for another anti-rust treatment (it was in bad shape...had no idea what it was until I could get the crud off) overnight and, much to my surprise, came out with this deep dark blued piece of steel. Dunked it in a mild baking soda solution to neutralize the vinegar from etching, it said, Western W49, Boulder, made in 1999, I think. Used the half handle for a template and made new panels from an old hickory ax handle. Had the sheath, too, pretty dried out, but some Shoe Goop and Black Rock leather treatment brought it back to life. Took a razor edge, easily, and now hangs by the front door. Wish I'd bought a case of em when they were twenty bucks.
I've had my Winchester Bowie for about 15+ years now and it's one of my favorite Bowie's. I sharpened the swedge on my grampas belt sander to make it more "fighty" lol
I got one just like that last one over 35 years ago. I believe it was a Walmart purchase. It's still with me and it works well for skinning and butchering game. The heaft of the blade does help chopping through bone a lot easier.
The Timber Rattler is very usable. I use it on my boat when I’m out fishing and camping . I bought it as a beater and it has definitely lived up to being a beater . Surprised it actually holds an edge better than expected. Awesome video
I have fell over a hundred trees with my Timber Rattler Outlaw Bowie. Some of them were over 10 inches in diameter. I have carried it on many hunting and camping trips with extreme confidence. I have cut every thing from apples to barb wire. I have Tops, Toor, Fobo, Busse, and many other large fixed blades, but my Outlaw Bowie is the one I ususally grab.
The only low budget bowie I own are 2 Cold Steel Black Bear Bowie Machetes. They're a beast in the field compared to those wall hangers and I only paid $21 each or so on Amazon.
Im pretty sure if you use Timber Rattler outdoors you'll be surprised to see that it can take some serious beating and yet holds ups nice. Old TRs didn't have much of and edge on them but recently i bought one made out of 1095 streel and it has much better edge. Sizko supply is also not a wall hangar by any means
In case you really wonder, I have the TIMBER RATTLER, I've had it at least 5 yrs. At the time of purchase from BK knives, it was $19.95. I have since that time despite acquiring numerous other Bowie knives it has had the crap beat out of it and established itself as one of my better $20 investments.
I like inexpensive big Bowie knives and have used them as a multi function utility knife for several decades...I won't hesitate to use a 15" Bowie knife instead of a larger machete anytime. I've had the Winchester Bowie for 20+ years and I have always been attracted to its design, especially the wood handle with those finger grooves...and I used it every summer at my Family's cottage for all sorts of yard work and general utility type duties, nothing too abusive and I took care of it like I care for all my tools. it's still around, but I kind of retired it to culinary use at our BBQ, which it has been very useful for, and it is a good looking and comfy knife to hold thanks to that handle and the finger choil....as for the outdoor jobs, I have been using a $20 SZCO "Black Tech Bowie" with 420HC blade and an rubberized ABS handle for the past couple years and it's handled all yard work duties around the cottage...I think 420HC is a great durable steel for all kinds of chores...Buck knives must also agree, because Buck still uses 420HC for many of their knives. I suspect that Buck has a better hardening process than the OEM that manufacturers the SZCO knives, but you never know.
We used the old "western" company bowie's as tree choppers and beat them silly for years growing up on farms. Brass guards and a drop-down sheath, like 15-20 bucks at the flea market/gun show. Need to pick up another old one for around camp as a loaner, they were solid usable rough chore knives that could do all the camp stuff, make fence posts out of small trees, and kill hogs just fine.
440c was superior to anything carried by the actual Jim Bowie. Seemed to do him just fine. Know why, cuz these guys had other tools to hack into wood for various things. They’d use the knife for knife tasks.
440C is a good steel. It's the other grades of 440 stainless that don't make very good knife blades. It holds an edge nicely and can take a beating. It isn't as expensive as other stainless steels partly because it's been around a long time. Stainless steels are harder than high carbon steels in general and tend to chip or break easier. It's a trade off. Longer edge retention than carbon steels, but harder to sharpen. It's all in the heat treat. High edge retention-loss of toughness. Lower edge retention- higher toughness. Toughness being: resistant to breakage.
Thank you for speaking up. Randall Made used 440C for their stainless knives, such as my Model 10-3 Saltwater Fisherman. It used to be the darling of custom knife makers. I'll add that Buck uses 420HC with Bose heat treating that has proven itself for many decades. When I hear Surgical Stainless I think of basic 420 which is a minimal knife steel. I can pass on Pakastani-made blades in general. As you said, it's all in the heat treat.
I got my two Bowie's from a discount store, made in Pakistan, I wanted two as a set, due to a series of adventure books that I read called "Endworld" by David Robbins. In between killi'n Bars, they really work good for digging sprinkler trenches. In a pinch I can just hitt'em with a sanding disc and they can be sharp again. Mine are like your last one shone. They have served me for many years. If I remember right my Bowie's were $9.95 each, back in the 1980's.
