"D" guard or otherwise

[Hessian]

I have made a few "pigstickers" and I've a mind to make a southern bowie style.

Any suggestions?

Photos of favorites?

1810 on.

Thanks!
Hessian

Over 160 reads and no comments? Must be my deoderant?

Guess I'll do an iron "D" guard, with a pecan grip.

[Rasch Chronicles]

To my thinking,

A southern bowie is coffin handles and flat sided. no false edge either and a symmetrical blade shape. But then again, I have no idea if that's what a southern Bowie should look like, just what I picture in my mind!

Albert

[ottawa]

the few I have seen for ''southern'' Bowie's were rather plane us ally local made for the solider and made too work more then look purty. they were made from the best they could find usually old files some still had the file teeth shadows. the D guard was plane like a shortened sword with a thru tang and sword like handle wood or antler and maybee stacked leather not to sure on the last one.

[LRB]

  D guard Bowies are pretty much a civil war thing. One of the finest Bowies was made in Louisianna by Searles around 1830, give or take. Thats about as southern as you can get. Google it up. 

[T.C.Albert]

Wick..do you know if the Searles "Seguin" Bowie was definitively debunked or not?
It had a fancy sword type "D" guard, but I thought the silver name plate was scientifically dated to post 1860...while Searles died before then...I was thinking "D" guards were really late knives too...unless the Sequin is viable again?
tca

[Clark Badgett]

  D guard Bowies are pretty much a civil war thing. One of the finest Bowies was made in Louisianna by Searles around 1830, give or take. Thats about as southern as you can get. Google it up. 

On the Civil War connection. Most D guard knives with proven provenance were either sent home or returned home after said soldier was dead. They rarely lasted more than one foot march according to a few different Rebs journals. Most were thrown away due to being unneeded and thoroughly useless.

[LRB]

  Hi TC. I had the Alamo Searles in mind. Simple cross guard. It was given to a Capt. Fowler of the U S Dragoons I believe in the 1830's or early 40's. He was stationed here in my home town at Ft. Mellon for a time during one of our Seminole wars, and as I recall, he would have had possesion of it at that time. It has been in the Alamo on display for many years. I have seen photos of at least two others like it by Searles, but they are not as large or well preserved. I have no idea about the Seguine Bowie.

[T.C.Albert]

Here is a measured image of a variation on the Searles bowie...I agree with you Wick, the Searles Fowler is of the nicest ones out there.
tc

[Hessian]

Have any of you fellas found anything associated with members of the 26th N.C.?
My 7th great grandfather was captured at the battle of Hatchers Run(Feb 1865) & I'd like to do something that he might have carried. Something that might have been found among the troops in the 26th NC. "Grandfather" was from western NC, (Avery/Watauga County)

Thanks Gentlemen!
Hessian

[Clark Badgett]

Have any of you fellas found anything associated with members of the 26th N.C.?
My 7th great grandfather was captured at the battle of Hatchers Run(Feb 1865) & I'd like to do something that he might have carried. Something that might have been found among the troops in the 26th NC. "Grandfather" was from western NC, (Avery/Watauga County)

Thanks Gentlemen!
Hessian

Find a decent mid 19th century pocket knife, that is about all any would have wanted or needed after reality set in. After marching back and forth thousands of miles no infantryman wanted to lug around a heavy knife that was for all intents and purposes useless. Even swords were falling from favor by mid war.