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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**Vaal** · 20-10-2017, 11:40

Originally Posted by Wanderin' Zero

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

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I stand to be disagree with you: Certain Beetles if not all, had/has a torsion bar, front suspension system which were build up out of a bundle of flat, spring steel, bars which were called leaf springs. Please google VW Beetle Leaf spring, there are clear pictures of them? That is the leaf springs I was talking about. If PTW is into building this type of knifes it might be something for him to consider?

**Wanderin' Zero** · 20-10-2017, 12:31

Originally Posted by Vaal

I stand to be disagree with you: Certain Beetles if not all, had/has a torsion bar, front suspension system which were build up out of a bundle of flat, spring steel, bars which were called leaf springs. Please google VW Beetle Leaf spring, there are clear pictures of them? That is the leaf springs I was talking about. If PTW is into building this type of knifes it might be something for him to consider?

Okay – I know it as a torsion bar, not as a leaf spring. In my lexicon a leaf spring is something completely different. So not a difference of concept so much as a difference of language.

**A-R** · 20-10-2017, 14:14

Originally Posted by Wanderin' Zero

Okay – I know it as a torsion bar, not as a leaf spring. In my lexicon a leaf spring is something completely different. So not a difference of concept so much as a difference of language.

The rear suspension trailing arm was most likely made from spring steel as well.

**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!

**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