"The Beautiful Bark River Bowie" by Nutnfancy
Vložit
- čas přidán 11. 09. 2024
- The beautiful Bark River Bowie knife is a fighter. It would be easy to be taken in by its good looks and superb quality and perhaps think it to be a collectible only. These Limited Edition 2009 Bark Rivers follow classic Bowie lines and achieve engaging looks. But close analysis, as shown in this Nutnfancy review vid, shows the essential fighting elements to be securely intact. The 8.5" .190" thick A2 tool steel blade provides reach and wicked slash and penetration cutting capabilities. The A2 steel is triple tempered, vacuum quenched, and cryo-treated to achieve an extremely fine grain structure. It is truly razor sharp out of box...be careful. This keen Bowie clip blade, featuring a precise tip and excellent belly, will slice and cut most materials with ease. Convex ground, it may hold that edge a little longer as well but will take special resharpening technique. The handles of the 2009 Limited Edition Bark River Bowie knives were offered in Coffin or Sabre styles, both of which offer excellent and secure grip in all presentations. They are long and don't crowd large hands either, a hugely welcome feature in a fighting blade (also capable of non-lethal impacts too). Handle materials varied and are all superbly executed. Three favorites are shown: Natural Canvas Micarta, polished Green Micarta, and the strikingly beautiful Desert Ironwood. Even when wet the Micarta usually gives excellent traction for a presentation handle material. The polished solid brass guard is perfection, offering complete hand protection. The double quillions extend high but not too high as to be ridiculous. In hand the Bark River Bowie knife feels light, balanced, and fast. If you choke up as shown, its faster still. Its pedigree as a fighter is evident and it personifies the best of the breed from the 1800s. Yep it's a fighter. But of course the primary POU of this blade will be as collectible, its lucky owner deriving satisfaction and enjoyment from this pedigree and capabilities while admiring the equisite level of quality. Value is high in these 100% USA-made blades; around $200 depending on handle material. They will increase in value. The semi-production Bark River Bowies have high levels of fit and finish on par with custom versions costing exponentially more. Its classic good looks are enhanced by a superb quality Sharpshooter Sheath Systems leather sheath. Heavy saddle leather, quality stitching, waxed and rounded edges, good looks, and snug fit make it the perfect companion to these gorgeous blades. It personifies the bygone era where the well-made Bowie knife was a favored around tool and weapon of comfort. For classically designed, semi-production high quality Bowie, the Bark River version is the best in world at its price level.//////////////////////// ////////////////////Nutnfancy Likability Scale: 10 out of 10
I wish I could give a hundred thumbs up for story time alone!
Speaking of value. I would absolutely love to purchase this blade. I mean I have been looking to score one for a year and a half. Kept up a constant eBay search, forums, anywhere the possibility waited. I am so beyond in love with this blade. If you EVER are willing or looking to get rid of one my friend, please keep me and this comment in mind. I would be just beyond excited, ecstatic, I'd go absolutely crazy. So if you ever need some cash or room in the knife draw (knife room) whatever. Please remember this very overexcited comment, (that is 100% genuine btw). God Bless bro, Thanks for the awesome video.
A2 is in air quenched steel which means that it is not quenched in water or oil. That makes it less likely to crack and makes it easy to manufacture. I think A2 will probably serve most people very well. Thanks for the great review Nutnfancy!
I live 10 mins from Bark River, Ive drooled on those knives for years but cant afford to own any. Glad to hear others like them as well, this area could sure use the money.
A2 is actually one of the easiest steels I've ever sharpened, and I run a sharpening business off Bladeforums, so I've sharpened almost everything - M4, 01, 154CM, INFI, 1095, etc. And if you get a nice leather strop with some good (I.e. Bark River) sharpening compound, sharpening a convex becomes EXTREMELY easy. What makes them so easy is because the leather wraps around the edge, which makes it so that you don't have to be nearly as precise as with a typical v-edge. Plus, convex edges invariab
After watching this video I looked down and there was a puddle of drool on my desk because I couldn't stop oogling at these blades. Thanks for this awesome review nutn.
Just ordered a Bravo One! Can't wait.... Yes I've already purchased this knife but bring on the review my good man!
Hey Nutn, I talked to you about Bark river knife about two years ago. You told me that you new about them, but haven't investigated yet. I was impressed by this company, for the blade and for the sheath, overall package for the prize, looks amazing! Very collective and usefull tool, and pack whit history! Many of there design fits my own taste whit the shape of their blades, and some of their sheaths are pretty well design! Thanks for the review, and for the interaction with us the TNP fan!