Thanks for the authors name. I got given a whole box of endworld novels 30 years ago. Long gone now but I'll keep an eye out in case I find some again. .
I just ordered the Szco yesterday. Yours looked pretty good compared to a few others I've seen, but for the money it it's a good knife.Especially after you put some work in it. I also ordered the 1917 Frontier Bowie by CS.I hear that it shouldn't disappoint. (;
His SZCO definitely looked better than the one I received. I had to remove some rust off mine. It's definitely a carbon steel Bowie. I have no idea what kind of carbon steel, but it can take a lot of abuse.
That timber rattler is one touch cookie. I use it for chopping up wood, it’s a work horse. I like knives have them from $10 to $300 . A budget man I am, none of them use as show peace’s, they all work great. Will last a life time if you take care of them like anything else one has. Good video thank you for sharing.
Definitely impressed by the Mossy Oak it is the first knife I have ever purchased that has totally off the wall sharpness really blew me away that you could shave with it right out of the clam shell packaging and so cheap! I admit the sheath is crap but wow! cut a patch of fir off my forearm dry and my skin was nice and smooth as if I had used a 5 blade razor! Mossy Oak bowie has my vote.
Went to your site , like your knives . Signed up to get any deals you may have . Look like good sturdy knives. I have like 5 really really nice knives now . I try and buy at least one nice knife every once in a while. Nicest one is a handmade "Boker" it was like 270.00 now they are like over 400.00 I liked the mosquito but it's got a steep price for a little knife. Anyways , that last knife on your list I bought on purpose. It is actually made of car springs , and that's why I wanted it. It won't snap ,or break , what could be better in a survival bowie???? I could care less if it rusts ,as long as it doesn't break in the middle of no where. you ever get a scratched or slightly off mosquito ,holler at me. I have a good friend who came from the Bronx ,lived there his whole life till he came to Va. He ain't going back ever he said lol. He went up to visit and they broke into his suv and robbed him blind , it was the Va. tags . Peace.
I know personally the mossey oak and the Timber Rattler are the better of all those . I've owned and used them for lots of things . The Winchester bowie isn't worth buying . The blade breaks really easy along with the tang right at the guard. As far as the Vintage Bowie the only thing that is a problem is the brass on the spine coming off when you're using it .
Likewise, have used the Mossy Oak for batoning firewood for several seasons and has done quite well. Sure, some chips in edge but it cost me less than $20.
Found out about “surgical steel” when I was a kid. Over a period of 2yrs I bought a couple of Case knives. They were useless. Wouldn’t take or hold an edge , the edge just kept rolling over. I knew how to sharpen blades. When I was 7 my dad said I couldn’t have a knife until I could get one sharp enough to shave some hair off my arm or leg. I switched to Old Timers and never had a complaint. Switched to flippers or fixed because of crappy thumbs , but still have a couple a Old Timers in my bag.
I got mine for throwing, Bowie's are great for that, and aimed for 440 stainless. Winning! 20$ ish? Carry it in the woods, they are so handy it's tandy.
From Terry Pratchett's Men At Arms: The reason that the rich were so rich, Vimes reasoned, was because they managed to spend less money. Take boots, for example. He earned thirty-eight dollars a month plus allowances. A really good pair of leather boots cost fifty dollars. But an affordable pair of boots, which were sort of OK for a season or two and then leaked like hell when the cardboard gave out, cost about ten dollars. Those were the kind of boots Vimes always bought, and wore until the soles were so thin that he could tell where he was in Ankh-Morpork on a foggy night by the feel of the cobbles. But the thing was that good boots lasted for years and years. A man who could afford fifty dollars had a pair of boots that'd still be keeping his feet dry in ten years' time, while the poor man who could only afford cheap boots would have spent a hundred dollars on boots in the same time and would still have wet feet.
Surprised you didn't feature the Mtech MT-096 Bowie knife. It's a cheap blade that's been reviewed by a lot of YT knife channels. They basically try to break it since it's cheap and China-made and it holds up to abuse. I got one and I tried to abuse the tip to see if i could bend it. It won't get bent out of shape easily nor snap easily. Tac, a popular knife vlogger has the knife and he says he abused his and uses it to baton his firewood but the blade edge hasn't folded or chipped or snapped.
Sir, good reviews. I think the Winchester bowie in not 440C--I suspect it's 440A. Note: if it says "440" without the "C" --it is most likely 440A . 440C is much higher quality.
Picked up a Winchester at a flea market a few years ago. Had to reshape it a bit as someone had broken the point off. The primitive Bowie is reminiscent of an Arab dagger I have, designed to puncture chain mail.
I have a CASE Bowie knife (Made in USA). Never used for anything other than display. It has a nice embossed leather sheath that I keep waxed. My favorite knife is a HELLE GT hunting knife. Made in Norway with a laminated blade.
