Bowie knife

Bowie knife
"Bowie knife"
TypeFighting knife
Place of originArkansas, U.S.
Production history
DesignerRezin Bowie
Designed1830
Produced1830present
Specifications
Length12–18 inches (30–46 cm)
Blade length5–12 inches (13–30 cm)

Blade typeClip-point

A Bowie knife (/ˈbi/ BOO-ee) is a pattern of fixed-blade fighting knives created by Rezin Bowie in the early 19th century for his brother James Bowie, who had become famous for his use of a large knife at a duel known as the Sandbar Fight.

Since its first incarnation, the Bowie knife has incorporated several recognizable and characteristic design features. However, in common usage, the term refers to any large sheath knife with a crossguard and a clip point, although there are exceptions and special cases. The knife pattern is still popular with collectors; in addition to various knife manufacturing companies, hundreds of custom knifemakers produce Bowie knives with different types of steel and variations in style.