Bowie I made from a Lasher machete

**prepare2win** · 19-10-2017, 16:48

So I have a Bowie knife seminar coming up this weekend with Monty Markow, but alas I had no live Bowie blade. Previously I had used my Cold Steel Laredo Bowie plastic trainer, so I decided to make something a little more sharp and pointy.

This Bowie started off life as a Lasher Machete. I used a 115mm angle grinder to roughly cut out the shape, then a bench grinder for final shaping. I modeled the blade shape after the Laredo trainer, but changed the handle to my preferences of a palm swell, thumb ramp and a skullcrusher pommel, and gave it a snake scale inspired stippling. I sanded off the powder coating and used mustard and tomato sauce to patina the metal. The edge was ground on the bench grinder and finished by hand with stones. The metal is a fairly thin spring steel, so the knife is quite light, balance point is right about 2" in front of the guard. I'm considering trying to differentially heat treat the edge as with past experience I know the Lashers roll an edge pretty easily.

**StanCT** · 19-10-2017, 16:59

Cool tool

**Mr_Medic** · 19-10-2017, 17:02

That's majestic AF.

Well done.

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**Vaal** · 19-10-2017, 17:52

A friend at work years ago build a Bowie out of a VW Beetle leaf spring. Took him some time (but it was at done work). That thing could chop a slither out of a steel work bench without loosing its edge, it was sharp but it was not shaving sharp but who needs that if you have that weight behind it.

**Wanderin' Zero** · 19-10-2017, 18:25

? VW Beetles don't (didn't) have leaf springs.

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**Trayton** · 19-10-2017, 18:50

Must be a bug in his memory?

P2W did you re temper the steel or were you gentle with the grinding?outcome is good,makes me wonder why I start with leaf springs and grind half of it away!

**pdh** · 19-10-2017, 19:07

Awesome, nice work

**EB de Waal** · 19-10-2017, 19:30

Damn that looks good. Will never look at a machete the same

**prepare2win** · 19-10-2017, 21:11

Originally Posted by Trayton

P2W did you re temper the steel or were you gentle with the grinding?outcome is good,makes me wonder why I start with leaf springs and grind half of it away!

very gentle on the grind, dipping constantly into a water trough

**prepare2win** · 19-10-2017, 21:15

Originally Posted by EB de Waal

Damn that looks good. Will never look at a machete the same

Thanks, I have a few other half done projects cut out of various Lasher products- a chinese style sword from a grass slasher, an asymmetrical gladius also from a machete, a Kukri and a Spartan 300 inspired short sword cut from the large panga with the square front. just happened to get this one done for the course this weekend. It's fun and cheap with the source product being R 50 -R 80