I own the timber rattler, never used it before, but the one of the far right I have owned that one for years and put it through hell it's become a little wobbly with the guard and needs a new handle, but the blade itself isn't bad quality that I've noticed but I'll check your site out man
It probably wasn't out when this video was made but the Rough Ryder Black Mule Bowie is the absolute best $24.99 you can spend on a big knife right now... If you don't mind that it was made in China that is. I generally buy American made, especially when it comes to something as inherently American as a bowie, but then I end up caring about what happens to them. If you want a knife with a cozy handle and excellent blade geometry, that will work its ass off for cheap, and comes with a decent sheath and 3Cr13 steel (better than most at this price) I highly recommend it. Got mine on SMKW.
That Winchester bowie is actually fantastic for the price ! I've cut small trees with it while camping and split kindling with it really only thing is some minor chips in the blade had fot 15 years now !
Yep I bought that Timber Rattler I thought it looked cool , 30 bucks ok add to cart , just a display piece , also that fuller groove as you called it , what's the idea for that feature ? ok thanks .
My mossy oak went with me everywhere for two years. Two week long trips into the Red River Gorge, several deer, a few bigger blue cats, and loads of gar. A hawthorne tree finally killed it. Had two half quarter sized chunks snapped outta the blade after going after some small limbs to help clear a trail.
Thank you for posting... A Great Group of "Cheap Knives!" I have owned a few of these... but not many. Actually... have spent more: received about the same, or less quality? As... the "advertising shown better than received?" Such can be life. J
I bought a Buffalo Horn handle Bowie Knife from Atlanta Cutlery way back in 2006. They don’t sell it any more, but it was almost an exact replica of the Iron Mistress used by Alan Ladd in the movie Iron Mistress (btw that knife was also used by Richard Widmark in John Wayne’s movie The Alamo). It was a $75 knife back then, and I carried it every day. I processed wood for a wood stove with it for seven winters. Probably the best ‘inexpensive’ Bowie that I own. My first Bowie knife is a Western W49 that I bought in 1987. I was working on a cattle ranch back then, and everyone called me “Cowboy Dundee” when I would go to town. lol
I won’t get a hollow ground chopper anymore I had a hen and rooster hr5000 and I was chopping 1/4 an inch soft wood branches and it chipped the blade beyond relate and I normally wouldn’t care but that was my great grandpas knife and I won’t get another one
I own all but the last 1, figured I'd throw in my 2 cents best to worst 1) Timber Rattler just because it's full Tang. 2) Primitive Bowie best steel of the 4 in my opinion ( take brass spine off before use. 3) Mossy Oak great full Tang knife, but steel is cheap rolls easily. 4) Winchester blade breaks too easy.
I bought a Timber Rattler. The metal is very soft and it had a very poor edge. If I could figure out some way to harden it I think it would make a good knife.
I have a bunch of cheap bowie knives as well and I have 2 hand made bowies but my favorite cheap one is a rough rider, it's a monster of a knife almost short sword sized. I have them all on my wall next to each other and the only one that ever gets a comment is the giant rough rider , my hand made one's never seem to spark a comment and they are way better built but not nearly as big.
Surgical steel or surgical stainless steel is ss 440 . The basic stainless from which was develop the old faithful 440C which is far better. But good enough to abuse it and fix it whenever necessary. My 2¢
Why punish us with midroll adds, I will never let one run if I can catch it, I doubt anyone else does either, put two adds up front and two at the end, I will let them run, I encourage others to do the same. Midroll adds drive viewers to add free subscriptions and add free browsers, which diverts away or eliminates the revenue stream for content providers / channel owners.
That cheap SZCO Bowie actually is carbon steel. Mine arrived with some rust I had to remove from the handle. You look like you received one of their better iterations. That blade can take a surprising amount of abuse.
I am in no way saying that Pakistani knives are the best knives in the world, and even though I despise their government their knives are better than the knives made in China.
I carry the Mossy Oak Bowie every day in inner city Cleveland. Had it over a year, got it on Amazon. It goes well in a shoulder rig, and has saved my butt twice so far. my only problem with it is that the handle gets slippery when biologicals get on it. I solved the problem same as with other knives, by putting 1/4" strips of cloth medical tape on the handle, 1/4" apart. It holds an edge very well, although I never use it for anything but defence. I sharpened the top hook for back cuts, and I depend on this knife dayly.
That’s legal to carry in Cleveland? Glad to hear you’re keeping yourself safe out there. I’m curious, what style of shoulder rig do you carry with? Is it over clothing or concealed? I ask because I know some States have no length restrictions on fixed blades when open-carried.
Thing i see most about knives like these is: it's gotta be massive, got to be mean looking for an attractive price. But what you end up with is a big & plain blade with little diffinition, weighted wrong, bad OTT clipping all complete with the cheapest made sheath they could spend no time on, mostly just glued together with fake stichching. I must say looking at the knife, along with peoples reviews in these comments it seems the Timber Rattler is a clear favourite. I used to have quite a knife collection when i was younger, but sadly i was forced to surrender them all to the authorities. some of them i sorely wish i still had.
