BLADE Magazine

In what could be the most important discovery in knife history, what is alleged to be Blade Magazine Cutlery Hall-Of-Fame© member Jim Bowie’s original knife has been pulled from a river in Louisiana.

“Fantastic!” exclaimed Bowie historian Daniel Reese Schively when told of the discovery. “If it really is Bowie’s knife, it will change everything in terms not only of the knife itself, but also will help validate the legend and legacy of James Bowie the man.”

Others were not quite so enthusiastic, including Henry Searles, a long-time maker of bowie reproductions.

“I’ll believe it when I see it,” he scoffed. “A knife pulled from a river after almost two centuries? It’s got to be just one big chunk of rust!”

However, according to the man who found it, Arlan Thibodeaux of Marion, Louisiana, the knife is in remarkably good condition. “We were dredging the Maravich River for the Parish of Alexandria Public Works Department when we spotted a shiny object encrusted in black, slimy mud,” Thibodeaux said. “When we pulled it out, we could see it was a knife, but we had no idea exactly how important the knife might be.”

It is believed the dark Louisiana river mud may have preserved the knife remarkably well despite the long period of time.

At 9.25 inches, the straight-backed blade matches the length Jim Bowie’s brother, Rezin, described in writing about the original bowie knife: “The length of the blade was nine and one quarter inches, its width one and a half inches, singled edged and blade not curved.” In addition, the pinned handle appears to be made of ebony and is in a coffin shape, a style that was very popular circa the 1830s.

Whether the knife really is Bowie’s remains to be seen. However, the war of words apparently has only just begun. Stay tuned for further developments.

Oh, and in case you haven’t figured it out by now, this story is a total and complete hoax. Happy April Fool’s Day!

The outpouring of support for our Campaign For Japan was more than we could have expected. Sales of items–50 percent of the profits of which go toward victims of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami–were up across the board for the duration of the sale, which ended Wednesday.

Again, thank you all for your support. We are certain the thousands of victims of the devastation will thank you as well.

There’s still time to help out the Red Cross relief efforts in Japan. Until the end of today, BLADE will give half of all sales profits at ShopBlade.com to the Red Cross. Just go here: http://tinyurl.com/4u5p8pr

The latest factory knives as seen at the 2011 SHOT Show, perhaps the smoothest folder action ever via the Ikoma Korth Bearing System (IKBS), every knifemaking tool a bladesmith needs, how to identify knives that have “flow,” and much more highlight the June BLADE®, on most newsstands today!

Featuring Columbia River Knife & Tool’s new NIRK/Tighe on the cover, the issue also includes a salute to Blade Magazine Cutlery Hall Of Fame© member Dan Dennehy; the new factory knives of Gerber, Buck, KA-BAR, SureFire, Case, Boker Plus, Kershaw, Queen, Benchmade, TOPS, SOG Specialty Knives & Tools, Timberline, Wenger and Spyderco; a profile of knifemaker Phillip Patton; editorial mention of knives by Outdoor Edge and such bladesmithing equipment as Little Giant and Old World Anvils power hammers, forges by Three Sisters Forge, the Diablo Burner by Chile Forge, Rocklin’s “Rocklinizer” for applying tungsten carbide to knife edges and other equipment from Riverside Machine, the Blacksmith Depot and more.

A fascinating story on the take-apart art folder of Stan Wilson; on antique figural knives; Ed Fowler’s “Brass-Backed Bowies Reconsidered”; editorial mention of custom knives by Cutlery Hall-Of-Famer Bob Loveless, Don Lozier, Burt Foster, Wolfgang Loerchner, Steve Dunn, Ken Steigerwalt, Hank Knickmeyer, Larry Newton, Don Hanson and Brion Tomberlin; the latest knives of Peter Martin, Santa Fe Stoneworks, Arthur Lynn, Triple Eight Professional, Harvey Dean, Steve Jernigan, David Roeder, Richard Wright, Ontario, Knives of Alaska and Meyerco; and mini-profiles of Wally Hayes, Jerry Smith, Chad Harding, Jamin Brackett, Frank Niro and Michael O’Machearley.

Also: the conclusion of the story on the 175^th anniversary of the Alamo, including capsule reviews of six memorable Alamo movies; Wayne Goddard’s Q&A on the chisel grind; a factory profile of CAS Hanwei; keys to fighting knife rust; the “Subterfuge” by Paul Letourneau; and much more in the June BLADE, on most newsstands NOW! If you can’t find it at your local newsstand, check your local Barnes & Noble or visit www.blademag.com and/or http://knifeshowcase.blademag.com (if you’re already on the latter, click on “Shop” for more info) and subscribe today!