PLOWSHARE FORGE

I'm holding in my lap right now, something that is truly indeed, a weapon. It's a “Rebel Bowie” Camp Knife made by Dan Brock of the Plowshare Forge in Eugene Oregon.

This knife isn't just patterned after a civil war era bowie knife... but it's made just like one too. This has history glistening off it's razor sharp edge. The knife is massive and menacing. The blade is black except for where the grinds are that shape the blade's cutting edges, giving it a brutish and deadly look. The grip is small and wooden and looks disproportional in contrast to the huge blade. The grip is surrounded by a broad guard that curves up into a sharp point. The knife is heavy and broad, yet it is not clumsy or awkward.

As a fighting implement, it is unquestionably effective. A single thrust would slice a man almost half way apart. A swing would certainly cut a man in two. Limbs or necks would be severed as easily as chopping a carrot. This thing is more than just a large bowie knife, it's like a short sword. Yet it is called a “Camp Knife” and with that name there is a myriad of chores that are implied. This knife can do all of them. You could skin a deer with this blade with no problem. You could skin a Woolly Mammoth with it just as easily. You can chop wood with it, make kindling and fire sticks with little effort. Cut limbs for tent poles and sharpen short ones for tent pegs. And with the flat of the blade or the guard, hammer the pegs in. You can cook with the knife... it's like a big cleaver. It's easy to chop veggies with and then scoop them into a pot. Your camp stew never had it so good.

This knife is fantastic. I've had large bowies before... big survival knives, Rambo knives, the M9 Bayonet, and even once I was given a big fantasy type bowie. Nothing – nothing I've ever had before can compare or could have prepared me for this knife. It's like a Snub-Nosed Claymore. Carrying it in it's leather sheath is relatively easy with the added advantage of armor cladding your leg on one side. This is the knife that any true Ogre would proudly own. This one does. This is a knife for The Horde.

The another knife from Plowshare Forge is called the Shanghai Fighting knife. This knife is a classic style dagger, double edged and wicked. This is the type of knife that grandfathered the Fairbairn/Sykes style dagger that became popularized by Colonel Rex Applegate. It has a simple long and narrow spearpoint blade, sharpened full length on both edges. The blade meets a simple oval aluminum crossguard. The handle is a beautiful piece of wood, that is round and tapers to the brass end cap.

At first I thought that this grip was less than ideal, but as I handle the knife, the simplistic yet elegant style grows on you. The blade comes alive in the hand with it's balance and handle that allows any grip. This is why these sorts of blades have become popular... they are simply outstanding for their purpose... of course the purpose of a dagger is a singular one... it's designed to be thrust into your adversary and to reach and penetrate vital parts inside. This Shanghai Fighting knife could do that easily. While I don't exactly have any volunteers for testing purposes, I used a roast. When the wife wasn't at home. It penetrated the roast all the way to the hilt with almost no effort. Having done that to the horror of my sons, I then used the dagger to slice off portions and served them up their dinner. The dagger served up the roast slices with no problem. I can only imagine what this knife could do to one's adversary. Sure, there are any number of knives that could have done the same thing... including my kitchen knives. But this knife remains separate from the others.

This knife is reproduced by hand detail for detail of the classic pattern from historical examples. Even the sheath looks like something you might have lifted from a World War Two museum.  

Dan makes a number of other knives in other historical styles, so go check them out, order yourself one, and tell the that the Ogre sent you.