Does anyone else carry one of these big knives, I do I carry it anywhere I go and I get some looks but I believe a man should stand his ground And I personally like my big knife And a sharp belly knife that we,the men, are fighting on a level playing skill.BREAK THE RULES,,,, LEVEL THE PLAYING KNIFE TO KNIFE. THERE WONT BE ANY BYSTANDERS ACCIDENTALLY GET STABED!!!!!
Thanks for the video. The Mossy Oak is my favorite, I like the blade shape on that one.
I had a Mossy Oak knife for over a year.....i beat the Crap out of it on Purpose !!
It never once failed me or broke, threw it at trees & the ground & everything possible.
Left it in my unlocked camp & someone stole it.
Go Figure.
🙄🤷♂️
@@derekcroft2055i hate people who steal stuff. Especially a beaten up knife like why? Its obvious somebody uses it and likes it alot why be a dirtbag yknow?
Just got a Timber Rattler over the holidays... it's definitely more than a wall hanger. Chewed through a tree as thick as my calf.(and I do a lot of walking.)
Only time I put a dent in it is when I swung at a tree that my weirdo nephew put a nail through.(dented the nail even more)
Yea... 😒 A selfish thief is going to all of a sudden grow a conscious over a cheap shitty bowie knife 🤦🏻♂️ 😆
I got that Winchester when I was younger. Recently me and my dad have been building fires a lot so we decided to start using it as a chopper. For $20, we beat the shit out of that knife while chopping logs up. One night we were camping and he was chopping a log. I was so surprised at the beatings it had been through and held together for its price. I started to say “Damn, that thing’s held up well” and as soon as I said that my dad said “Oh no!”, turned to me and it crumbled right there. The tang was full, sure, but it looked like it had somewhat of an awkward taper and the grain was very wide. I think they cheeped out on material for the tang in order to save money. Probably thought nobody would notice or care, which I really didn’t because for 20 bucks, this knife IMPRESSED me. Keep it, use it when it’s necessary and you’ll get your moneys worth. Hell, if you don’t beat the tar out of it the damn thing might even last you a lifetime.
had that same knife for 17 years .still going strong ,only use it to cut meats at my cook outs. always kept it sharp ...always know your knives limitations
I’ve been using my Timber Rattler to split kindling for 2 years now. No problems yet !
Thanks I’m taking this for advice 👍
That does help decision making. Thanks
Yeah I here the Timber Rattler is beast of a knife and can do some camp tasks very well
My Timber Rattler has been beat in almost every way possible and in my opinion is a beast of a knife 😂 it’s been through everything from wood to car doors and after all that it’s still good lookin
Got mine for Solstice this year. It's a good mini machete. Especially for the price.
I got my mosse oke 14 in bowie around two years ago carried it almost every day and with proper maintenance it is razor sharp, it is a true dimond in the rough and it hasn't let me down yet, I use it very hard chopping branches and clearing land, its great can't recommend it enough
I’ve beat the sh*t out of my Timber Rattler for the past three years. It takes a lickin’ & keeps on tickin’‼️
Very practical review. 👍🏽‼️
That timber rattler I use to chop trees,the thing is a tank...highly recommend it
I used the timber rattler on multiple occassions. Camping, and on FTX. It works great for chopping wood, just needs to be sharpened a ton.
I own and use regularly the last one you showed and have used it from new for 15 years. I have no complaints. It's rugged and very very forgiving of abuse. It doesn't hold the edge best but it's good enough for farm work and basic camping needs.
I have the Winchester that you have, I've used it Hard as a Survival / Bushcraft knife for 19 Years, it's a very durable blade, mine will shave my arm hair. I love this Knife.
I like the not so perfect bowie knifes it gives it some character
Interesting hearing the comments of a real maker. Cool!
I have the timber rattler personally and i havent had any issues with it yet other than the sheath being kinda cheap feeling on the stitching and the heft of the knife being a bit more than my preferred weight but i could have also gotten lucky and got a really good one. it was also around 80$ from my friends shop here in hawaii but factoring in the shipping/operating costs of a business here in Hawaii plus the jones act which makes even the cheapest of items sometimes over 2X the MSRP it was pretty cheap for a knife that big
Stop Lying, Gloria!!