This was one of your best knife reviews of all time Nutn, and I am a fan of and have watched most of them. I say this not because of this particular blade, though it is sweet, but because of the details and history you included about this blade. I loved the news article and your obvious passion for this blade and its history that made this a very enjoyable review. Thanks for everything!
For those who have trouble stropping or who havent done it at all, all you need is some various grits of sand paper (400,600,800,1000,2000) and a leather strop. If you want to get it bark river sharp get their compounds. But its really not hard and youll find it enjoyable and relaxing. CZcams has tons of videos on it. I recommend buying an Opinel folder and practicing on that. It is a convex blade and its really cheap. I strop all my knives, even ones with a V edge.
@mpuno888 Thank you for the gracious comment, very appreciated. These blades hold a fascination for me at this quality level. Replica Bowies not so much. But when taken into context from the American 1800s, and arriving in this quality level, they are a tractor beam for me. Especially mesmerizing is knowing their capabilities that are intact as ever. I wish here to sing the praises of the well-designed Bowie knife in general but particularly this impressive, value priced example.
"...Escanaba Michigan..." Hold up! Suddenly I feel more interested in this knife than I did seconds before. Michigan FTW!
(Cont. from last comment) But don't get me started on art direction...Let's all thank Mr. Nutnfancy and his wonderful TNP staffers again for delivering these wonderful reviews; by learning about these weapons & gear, the story & history behind them--we understand the larger "American Story" (i.e. or wherever you may be situated in the world), what it took to get where we are now, and how we can "fit into it"/make meaningful contributions to the process & system, without spoiling it. (my $.02)
LOL. I can't believe you're reviewing a Bark River knife... I'm from Escanaba, MI myself and have gone by their shop tons of times. I actually had a Western Civ class and sat by the owner about 9 years ago. Upper Peninsula represent!
don't be afraid of the convex edge, they truly are easier to sharpen and maintain. All you need is a paddle strop with black compound on one side and either white or green compound on the other side. In my experience, the benefits totally eclipse a standard v-edge.
Beautiful collectable knife. I dont think i would have the heart to use it. Thanks for the vid.
@nutnfancy
You must review the Tomahawk. A true American weapon, even greater than the Bowie Knife!
I have a barkie highland special...by far the BEST blade I've ever owned
Thanks for another great review and vid. You really do the knife community a great service by your keen appraisal of many different types of knives. Very sensible. And no religious proselytization! Thanks.
I've been to the forge that James Black worked at when Jim Bowie commissioned him to create the knife he designed... They still (I think) run a blacksmithing school out of that forge... Very cool vid Mr. Fancy...
'bout time you join the clan. Been a Bark River fan for 6 years at least. Before that I've own several BlackJack's.
My large blade fighting/survival is the Rogue Bowie full tang. It's an awesome tool.
**** on this review
The Sheen on that blade is amazing.
That knife is made 30 miles from my house, they make several fantastic blades.
So much variety in TNP somthing for everyone! tight budget or money to blow you serve all very well. good job Nutn!
I really like to see you showing this knife. It cuts so well because it is convex . As a law of physics it is 3-400% more powerful than a hollow or flat ground knife of equal steel. The edge splays material away yet supports 4x the carbide structure in the edge. All the greatest cutters for hundreds of years were hamaguri ground like this. Hollow grinds suck
I have the Bark River Bravo 1 and Gunny. I love their knives. Great balanced sharp knives. I use the Gunny as my weekend carry fixed blade.
Very cool. Definitely a 2nd type of cool that I can appreciate even if I will not buy. Aesthetically pleasing and purposeful. i would hate to meet on of those on the street! Thanks for sharing!
@neuroleptika "Dude, you are out batoning wood with knifes that cost more than these 200$ bowies?" You are high. What blade would that be? You also might want to expand your definitions of blades too...they all don't have to be users. Thanks for the comment though.
omg that is perhaps the best looking knife i have ever seen!
@mojothemigo Quenching is done Once to "set" the steel matrix and optimize the grain structure and leaves the steel in a brittle hardened state. You normally temper it 1 time to soften the steel, then with A2 its good to do a Sub-Zero (c) soak which ages the steel rapidly and stop flux in the grain. it also increases the hardness. You then follow with 1 or 2 temper cycles to get to the level of toughness hardness desired. you can temper as many times as you like.
Lots of other models worth looking at too. I've got a Bravo 1, 2 Highlands, Woodland, Lil Canadian, and Mini North Star. These are high quality + high value fixed blades. All have different functions so decide what you want it to do before you select one.
I love it, so glad Nutn's showing bark river.
