Bill Bagwell and the Bowie

[Risque007]

I picked up a book in the library by Bill Bagwell that trumped the Bowie as the ultimate self-defense knife. Have any of you heard of Bagwell and his writings? What do you think?

Also, I saw his "ideal sheath" for carrying a knife that had the stud on the outside. Does anyone know where I could buy this sheath (or have it made) in either leather or cordura for a decent price?

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[KenpoTex]

Yeah, Bagwell's bowies are considered to be about the best "fighting" bowies on the market.

as far as the sheath, you're probably talking about the "Southern Comfort" from Mike Sastre of River City Sheaths

[Dave S]

I've been fortunate to be able to talk to Bill Bagwell on a couple of occaisions as well as handle about a half-dozen of his bowies about 23 years ago ( how time does fly ). His bowies are about the sweetest piece of cutting steel you will lay hands on. If I were able, I would most certainly buy a Bagwell bowie fighter as well as a 4 to 5 inch utility knife to go with it.
Don Hastings is gone. Bill Moran is too. If you want a piece of American knife history, get a Bill Bagwell bowie while he is with us.

[Rob72]

IIRC, Ontario Cutlery has production versions that Mr Bagwell is well pleased with, and they come with the stud-sheath.

[AzQkr]

Here's my Hells Belle by Bill Bagwel [ the top four are Bills work, the second and third are Belles ] and some others, and then third knife he ever made back in 1965 [ the stag handled bowie ]. I've trained with Bill on a few ocassions, a true southern gentleman, who happens to make one of, if not the finest fighting bowie on the planet.

I've got a few of them sitting in the safe.

Brownie

[AzQkr]

Here's my Hells Belles by Bill Bagwel and some others [ the second and third in the pic are Belles ], and the third knife he ever made back in 1965 [ the stag handled bowie ]. I've trained with Bill on a few ocassions, a true southern gentleman, who happens to make one of, if not the finest fighting bowie on the planet.

I've got a few of them sitting in the safe. As KenpoTex mentions, Sastre's sheaths are the hot set up in Kydex, Bill provides his knives with leather sheaths that his wife makes. Both use the "button" to keep the sheath from slipping down your pant leg.

About a 4 year wait at the moment for a Belle fighter. It'll cost about 5K at this time.

Brownie

[Yougetoverit]

Bagwell bowies look like great bowie knives - everyone praises them- and I will be investing in one soon (an Ontario - Hells Belle or some such), but I wonder about the handle - I'm the type who likes a handle along the order of the K-bar which has the guard and a substantial butt. I've never held a Bagwell, but it doesn't have the butt that I usually look for and I'm forever worried about the possibility of dropping a knife.

[Phil Elmore]

You shouldn't be worried about that. Unless you have hand strength issues, it's pretty hard to drop your own fixed blade without meaning to do so. That is, unless you're doing something silly.

[AzQkr]

Yougetoverit;

The coffin handled Bagwell bowies, as well as the authorized Ontario copies of them are fairly secure in the hand when using them. By the very design of the coffin handles getting larger at the butt end, you should not experience the knife leaving your hand.

Coffin handled knives took some getting used to for me at first, but the more I trained on them, the more I realized the design is superb for weapon retention while performing manual dexterity drills and running through the angles of attack/defenses.

I believe you'll like it.

Brownie