Since I was a teen, I have had an interest in military survival bowies. I had a USMC Bolo and Ka-Bar, but always wanted a Marine Raider Bowie. These Bowies were actually issued to the Army Air Corps as pilot survival knives in the 1930s. They were made by Collins and were called by Collins the #18 Machete. We might call them "Bowies".

In fact, the Case presentation bowies that we have all seen were patterned after the Collins, as was the Western Bowie. Carlson's Raiders were issued these knives, made by various manufacturers in the Pacific campaign during during WWII, but after the battle of Guadalcanal, the famous Mk2 or "Ka-Bar" became more widely used. Here you can see the family resemblence between the Collins #18 machete and the Case and Western Bowies.


By the 1980s, a thicker, more rugged combat bowie style was being sold by Gerber, Ontario, Cold Steel and others. The RTAK is huge.

Bear with me, I'm still having a time posting these, but trust me, it is Scrap Yard related.
Here we see the Becker Combat Bowie, Ranger RD-9, and the big bad Busse Fat Fusion Battle Mistress.

The "jungle knife" or military survival bowie had gotten thicker, tougher, and heavier. No longer as useful for using as a machete, it became commonly called the chopper.
But last year, something happened. A new lighter breed of chopper came out. Still a bit heavy to use on light vegetation, it was a great all-around bush knife and chopper. It was heading back in the direction of the original survival bowie. That great knife was the Scrap Yard Dog Father.

But that knife has now reached jungle knife perfection in the new Limited Edition. At just one pound, with its .25" thick SR77 10" blade and cushy Res C handle, the DFLE can do all the original can do, and whole lot more. This is the new standard in survival bowies! I love it. A worthy succesor to those famous Raider Bowies of the past.

Great history, great collection and a great assessment of the DFLE HD. Thanks for your post!

I like how you worked your way up to the present.

I was always puzzled as to why it was called a 'machete', when it seems so obviously a bowie variation to me.

Nice knives and pictures H/D ! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" /> I carried the Case Bowie like the one in the second picture, bottom knife. The DogFather LE is definitely the best of the bunch, although I still like my Gerber Bowie. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

excellant post HD!

it was worth the wait

Thanks, Vance. I had some better pics, but was unable to show them. I still can't load new pictures to any of the various services.

This is a test of the Horn Dog Random Try Anything To Post A Picture Operating System. This is only a test.

Great post HD <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

Thanks for the historical perspective Vic.

HD,

Excellent post! Thank you for the history and the pics. I almost bought a Western Bowie at a truck stop, years ago when I was in college. I have the stag handled Gerber and stag handled CS Trailmaster bowies, but they are way too thick to do anything with.

The Collins #18 was originally issued as a pilot's survival bowie/machete in the 1930s. At that time, pilots were apparently doing a lot of flying over jungle areas in South America and a compact machete was chosen. Later a folding machete was issued. The large hand guard seems to be a relic from the 19th century bowie knives used in duels. The blade is thin, only about 1/8" thick. Later, in WWII, Carlson's Marine Raiders wanted a big knife to boost the morale of those serving in the Pacific. The old Army Air Corps bowie/machetes were issued to them, and they became known as Marine Raider Bowies. Ontario makes a version of it, but it is much thicker and heavier than the original. The closest to the original now being made is the Case Bowie. In any case, the Ka-Bar (Mark 2 Marine Combat) became the standard fighting knife in the Pacific. I just thought that the new Dog Father LE was the latest best version of the old Combat/Survival Bowie knife. It has a different profile, but as a jungle knife, it would be superb.

Victor,
That was a pure action packed historical on the American Bowie.
I loved the history as well as the different uses the Armed Forces realized were necessary for survival of it's soldiers. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Hats of to the Horn Dog for another brilliant post detailing the history of a particular style of blade! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif" alt="" />

Great post and super pix!! Thanks for the history.
I love a good knife story...especially with a Scrap Yard ending. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Peace.

Great post! You presented it very well!!!