That last one looks like a clone of the W49, Western, Boulder, Colorado bowie. The W49 has brass guards. Check em out on Ebay, I found one out in the desert a few years ago and left it out but under cover until just this year. Only one grip panel, took it off, soaked the metal in vinegar overnight, as it was pretty rusty. Wiped it down, wrapped it in vinegar-soaked paper towels for another anti-rust treatment (it was in bad shape...had no idea what it was until I could get the crud off) overnight and, much to my surprise, came out with this deep dark blued piece of steel. Dunked it in a mild baking soda solution to neutralize the vinegar from etching, it said, Western W49, Boulder, made in 1999, I think. Used the half handle for a template and made new panels from an old hickory ax handle. Had the sheath, too, pretty dried out, but some Shoe Goop and Black Rock leather treatment brought it back to life. Took a razor edge, easily, and now hangs by the front door.
Wish I'd bought a case of em when they were twenty bucks.
W-49 are my favorite. I have about 10 of them. E-bay auctions. 😁
I have the first knife the Winchester it's actually really good me and my dad go hunting with it we skinned a moose before it works really well
Got the primitive bowie, sharpened it crazy sharp and it actually keeps an edge pretty well.
I've had my Winchester Bowie for about 15+ years now and it's one of my favorite Bowie's. I sharpened the swedge on my grampas belt sander to make it more "fighty" lol
I got one just like that last one over 35 years ago. I believe it was a Walmart purchase. It's still with me and it works well for skinning and butchering game. The heaft of the blade does help chopping through bone a lot easier.
The Timber Rattler is very usable. I use it on my boat when I’m out fishing and camping . I bought it as a beater and it has definitely lived up to being a beater . Surprised it actually holds an edge better than expected. Awesome video
3Cr13 is basically 420J2 budget stainless steel. Not great, it might require frequent sharpening, but it's easy to sharpen and is serviceable.
I have fell over a hundred trees with my Timber Rattler Outlaw Bowie. Some of them were over 10 inches in diameter. I have carried it on many hunting and camping trips with extreme confidence. I have cut every thing from apples to barb wire. I have Tops, Toor, Fobo, Busse, and many other large fixed blades, but my Outlaw Bowie is the one I ususally grab.
The only low budget bowie I own are 2 Cold Steel Black Bear Bowie Machetes. They're a beast in the field compared to those wall hangers and I only paid $21 each or so on Amazon.
Im pretty sure if you use Timber Rattler outdoors you'll be surprised to see that it can take some serious beating and yet holds ups nice. Old TRs didn't have much of and edge on them but recently i bought one made out of 1095 streel and it has much better edge. Sizko supply is also not a wall hangar by any means
In case you really wonder, I have the TIMBER RATTLER, I've had it at least 5 yrs. At the time of purchase from BK knives, it was $19.95. I have since that time despite acquiring numerous other Bowie knives it has had the crap beat out of it and established itself as one of my better $20 investments.
How many times have you sharpened it though?
I like inexpensive big Bowie knives and have used them as a multi function utility knife for several decades...I won't hesitate to use a 15" Bowie knife instead of a larger machete anytime.
I've had the Winchester Bowie for 20+ years and I have always been attracted to its design, especially the wood handle with those finger grooves...and I used it every summer at my Family's cottage for all sorts of yard work and general utility type duties, nothing too abusive and I took care of it like I care for all my tools. it's still around, but I kind of retired it to culinary use at our BBQ, which it has been very useful for, and it is a good looking and comfy knife to hold thanks to that handle and the finger choil....as for the outdoor jobs, I have been using a $20 SZCO "Black Tech Bowie" with 420HC blade and an rubberized ABS handle for the past couple years and it's handled all yard work duties around the cottage...I think 420HC is a great durable steel for all kinds of chores...Buck knives must also agree, because Buck still uses 420HC for many of their knives. I suspect that Buck has a better hardening process than the OEM that manufacturers the SZCO knives, but you never know.
This Video of Yours Is the BADDEST Out there, Awesome blades showcased here. You Rock Mr. River Blades
We used the old "western" company bowie's as tree choppers and beat them silly for years growing up on farms. Brass guards and a drop-down sheath, like 15-20 bucks at the flea market/gun show. Need to pick up another old one for around camp as a loaner, they were solid usable rough chore knives that could do all the camp stuff, make fence posts out of small trees, and kill hogs just fine.
The Westerns have become very collectible. You won't find them anywhere near that price anymore. I own two, and they are great knives.
@@boomstickman71 same story with my barlow knife. Them old ka-bar ones are pricey now.
440c was superior to anything carried by the actual Jim Bowie. Seemed to do him just fine. Know why, cuz these guys had other tools to hack into wood for various things. They’d use the knife for knife tasks.
440C is a good steel. It's the other grades of 440 stainless that don't make very good knife blades. It holds an edge nicely and can take a beating. It isn't as expensive as other stainless steels partly because it's been around a long time. Stainless steels are harder than high carbon steels in general and tend to chip or break easier. It's a trade off. Longer edge retention than carbon steels, but harder to sharpen. It's all in the heat treat. High edge retention-loss of toughness. Lower edge retention- higher toughness. Toughness being: resistant to breakage.
