The Bessemer indicator., 1893-09-30
TWISTED IN THE FLESH,
BLADES LIKED BY MEN WHO
FIGHT WITH KNIVES.
Tho Work of Artfui Mon at tho Forge
Types Of the Edged Weapons Carried
by Those who Pin Their Faith 20 tho
Bowie instead of tho Pistol,


Bowie instead of tho Pistol,
Since the days OF the Roman short
sword knife fighting has gone out of
practice almost, until it was revived
by tho hot-headed men OF the South
and tho Southern frontier. such as
Colonel Bowie, whose prowess with
peculiarly modelled blade gave his
name to that sort of Il knife, says the
Sun Francisco Examiner. The knives
with which Colonel Bowie was wont
to refresh himself by removing ears
and other appendages of such Tex
ans as seemed to him to tave no par
ticular need for them were made by
William Allison, and the success of
Colonel Bowie in his encounters,
many of which tested the
strength and temper of the Allison
blades, made that maker famous
among all who carried such weapons.
1t is said that the first knife prepared
for Colonel Bowie by Allison was
hurriedly forged from Il heavy fiat
file, and that with it tho redoubtabls
colonel at one sweep dissolved the
continuity between the body of Il
1exan ranger and the head OF that
citizen. Whether that be true or
not the latter knives, forged and
tempered and mounted by Allison
were as nearly perfect as could be-
They were expensive, none being
sold for less than $50, and for those
highly ornamented extraordinary
sums were paid; sometimes as much
as $500. Tho popular impression
that 4 bowie knife was a monstrous
thing, eighteen inches or more in
length, is erroneous. The knives
used by Bowie himself were neavy,
but rather short, tho blades being
five and one-half inches long, broad,
straight backed, and able with a
single slash to leave n cheating
gambler hngerless or an insulter OF
women minus half dozen ribs.
Captain |. w. Lees of the San Fran
cisco detective force has for many
years, nearly forty. cherished among
the memorabilia gathered in his
wido experience II true bowie knife
made by Allison for Casey, the poll
tician, who killed James King of
William and was lynched by the Wig
ilanoe committee of San Francisco
The knife was carried for long time
by Casey and shows considera bl e
wear about the fastening which CON
fined it to the armhole of his vest
Casey was notably ready with
weapons, and the knife served pur-
pose In more than one saloon brawl
and political scrimmage, until at last
Casey introduced it with violence be-
tween the ribs of Robert Cushing, a
political opponent of the early sos
Although Casey turned the blade in
the wound. and in so doing cut
cleanly through Il rib harder than
the cervical vertebr;n mentioned bv
Ko-ko. the edge of the knife was not
turned. Captain Lees insists that
with the Casey knife he can chop
silver dollars into halves without in
juring the edge so fine is the temper
and so perfectly proportioned the
blade.
Allison died long ago Knife fight
ers are few, but among those left the
knives of the old man, together with
those OF Michael Price, the pioneer
cutler of this city, who followed ALI
son few years ago, and Fred Wat
son of Colusa, almost equally famous
with the great cutters mentioned,
will always be valued. Watson is
still forging all kinds of knives. and,
to show his skill is fond of making
such singular forms as the Malay
kriss. n wavy blade, sharp and keen.
which for ease of entrance as stab
| In
of the serpentine knives sent out by
Watson can be plunged to the hilt in
flesh. unless the point engages on a
bone of large size, and when that oc-
ours the silver steel holds its edge
without turning or breaking.
The Price knives, of which scores
were made, had Il character peculiar
in several respects. They were, as a
rule, double-edged, and the maker,
who was himself very skillful in the
use of the knife, added little inven-
tions which materially improved the
output of his forge. A favorite pat
tern was one in which the guard,
very often made solid, was made in
rings, one on either side of the blade.
in the position usually occupied by
| the Suiiu. III u perspllul encOunINr
the fingers would be hooked in one
of the rings. the handle firmly grip
ped by the other fingers and oppos-
ing thumb, and the knife held against
all efforts to tear it from the grasp.
Price usually put ivory handles on
his knives. Allison finished his with
horn handles, heavily bound with
silver and studded with silver nails.
Watson turns out handles much more
elaborate than either of the other7.
The most delicate Mosaic work in
horn and mother of pearl, surround
ed by heavy mounts OF silver, is most
affected by him. All of the makers
mentioned have plenty of admirers,
but there seems to be little difference
in the quality OF their productions.
each of them being skilled work
man and proud of his art
Marriage In England