Cold Steel 1917 Frontier Bowie Fixed Blade Knife 12.25" Clip Point 1085 Black Blade Hardwood Handle

If you like solid black knives then this is your knife. This knife is simply a beast of a knife, It's massive and long. Its balanced well and sturdy. The handle is surprisingly pretty comfortable I can easily get good grips and the hand guard is very nice and simple. The blade itself is definitely solid black except for the cutting edge. I sharpen all my knives before I use them, this one did sail right through thick rope. It will definitely cut. The weight is lighter than what I imagined which is still surprises me every time. You could pretty much cut anything the blade is pretty thick. Its is very versatile kudos to cold steel 👏 another flawless victory

I wanted a Bowie knife to add to my knife collection. My collection is a working collections, so I use them. That meant that my criteria for the a Bowie that would meet my aesthetic tastes, still be a functional worker, and not be so expensive that I was hesitant to actually strap it on my hip and take it into the woods. So the the big 600 buck Bowie by Cold Steel didn't really fit in my collection by that criteria. But the 1917 Bowie seemed just right given the price point. I think it is intended to imitate Bowies that might have been found in World War I trenches. And so I thought it would pair well with my Cold Steel Trench Hawk. When I got the thing, it seemed even better. I thought I understood the Bowie knife form. I thought I understood the limits of what a Bowie knife could be. So, I didn't really pay that much attention to the dimensions. I thought it would be about the size of the Laredo Bowie. What I got would be considered a sword in Hobbiton. This is one big knife, that comes perilously close to being a machete. That said, it is a very fine looking beast. It is all blued Steel, has a stout wooden handle, and a solid leather sheath with some kind of rigid interior structure. Mine came sharp. I know some reviewers have not had that experience. I've no complaints. This is exactly the Bowie knife you want for bushcraft, bear fighting or the zombie apocalypse. If you are thinking about, go ahead and order it. It is a great Bowie.

As others have mentioned, you do have to sharpen this knife. It doesn't come butter knife dull, but it won't cut paper or hair. That's not a problem, because you should know how to sharpen a knife if you're going to buy one like this. I don't think there's a better high carbon steel, 0.25" thick spine, full tang Bowie, with a great sheath, for a price this low. The only other knife I can think of would be the Ontario SP10 Marine Raider Bowie, which requires a lot more sharpening out of the box. This knife comes with a better sheath, and it has more reach. As a multipurpose survival, camping, and fighting knife, the SP10 is definitely better. However, this is a better knife for self defense, and you can do the same things with it, that you can do with the SP10. I'm very impressed. Kydex sheaths, or thick nylon sheaths with full polymer inserts, are my preference. However, the craftsmanship and thickness of this leather sheath is incredible. If you were to buy a custom leather sheath like this, it would be the same price as the knife! Buy it if you like big Bowies. This one won't let you down.

So you want a cold steel bowie huh,? good old American made , sharpest, strongest brainchild of Lynn Thompson and all the beefy choppy and stabbiness and slicey and diceyness that cold steel has produced for 35 years? This is not it. its not a Trailmaster. I must say that it looks good, feels good in the hands. and has that fresh out the armory WW1 Soldier's parents got him a special gift to take with him to the battlefield in case he needed to handle some enemies in the trenches. Or maybe you fancy yourself the last man standing at the end of the Battle of the Alamo. Whatever your reason, this is a serious weapon. Its designed to dominate in a knife fight, or to even the odds against multiple attacking bears/wolves. Problem is you need to sharpen it for a while because it comes dull, the grip is loose and wobbly, and the leather comes dry, must be oiled/conditioned The blade is a foot long yet only has about 9.75 inches of usable edge. Ridiculous choil, extremely square grip is big and uncomfortable for extended use, but is great for keeping the edge properly aligned on target. Great for big hands. I was able to remove the grip and coat the surface of the tang with adhesive so it eliminated the considerable wobble. The guard is robust, but only attached to the tang with 2 tiny little tack welds. Areas of the guard are sharp enough to cut my finger. Long story short, its not cold steel, but its a lot of knife for the price. The sheath alone should be 100 retail. Has a nice swivel that is great for ridin, Its a well balanced fighter that needs just a little help to become great. These are no longer made in South Africa. Theyre made in India. Overall its not bad. Nice gun blue finish.