Thank you for speaking up. Randall Made used 440C for their stainless knives, such as my Model 10-3 Saltwater Fisherman. It used to be the darling of custom knife makers. I'll add that Buck uses 420HC with Bose heat treating that has proven itself for many decades. When I hear Surgical Stainless I think of basic 420 which is a minimal knife steel. I can pass on Pakastani-made blades in general. As you said, it's all in the heat treat.
I got my two Bowie's from a discount store, made in Pakistan, I wanted two as a set, due to a series of adventure books that I read called "Endworld" by David Robbins. In between killi'n Bars, they really work good for digging sprinkler trenches. In a pinch I can just hitt'em with a sanding disc and they can be sharp again. Mine are like your last one shone. They have served me for many years. If I remember right my Bowie's were $9.95 each, back in the 1980's.
Thanks for the authors name. I got given a whole box of endworld novels 30 years ago. Long gone now but I'll keep an eye out in case I find some again. .
I just ordered the Szco yesterday.
Yours looked pretty good compared to a few others I've seen, but for the money it it's a good knife.Especially after you put some work in it.
I also ordered the 1917 Frontier Bowie by CS.I hear that it shouldn't disappoint. (;
His SZCO definitely looked better than the one I received. I had to remove some rust off mine. It's definitely a carbon steel Bowie. I have no idea what kind of carbon steel, but it can take a lot of abuse.
I have the timber rattler and it performs just as good a more expensive one ... only issue I have is it takes a long time to sharpen
That timber rattler is one touch cookie. I use it for chopping up wood, it’s a work horse. I like knives have them from $10 to $300 . A budget man I am, none of them use as show peace’s, they all work great. Will last a life time if you take care of them like anything else one has. Good video thank you for sharing.
Definitely impressed by the Mossy Oak it is the first knife I have ever purchased that has totally off the wall sharpness really blew me away that you could shave with it right out of the clam shell packaging and so cheap! I admit the sheath is crap but wow! cut a patch of fir off my forearm dry and my skin was nice and smooth as if I had used a 5 blade razor! Mossy Oak bowie has my vote.
Went to your site , like your knives . Signed up to get any deals you may have . Look like good sturdy knives. I have like 5 really really nice knives now . I try and buy at least one nice knife every once in a while. Nicest one is a handmade "Boker" it was like 270.00 now they are like over 400.00 I liked the mosquito but it's got a steep price for a little knife. Anyways , that last knife on your list I bought on purpose. It is actually made of car springs , and that's why I wanted it. It won't snap ,or break , what could be better in a survival bowie???? I could care less if it rusts ,as long as it doesn't break in the middle of no where. you ever get a scratched or slightly off mosquito ,holler at me. I have a good friend who came from the Bronx ,lived there his whole life till he came to Va. He ain't going back ever he said lol. He went up to visit and they broke into his suv and robbed him blind , it was the Va. tags . Peace.
I know personally the mossey oak and the Timber Rattler are the better of all those . I've owned and used them for lots of things . The Winchester bowie isn't worth buying . The blade breaks really easy along with the tang right at the guard. As far as the Vintage Bowie the only thing that is a problem is the brass on the spine coming off when you're using it .
Likewise, have used the Mossy Oak for batoning firewood for several seasons and has done quite well. Sure, some chips in edge but it cost me less than $20.
Found out about “surgical steel” when I was a kid. Over a period of 2yrs I bought a couple of Case knives. They were useless. Wouldn’t take or hold an edge , the edge just kept rolling over. I knew how to sharpen blades. When I was 7 my dad said I couldn’t have a knife until I could get one sharp enough to shave some hair off my arm or leg. I switched to Old Timers and never had a complaint. Switched to flippers or fixed because of crappy thumbs , but still have a couple a Old Timers in my bag.
I got mine for throwing, Bowie's are great for that, and aimed for 440 stainless. Winning! 20$ ish? Carry it in the woods, they are so handy it's tandy.
From Terry Pratchett's Men At Arms: The reason that the rich were so rich, Vimes reasoned, was because they managed to spend less money. Take boots, for example. He earned thirty-eight dollars a month plus allowances. A really good pair of leather boots cost fifty dollars. But an affordable pair of boots, which were sort of OK for a season or two and then leaked like hell when the cardboard gave out, cost about ten dollars. Those were the kind of boots Vimes always bought, and wore until the soles were so thin that he could tell where he was in Ankh-Morpork on a foggy night by the feel of the cobbles. But the thing was that good boots lasted for years and years. A man who could afford fifty dollars had a pair of boots that'd still be keeping his feet dry in ten years' time, while the poor man who could only afford cheap boots would have spent a hundred dollars on boots in the same time and would still have wet feet.
Thanks for explaining the name, plunge line, for that particular part of the blade.
The Mossy Oak has nice shape and i love the shape and the styles. I made 4 knife with that shape with different steels.
