Jim Bowie and the Bowie Knife

The bowie knife passed into American legend and folklore when lieutenant-colonel James Bowie died at the Alamo in Texas over 160 years ago. His famed bowie knife, purportedly forged from an iron meteorite, fell into Mexican hands and disappeared from the pages of history. And now the bowie knife ranks among the greatest mystery whereabouts of other notable artifacts as, the Ark of the Covenant, the Holy Grail, the True Cross, and the sword Excalibur.

Among history's loss, no one thought to sketch or draw an illustration of James Bowie's knife. As a result only oral tradition remains of the knife's description.

Among the truths gleaned out of legend is that Jim Bowie was captured and executed at General Lopez Antonio de Santa Ana's orders. Jim Bowie himself did not forge the actual first bowie. He carved a wooden mock-up and commissioned reknown knife-maker, James Black to forge the first bowie knife. No one knows if the iron meteorite composition is actual fact, more likely fiction.

Oral tradition confirms the thick, heavy blade, long-perhaps between 9 and 12 inches, and the unique feature, the top, sharpened edge. But no one can confirm if the sharpened top edge was straight, curved, or if curved, to what extent. Legend describes the blade as being thick, long, and heavy enough to hack and chop. Historical antecedent relates the incident of three highwaymen waylaying Jim Bowie on a quiet, deserted country road. Bowie reportedly cleaved the head of one man, decapitated the villain who siezed the reins of Bowie's horse; and when the third man fled, Bowie killed him by throwing the knife.

Black went on to forge other bowie knives. There is a Black bowie knife in existence that is reputed to be one of the first copies. But history will never know the complete design, down to the hilt design and guard.