Great job Vic! I'm glad you were able to get some pics up, those are great! Great info too, Thanks! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

A Scrap Yard ending is the BEST kind of ending!!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Yes, I would not have posted here had it been otherwise. I had meant to show some more examples of Marine Raiders and other "Jungle Bowies", but my computer is dying, I guess. I just can't seem to get photobucket to work very well for very long. As a long-time collector and user of such blades, the new DFLE represents the current state of the art in survival bowie knives.

Great pics of some awesome blades Vic !! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Thanks, Tom. Like you, I have a thing for Bowies!

I see an Entrek knife, in that line up. I think they are good knives.

The DFLE makes me feel like a Knight, about to do battle....Nothing can oppose me, so long as I have my DFLE.

"HE-MAN"

That is the Entrek Ranger. It is more of a fighter than bowie/machete, but it is in the 9" to 12" blade size of the others. Just for fun, I hefted and swung them all a little. The DFLE rules! Put a swedge on it and wade into battle.

Was just looking at your pictures again......nice looking Harley hat. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

Why don't I have one????? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif" alt="" />

Great photos Vic and I love the idea of comparing the DFLE to some of it's competition and predecessors. I an really impressed with the DFLE. It reminds me of the classic Battle Mistress before all the lines and bumps. It is also rather close to the Basic 9.

Cliff Stamp did a very positive review of the old BM and a lot of what he said about how it works because of the excellent geometry etc is applicable to the
DFLE.

great review Vic, you linked alot of history there

I especially loved the beginning, because I've been interested in western bowies because my freind has one and its fun knowing more about his own knives than him. =]
he has that Exact one too.
it's a w-49 right vic?
do you know if yours was made after camillius took over in 91?
and also what toes the tang stamp say?
does it say boulder colorado, longmount colorado or camillius new york?

I did like the end too. =]
but the insight about more original bowies and kabars was really cool.
thanks vic. =]

I have several W-49 Bowies. Some are pre-Camillus carbon steel ones, some are later ones. Some have the large rivets, some the small rivets. The Western was used by some servicemen in the Viet Nam War, but they were not issued. Western, along with Kinfolk, Case and Collins did make some of the original WWII models.

ohhh, so you have a few, from different time periods.
thats really cool.
there discontinued now too.
very cool, didn't know they were used in viet nam.
thanks. =]

As you young folks say, "Back in the day", the Western and the Case were about all you could get in a standard production big American Bowie. There were others, but they were smaller. These were good cutters and choppers, but not nearly as rugged as today's Busse and Scrap Yard Bowies. They have a certain charm, though.

oh wow.
very nice collection there.
my friends is exactly like the one that says "western" on the sheath.
(the second from the right)

its great to know more about his knife than he does.
=]
lol
thanks for sharing those pics.

Good thread Vic. Shame I couldn't justify the LE, but one day I'll polish the ground bevels of my CG..

Great thread Vic, I really enjoyed reading this!

Horned bro I so dig those bowies!!!

Great pics and information Vic !!!

I know I shouldn't say this on here but I prefer the shape of the first one out of all those shown ! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/footinmouth.gif" alt="" />

Being a fan of Bowie's Vic I thought you might have a couple from Mineral mountain hatchet works in your collection, his Survival bowie is a beast and his White river is plain scary !!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

awesome. i gotta get me one of the raider bowies now.

vic is becoming a huge influence on my bank account.

Here is a nice brit version of the military chopper.
[/URL
Another one.
[url=http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=7191433]
Here is a nice veitnam era mini bowie.


These are my favourite old bowie style knives. The Hudson Bay knives unlike most bowies were an actual hard use bush knife not a weapon(although it did see some serious use as one) or a affectation.
[URL=http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=5620302][/URL
These ones are very close the the DFLE in size and design.

That forehead sure looks familiar in the first pic !!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/loopy.gif" alt="" />

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/doh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Yo Pit

MMHW does some good work

ok really dumb question

first pic

black handled bowie on bottom

is that a Western or what??