Surprised you didn't feature the Mtech MT-096 Bowie knife. It's a cheap blade that's been reviewed by a lot of YT knife channels. They basically try to break it since it's cheap and China-made and it holds up to abuse. I got one and I tried to abuse the tip to see if i could bend it. It won't get bent out of shape easily nor snap easily. Tac, a popular knife vlogger has the knife and he says he abused his and uses it to baton his firewood but the blade edge hasn't folded or chipped or snapped.
The best knife there is the timber rattler. Re-profile the edge and sharpen it.
Sir, good reviews. I think the Winchester bowie in not 440C--I suspect it's 440A. Note: if it says "440" without the "C" --it is most likely 440A .
440C is much higher quality.
These are the type of knives that I would beat the crap out of without a care in the world.
Picked up a Winchester at a flea market a few years ago. Had to reshape it a bit as someone had broken the point off. The primitive Bowie is reminiscent of an Arab dagger I have, designed to puncture chain mail.
the primitive look like the first genre of bowie knife in the history
What did you say?
Awesome!! That last knife, the box reminded me of buying a pair of boots lmao. Good shit tho
But the knive of the last Box looks like my knive what i have Buy on Amazon !
I think it was called something like crocodile dunde knive at amazon !
Cost really isn't the best judge of a knife; especially for a real workhorse.
Sometimes inexpensive knives are not crap but surprisingly tough.
I've got 2 timber rattlers.
Haven't killed them yet. But they are not my go-to knives but I have put them through some punishment
Timber Rattler Outlaw is the best of all in this video. 😊
Some of those wall hangers chop surprisingly well, there's a few reviews of them on youtube
^
I'm about to order the Mossey oak.
I have a CASE Bowie knife (Made in USA). Never used for anything other than display. It has a nice embossed leather sheath that I keep waxed.
My favorite knife is a HELLE GT hunting knife. Made in Norway with a laminated blade.
The Winchester is just a
Wall Hanger and nothing more with a welded tang ,it okay for lite cutting if any thing.
I own the timber rattler, never used it before, but the one of the far right I have owned that one for years and put it through hell it's become a little wobbly with the guard and needs a new handle, but the blade itself isn't bad quality that I've noticed but I'll check your site out man
The second one looks like it is quite good.
It probably wasn't out when this video was made but the Rough Ryder Black Mule Bowie is the absolute best $24.99 you can spend on a big knife right now... If you don't mind that it was made in China that is. I generally buy American made, especially when it comes to something as inherently American as a bowie, but then I end up caring about what happens to them. If you want a knife with a cozy handle and excellent blade geometry, that will work its ass off for cheap, and comes with a decent sheath and 3Cr13 steel (better than most at this price) I highly recommend it. Got mine on SMKW.
Your enthusiasm is contagious. I don't get excited by any of these either.
The big one with the brass on the spine is a copy of the Musso bowie
Like your review of these bowie knifes
Classic bowies can find each and every one of these at Academy Sports
I got a Winchester & Mossy Oak. Love em both.
YeeHaa!
I like the Timber Rattler myself I want one.
That Winchester bowie is actually fantastic for the price ! I've cut small trees with it while camping and split kindling with it really only thing is some minor chips in the blade had fot 15 years now !
Yep I bought that Timber Rattler I thought it looked cool , 30 bucks ok add to cart , just a display piece , also that fuller groove as you called it , what's the idea for that feature ? ok thanks .
My mossy oak went with me everywhere for two years. Two week long trips into the Red River Gorge, several deer, a few bigger blue cats, and loads of gar. A hawthorne tree finally killed it. Had two half quarter sized chunks snapped outta the blade after going after some small limbs to help clear a trail.
Is that the Red River Gorge in Kentucky? That is very rough terrain, also very beautiful
@@mwilson70201 Yes sir. Rough hike but worth every step.
So you went on a wekk long hunt and fishing expedition? Man, I'd love to do something like that. Just makss me feel at home
Wait when you say two half quarter size chunks, what are u referring to? Chunks of the blade came off?
@@spotos5154 Yeah. What else would I be referring to? Lol
Wish I could post pics. Both pieces snapped away almost on top of each other.
Thank you for posting... A Great Group of "Cheap Knives!" I have owned a few of these... but not many. Actually... have spent more: received about the same, or less quality? As... the "advertising shown better than received?" Such can be life. J
I bought a Buffalo Horn handle Bowie Knife from Atlanta Cutlery way back in 2006. They don’t sell it any more, but it was almost an exact replica of the Iron Mistress used by Alan Ladd in the movie Iron Mistress (btw that knife was also used by Richard Widmark in John Wayne’s movie The Alamo).
It was a $75 knife back then, and I carried it every day. I processed wood for a wood stove with it for seven winters. Probably the best ‘inexpensive’ Bowie that I own.