Those knives look great. High praise from you so it must be Top quality. The sharpest fixed blade ever out of the box
Ha, Nutn finally reviews something I've owned for a while now. Mine has a G10 coffin handle. Unfortunately mine's pretty much got to stay in the closet now due to the laws where I live.
Finally a BRKT review...get a bravo 1 already, you wont be disappointed!
Just getting into blades so I am really digging these tabletops, as always thanks for all the effort you put into these vids.
Just came back from a pig hunt (northern Australia) and christened my 2009 bark river bowie on a pig. This knife excells as a pig sticker.
This is awesome nutn...great review and im even happier that you like this kinfe soo much because im from michigan and i love to hear when people love michigan products
you can send it in to bark river and have them sharpen the clip for a nominal fee, and they will also replace the manufacturer's stamp that designates it as a custom.
Beautiful knife, y do people dislike you videos if they dont like knives then they shouldent watch Great vid
I like these but I kind of prefer their Teddy II knife. Don't see myself getting one though, not a fan of it being 8", I think It would be better in my opinion around 10-11".
jeez that knife is scary ass sharp. great review
I strope my knive edges over to a convex edge, and I love that cutting power. I highly recomend it with AUS 8 steel.
I love the story time. In fact that is what I enjoyed the most.
Excellent review Nutn! Really enjoyed this one and you covered a lot of ground in this 27m vid. Thanks brother!
Amen brother Nutn! Bark River makes some increbily beautiful knives. I have a Bravo I and a Bravo II. Haven't ever found better. I do want to get a Randall Bowie...it'll be between $500 and $600 though...
Wow.. that desert wood. Drool. that is a sweet handle. I don't know K-bar wasnt mentioned for a good useable, cheap, working knife .
Bark river is amazing quality, I have a bravo 1 and it is my favorite knifeit is outstanding all the way around.
I love the rich history of the Bowie, but I dont think I could bring myself to spend $200 on a knife that I would never thump on. So I guess I will stick with my timber rattler "outlaw bowie" as a cheap camp knife. It may be great for $20 but there is defnitely a quality diffrence between the two lol.
Keep up the great work Nutn, I especially liked this particular video; and it wouldn't have been the same without the history you gave in the beginning of the vid.
-Solanum
Bark River knives should always be left with a convex grind which, IMO, is hard to beat performance wise. Not only this, but it is a more rare and arguably better looking grind, which adds to an already unique semi-custom blade. If you can strop (which you should be able to if you're a real knife guy), you can sharpen a convex blade. The lack of a secondary bevel for the edge makes it a wicked cutter, similar to a Scandinavian ground blade, but even better for certain uses.
very cool knives i own a B.R.K. custom fighter and mountain man dagger. thanks again nutn
One of the nicest blade I have ever had in hand, great review thank you.
Im getting the knifemaking bug again. damn you Nutnfancy!
These are now SOLD OUT everywhere!!! Hope everyone got one while they could!
Another great review. Really enjoyed hearing about the background of the knife and also seeing all those old snap shots. nicley done!
Excellent review. That is a fine looking knife, especially for the money. The blade is a bit short for a fighter, in my humble opinion. I would rather have a blade in the ten inch range, like the CS Laredo or Trailmaster. That extra length equals power and leverage, which really brings the Bowie to life.
Great reveiw once again Nutn' such a beautiful blade! if i every managed to get one it would be a safe queen im thinks but damn such a sweet looking blade at a fair price, cheers Nutn, take care
A similar knife that IS available is the Blackjack 1-7, which, technically, is made by Bark River Knife and Tool. It isn't exactly the same, but similar, anyway.
This is an awesome review thanks Nutnfancy.
bark river makes the finest knives. i prefer their hunter variety though since those have more utility. i doubt i'll ever be in a knife fight, and if by some misfortune, i ever am, i doubt i'll have a long bladed bowie with me!
The A2 tool steel can tend to be brittal around the edge if the heat treating is wrong but very solid steel none the less
Hey nutnfancy, I hope you get the chance (and take it!) to test out the SOG NWR in woodscraft. (Now that's out of the way,) This bowie is WICKED! Beautiful, beautiful classic design. It's excellent to see that history.
If My SOG Tech Bowie Was US Made, it would be my favorite Combat Knife...I Love the Classic, but I especially love the Modern Version too.
Wonderful video. Beautiful knife. Great history. Excellent review. But this is a mini-Bowie. Under a pound, less than 9in blade, less than 1/5in spine, no full tang it is prettier than it is anything else. The sheath is the prettiest I've ever seen and premium A2 steel which is excellent stuff. Unbelievable quality but scaled down none the less. The word Bowie refers to the blade shape, but to me it means having weight, length and un-compromised strength. I'll take an SP10 in the woods over this
That's a beauty alright, I've always liked Bark River myself.