D

The first picture only has the Collins #18 (original WWII) Bowie. The second has a Case Bowie from the 1950s at the bottom (carbon steel) with the brass strip on the spine.

Those are some very nice looking blades you have there Vic. That Collins design was one of the first styles I remember as a kids falling in love with! My Grandpa has one in his garage.....I wonder if he would notice it missing <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

when I saw this collection I was Jealous!!

then I saw these and wanted to cry. what I nice collection. I love big blades.
I have more of other sized blades because the big ones cost so much. most of my blades are medium to small high quality blades but they are ontario, buck, gerber, boker, ... and now i still believe them to be high quality but they are not hard use so that is the department I am growing. but the big blades do hurt <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

All desert and mountains here, so I perfer a heavier blade like the FBM aor a 15 to even 18 khuk

I would love a DFLE but the price is to high. although it is worth it. my prefered smaller large blade is the RD9. when I got my first blade the fit and finish wasn't very nice but after sanding the handle and sharpening the blade it is excellent. 14 3/4 by 1/4 thick full flat grind with a spear point. reminds me of the SBM a little. so now I traded for the clip point version. it is a great knife. for the mountains a DF or FBM out chop it though and are my favorite but all to often I end up taking the khuk instead. an S& khuk would be nice <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> a flat ground chopper from the yard would be awesome also. but I guess those of you have the dfle already know that <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I knew I recognized that bald forehead from somewhere <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/doh.gif" alt="" />
What is the name of that knife I posted? It looks like a brit army version of the
marine raider bowie.

Here is one of the biggest competitors to the DFLE. I consider the DFLE much better than the tops version and it would be an interesting comparison with the custom Armageddon.

I like the RD9. It out chopped the Browning Crowell-Barker big time today, as did the DFLE. Took pics, but I can't upload any of them.

+1

My computer checks out fine. I just can't upload images some days. One day it works, the next day it doesn't.

oh nice! a chopout between the rd9 DFLE and browning!
thats awesome!

i own one tops little knife but after cliff's review i was turned off to them.

the cs trailmaster and kbar bowie also seem like they would perform similar to the dfle??
not as tuff:)
I hope for an S9 just like the S6. then i could feel the place of the dfle with it <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

the cs trailmaster is lmainated san mai III so it should be pretty tough, and I hear it has a really nice convex edge on it so it should chop pretty good, however i don't think it could really compete with the DFLE.
the kabar heavy bowie is a great value pretty tough and chops pretty good.
it would be a good one, but i think we all know who would win. =]

for a hard use knife S7 sounds great. perfect for a chopper, would a jungle knife benefit from a steel with better retention while an all out chopper would have more benefit in an impact steel?

The RD9 and DFLE out chopped the Browning on hard wood. The Browning did best on small saplings and pamettos (stuff you slash though in one stroke). The RD is a little heavier than the DFLE actually. The DFCG can out chop the Ranger. I thought the Browning would maybe win, but is is better only on the lighter stuff. All-around, the RD9 and DFLE were about equal. Surprised? I am.

Invision 17 pictures, showing the wood flying!

i am invisioning it right now. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
you're not saying that to just make us dogs who foolishly passed up the dfle feel better are you <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

The Kabar was based on the 7" to 8" Marble's Ideal, with a stacked leather handle. Kabar was but one of the knife companies that produced that pattern for the troops. But the name stuck in the same way that hand opperated circular saws are called "Skillsaws" even if they are made by Rockwell or PorterCable.

The quillons were tilted towards the hand for reaching through concertina wire without getting trapped. Feedback from the troops quickly resulting in modifying the Kabar by giving it a thicker pommel for utility and combat hammering.

The pattern was so successful that the same knife was used through the Vietnam war without modification.

I am always impressed by your reviews & the toys you have stashed around your place Vic! Probably one of the most impressive collections of blades here.

Thanks for sharing!

hey vic, I'm bringing this thread back up but i have a question, with the picture of all your w 49's, well the second one down looks like one my friend has, but his tang stamp doesn't say much, just w 49
western USA.

shouldn't there be more?