My first Bowie knife is a Western W49 that I bought in 1987. I was working on a cattle ranch back then, and everyone called me “Cowboy Dundee” when I would go to town. lol
THis is good information... to start with. Will you do a part 2 with a stress test on each?
I'm have seen some one break a brick with the winchester you be like it's okay it probably gone break no 👎dude it amazing
I won’t get a hollow ground chopper anymore I had a hen and rooster hr5000 and I was chopping 1/4 an inch soft wood branches and it chipped the blade beyond relate and I normally wouldn’t care but that was my great grandpas knife and I won’t get another one
I own all but the last 1, figured I'd throw in my 2 cents best to worst 1) Timber Rattler just because it's full Tang. 2) Primitive Bowie best steel of the 4 in my opinion ( take brass spine off before use. 3) Mossy Oak great full Tang knife, but steel is cheap rolls easily. 4) Winchester blade breaks too easy.
The last one seems to be the best of the lot.
Bowie is more of a design where some people think it's just a big ass knife. My Buck119 is a Bowie and the blades only 6 inches.
I bought a Timber Rattler. The metal is very soft and it had a very poor edge. If I could figure out some way to harden it I think it would make a good knife.
I have a bunch of cheap bowie knives as well and I have 2 hand made bowies but my favorite cheap one is a rough rider, it's a monster of a knife almost short sword sized. I have them all on my wall next to each other and the only one that ever gets a comment is the giant rough rider , my hand made one's never seem to spark a comment and they are way better built but not nearly as big.
Surgical steel or surgical stainless steel is ss 440 . The basic stainless from which was develop the old faithful 440C which is far better.
But good enough to abuse it and fix it whenever necessary. My 2¢
Why punish us with midroll adds,
I will never let one run if I can catch it, I doubt
anyone else does either, put two adds up front
and two at the end, I will let them run, I encourage
others to do the same.
Midroll adds drive viewers to add free subscriptions
and add free browsers, which diverts away or eliminates
the revenue stream for content providers / channel owners.
WR case say their knives are made of surgical steel so does that mean the knives are no good?
I know about "good" knives, but I still really love some big cheap bowie knives! lol
If a knife steel has a "mirror finish" does that mean it is good quality steel?
Thank you brother
More like 420 stainless steel. 440c is a bit tougher than 420 steel.
"Knife has wood handle" lmao
That cheap SZCO Bowie actually is carbon steel. Mine arrived with some rust I had to remove from the handle. You look like you received one of their better iterations. That blade can take a surprising amount of abuse.
Might be a bit late but how was the tang on it? Was it a Traditional rat tang or just a steel rod welded to the blade?
@@normalcitizen_1100% full tang, not even hidden.
the "primitive " bowie is a fairly close copy of an original from the early 18 hundreds ! the steel isnt up to par , but other wise not a bad knife 1
Why hang them on the wall ,use them ,if you destroy it it doesn't matter buy another one, knives that can be abused should be the title of your vid,
I am in no way saying that Pakistani knives are the best knives in the world, and even though I despise their government their knives are better than the knives made in China.
I carry the Mossy Oak Bowie every day in inner city Cleveland. Had it over a year, got it on Amazon. It goes well in a shoulder rig, and
has saved my butt twice so far. my only problem with it is that the handle gets slippery when biologicals get on it.
I solved the problem same as with other knives, by putting 1/4" strips of cloth medical tape on the handle, 1/4" apart.
It holds an edge very well, although I never use it for anything but defence. I sharpened the top hook for back cuts, and I
depend on this knife dayly.
That’s legal to carry in Cleveland? Glad to hear you’re keeping yourself safe out there. I’m curious, what style of shoulder rig do you carry with? Is it over clothing or concealed?
I ask because I know some States have no length restrictions on fixed blades when open-carried.
Thing i see most about knives like these is: it's gotta be massive, got to be mean looking for an attractive price. But what you end up with is a big & plain blade with little diffinition, weighted wrong, bad OTT clipping all complete with the cheapest made sheath they could spend no time on, mostly just glued together with fake stichching. I must say looking at the knife, along with peoples reviews in these comments it seems the Timber Rattler is a clear favourite.
I used to have quite a knife collection when i was younger, but sadly i was forced to surrender them all to the authorities. some of them i sorely wish i still had.
Caballero. Ésos cuchillos los venden???
Wish someone would build a copy of the Western W49 Bowie knife
timber rattle very good knife
Winchester has hidden short tang, not full tang construction.
Entertainmenting and amusing!
Does anyone else carry one of these big knives, I do I carry it anywhere I go and I get some looks but I believe a man should stand his ground And I personally like my big knife And a sharp belly knife that we,the men, are fighting on a level playing skill.BREAK THE RULES,,,, LEVEL THE PLAYING KNIFE TO KNIFE. THERE WONT BE ANY BYSTANDERS ACCIDENTALLY GET STABED!!!!!
What good is a wall hanger if it isn’t functional
Wunderschöne Messer.