I prefer a bigger blade though, at least 9" long for chopping trees down etc.
@cmonsterz Yep agreed. The value of those Bravos comparatively is excellent. Like you point out, the expensive Randalls are no better but 3x price.
@raindog951 Don't put yourself in bankruptcy! As a gear reviewer I want to have a good cross section of the excellence out there. Some mid-priced stuff like these Bark Rivers deserve the play. I will cover another couple of good classic bowie knife options too.
@cadrician Thanks dude and yes they are excellent, US produced knives. Cost is of course higher with domestic manufacture, about 100% or so over high quality produced Chinese blade but as I've said that's the reality of paying the bills. Labor costs. There's nothing about the Bark Rivers I don't like so far, great blades...beautiful and functional.
Sweet knife. KEEP ON PREPPING
A "classic" bowie knife has the signature clip point style blade
cough(bravo 1)cough review....
aka do more bark river reviews!!!
pretty please!
TY NUTN!!!!
Wow, that knife is GORGEOUS!
I been waiting for a Bark River review for a while. Thanks. :D
Shiney I saw your ugly mug in the handle guard. LOL. Brightens my day when I see a Nutnfancy knife review or any for that matter.
Love bowie knives!
great review and I liked that you included the history. That really adds character to the knife!
Nutn, PLEASE tell you were able to treat yourself to one of the Bark River 154CM Bowie's they made this past year! For the same price as the A2, it was a real cool offering0 I just wish Bark River kept these things in more regular rotation!
Bark River makes beautiful blades. I've always wanted to get one for myself, but the funding hurdle is just a bit high for a grad student. Hmm...maybe time to start that diet of mine and stop getting food....
I love my larodo Bowie and ur review was a big help but as far as my research has taking me the Arkansas toothpick and the Bowie are 2 different blade styles the arkansas toothpick has a duel edge dagger blade shape and as u know the Bowie had a clip point some ppl day the Bowie was inspired by the navaja craca
haha I love it when Nutn, is like this knife is crazy rare then he whips out not one or two but three of them...lol
Escanaba! I only have to make an hour drive to get a beautiful Bowie!? That's going on the to do list!
Who else wants to see Nutnfancy show us the "basic knife-fighting" skills that he mentioned in the video? How about a tutorial on self defense?
Wow, what a beutifull blade, keep em comin man!
that is such a beautiful knife! I would love one!
Great vid Nutn! keep em coming!
greetings from the UK
Yes finally another knife review yay
Valid point but I think 'nutnfancy' is indicative of his approach to reviews and not necessarily the subject of the reviews. He picks up gear that he digs, he uses it, then he throws it on the table and he gives us his opinions. There's no flair, no flash and no bullshit. Ergo nothing fancy. And it's unfair to say he only reviews fancy things since his bread and butter is high-value, low frills gear that gives excellent results for the money.
I enjoy all of your vids. However, the review on this knife was exceptionally great. Perhaps some reviews on other classic bowie makers i.e. Linder, Outback bowie, Svord Von Tempsky, etc... They all apear to work well in their given rolls. Thanks for the reviews, they're excellent.
Wow, beautiful blades!
Very nice! Huge fan of good bowies here! I love my CS Trail Master in O1 steel, but I'd love to fine one of these limited editions.
I`m totally going to edc that knife. when I buy it.
Check into Rapid river knifes, unlike bark river they have a nice showroom with windows into their production area and btw most of us from down south come up for more than pasties and fudge lol.
Nutn, you said you have trouble sharpening convex edges. Did you ever try putting sandpaper on top of a mousepad for sharpening? The mousepad's soft surface does almost all the work for you, Then just finish the blade off with a stopping and you have a wicked sharp edge.
i remember an episode of Deadliest Warrior (Jesse James vs Al Capone) where they put a Stiletto up against a Bowie...a 3 inch blade vs an 8 inch blade **in a head to head close quarters knife fight**...and they said the Stiletto would win.
my god...those are gorgeous.
perfect just perfect thanks for the history lesson nutn!!!!! great review!
Be careful nutn, those BRKT's are terribly addictive, as I have found out for myself. Started out with one just to see how they where, now I have 4, and I'm still hankering for more.
It suspiciously looks like a Randal # 1.
You'll have to review some of the Bark River field knives! Fox River, Aurora and Bravo1!
@nutnfancy leather is like a sponge it attracts moister will rust the knifes one of your Bowies looked like it had a little rust on the spine near the tip... if you can store them outside the sheath if possible
Found one.... ebay $250..... surprised nobody but me put a bid on this knife, its a beautiful knife, money well spent..