Most people will see many different types of knifes represented as Bowies. Most of these knives have some of the characteristics of a Bowie knife but there are a host of characteristics which make a knife the genuine article. The distinctive sweep of the blade, hilt and size make a Bowie what it is.

A Bowie knife is probably most defined by its blade shape. In fact, some knives sold as Bowies have nothing about them that qualifies them as Bowie knives other than a slightly clipped blade. In common parlance, a Bowie is any long-bladed, non-folding knife that has a clipped blade. Properly, however, there is more to it than that; much more, in fact.

Every Bowie knife has a hand guard. The traditional hand guard on a Bowie has an angled top piece which points toward the front of the knife. This is intended as protection for the user’s hand. The angle is sometimes said to be used for catching blades, but the proximity to the hand makes it more useful as a deflecting device.

Daggers tend to be double-bladed weapons, as do many other fighting knives. Bowie knives have a single edge. This sets them apart in many ways. One might think that this amounts to having half a weapon versus a double-edged knife, but this is not at all the case. There is another characteristic of Bowies that more than makes up for the lack of two edges. The single edge actually makes practical work with the knife much easier. These knives were designed to be tools as well as weapons, after all.

A real Bowie knife always has a wide blade. In fact, this is a defining characteristic of these knives. When these knives were designed, the frontier conditions meant that any tool had to be versatile and tough. The heavy, wide blade of a Bowie meant it could stand up to a great deal of punishment and that it could perform chopping tasks, in addition to cutting tasks. Before steel was of a modern quality, softer metals such as brass and copper were sometimes used to reinforce the blades via a strip along the spine.

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Not all knives sold as Bowie knives really meet the standards for this legendary weapon and tool. There are distinguishing characteristics that make this knife what it is and which give it its characteristic durability, utility and, when necessary, lethality. This knife design is born of the American Frontier when people needed tools that were as versatile and durable as possible.

Bowie knives always have clipped points. This feature is the end part of the blade where the center of the blade dips below the spine. Though this feature is attractive, it offers far more than looks. In a fight, this narrow portion of the blade is lethal in its ability to penetrate deep into the body with little effort. This creates what is called a false edge along the back of the blade. Some users sharpen this edge. Outside of fighting, however, this modification has little practical usage and may make the knife more dangerous to the user.

The blade on a Bowie knife is usually at least 1 inch wide, often wider. This thickness offers the blade incredible durability. The knife can safely be used for all manner of tough work, from chopping small wood in a pinch to blocking powerful blows in the course of a fight. The weight of this blade is offset by another important characteristic of these knives: the clipped point.

Bowie knives are always single-edged knives. The back of the blade is sometimes altered to provide more utility. On some knives, there are saw portions or a sharpened section along the false edge of the blade clip. These are user customizations, however, and this knife is always a single edged weapon when manufactured to traditional standards. While double-bladed knives may be a bit more deadly, they are very impractical for any kind of work and oftentimes endanger their user when pressed into service for such mundane tasks as cleaning game.

A Bowie knife generally has a distinctive hand guard, which is swept up toward the tip on the top and down toward the hilt on the edge-side of the blade. This protects the user’s hand. It is useful for fighting but also prevents the user’s hand from sliding up the blade. On the base of the blade, owners will find a small cutout called a “Spanish notch”. This was often used to cut sinew and cord.

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