I've passed this over for years for things like adding to my Chaos collection or a Warcraft (xl) or a Marauder or two and I have to say the reviews and pictures did not do it justice. It could be sharper, but it does come to a needle point, and it has a real finger choil which can secure a three-point lock on the blade for fine work. Once I clean and waxed the blade, it has the appearance of Black Chrome. The Rose wood handle is beautiful and surprisingly comfortable. The sheath is not molle compatible but seems well made with an Old-World elegance which is hard to ignore. Bottom line is it's a Beast which has a good chance of getting you to hell and back, if need be, in style.

Mine came shaving sharp. The blade seems properly ground with identical bevels on both sides of the blade. The polished blued finish is attractive in a utilitarian way. The knife and scabbard both have a down-to-earth utilitarian appearance that is a pleasure to look at. The grip scales are some sort of tropical hardwood and are smooth and comfortable in the hand without being slick. It's easy to keep a secure grip on it. This thing is huge! When I first handled it I was thinking that it felt more like a Roman gladius short-sword than a Bowie knife. Nonetheless, it's still extremely handy and fast, much more nimble than you'd guess from just its immense size. The blade seems to be an ideal compromise between being thick enough for toughness while not weighing a half-ton. As noted it shaved my arm right out of the box. it is officially the largest Bowie I own (I have a collection of custom and vintage Bowies) being about a half-inch longer in blade than my next largest one, The Natchez Bowie, also a Cold Steel product. The scabbard is also (apparently) period-correct and is quite elaborate, having a leather frog it's suspended from as well as a metal tip. The knife comes with a coating of what appears to be lithium grease on the blade, and you should leave it on the blade or at least re-grease it after cleaning. There's some sort of friction spring arrangement inside that holds the blade securely yet is also easy to draw quickly from. The grease probably keeps the friction retainer from marking the blued blade. I've only scratched the surface in Filipino knife fighting but like I said, this huge blade is *fast* and handy. It does NOT handle like a battle axe. More like a rapier. The enormous guard would also be quite effective in protecting the hand in the unlikely event you actually found yourself having to engage in a knife fight. Would definitely purchase again and would have no qualms at all over taking this thing on a camping trip with me or engaging in combat with it. I've several Cold Steel Bowies, starting with an original Trailmaster I bought in 1987, and will keep on collecting them as long as Cold Steel keeps making them.

Big cheap cost and very fun to use. Sharp and pointy. I've carried it in the mall and other stores. I've cut meat and 2×4s. I love this thing.

Big bowie Knife, has blued blade, thick, looks rustic, wood scales fastened with slotted screws, needs some sharpening Heavy sheath, made well MIC, sheath and knife priced very well for this type large bowie Five starz and pleased with purchase and Amazon shopping exp

Você se sente pronto para enfrentar qualquer coisa, um monstro de faca, linda e excelente.

Great knife. Stunning with excellent fit and finish. Deep bluing. Quality leather sheath. Large, yet tasteful.

El cuchillo me parece bueno, sin embargo, si no tienes cuidado se aprecia que la misma punta terminará por romper su funda

Ein schönes, großes ,aber durchaus elegantes, Bowiemesser.

I was looking for something paying tribute to the legend of Jim Bowie, and I do believe I've found it. This blade is a classic! Made in India, it comes with a British Proof Test certificate (for swords). This is a cross between a sword and machete really. It has impeccable quality. Perfectly blued, an even grind, and a typical sword quality sharpness. This is one very heavy blade. It certainly can be used for hacking brush or even cleaving meat. As a weapon for self defense, it's by far the scariest blade I've seen. The sheath is well suited for the blade and pays homage to the era quite well I find (I've attached a picture). It looks indeed to be all genuine leather and has a belt loop than can be detached from the scabbard. It does come shipped in grease. This is 1055 carbon steel commonly used for swords. It is susceptible to corrosion, so keep it dry. For the price you get a truly great product in my opinion. It's going to look beautiful on my wall!