J&L Custom Cutlery Brass Guard Bowie
Mar 19, 2017 22:19:59 GMT
Post by Razor on Mar 19, 2017 22:19:59 GMT
J&L Custom Cutlery Bowie.
By Ray Harrington
Introduction
Last summer, L. Driggers PM'd and informed me that he had six bowie knives he was going to give out for reviews. Unfortunately, I had not been on the SBG Forum for some time. When I did log in and read his PM, I realized it was too late, as all six bowie knives had been sent out for reviews. Fortunately, Driggers told me he would be sending me something later on. It's always exciting receiving something to test out, especially something from J&L. I've handled and cut with some of his pieces before from my sword cutting parties, and after reading the six reviews, I was really bummed out that I had missed it.
Full Disclosure
I did not buy this bowie knife. L Driggers, from J&L Custom Cutlery, sent me this knife to do an honest review. He also mentioned that this is a 2nd with some cosmetic flaws, but it performs well. The flaws will be pointed out in the review.
Initial Impressions
The knife was securely wrapped in bubble wrap. When I opened the shipping box, I was excitied to see a guard on it. I prefer my bowies to have guards on them. When I picked it up and started moving it around I was impressed with how it handled.
Statistics
Blade Length: 10 3/16"
Handle Length: 5 1/4"
Overall Length: 15 3/4
Blade thickness at the guard: 6.41 mm
Blade thickness 1" from tip: 3.19 mm
Blade width: 1 11/16"
POB: 1"
Weight: 1lb 3/8oz
Blade
The blade is made out of 5160 and has a clip point that is 6 1/4" long and sharpened. The edge has a secondary-ish bevel were the edges on the top part of the bevel are rounded a little, and hair shaving sharp.
Here is where the flaws can be seen. The edge on the bottom of the blade isn't straight, and the grind slightly goes into the blade. Not a major issue, but still not up to par for J & L. There is some grinding marks on the edge that weren't fully poished out. This is so minor, and you need to look very hard to see it. The most noticeable flaw would be the blade and guard not fitting correctly. All these flaws are cosmetic and doesn't hurt the performance.
Handle
The handle is 5/8" thick and 1 1/2" wide at it's widest part. It is made out of Makore, which is an African hard wood, and has two brass pins sacuring the handle to the kinfe tang. Like I've said before, I've handled and cut with some of J&L knives from my cutting parties. All the grips seem to be made for individuals with larger hands, this one being no different. I don't have large hands, and the deep belly on the grip took me awhile to get used to. My friend wears an extra large glove and it fit his hand perect. The shape of the handle does make it easier and more comfortable to hold it in a saber grip.
Guard
The guard is brass and is 1/4" thick with rounded edges, and is comfortable when thrusting into hard targets.
Cutting
For the cutting test I wanted to get some ideas so I went to ABS (American Bladesmith Society), and I watched how they test their blade. They start with cutting a 1" free hanging rope. Next they chop a 2x4 in half, twice. Afterwards, they checked how the edge held up, by attempting to shave arm hair off with the portion of the blade that chopped the wood.Finally, the bend the blade 90 degree without snapping the blade in two. I decided to do the first two tests....the hardest part was finding the rope sold by the foot because it usually come 70'.
This was the first time I cut free hanging rope. The knife cut through it, but I need to practice cutting rope if I want to do any more testing with it.
The blade performed well with chopping the 2x4, and still shaved hair off my arm. It was the handle that gave me trouble. The shape of the handle made chopping the 2x4 very uncomfortable. On the second time, chopping the wood in half(and into a knot) my hand started hurting and I had to keep regrasping the handle. It's the handle's belly, if 1/4" shaved off or the whole belly taken off it wouldn't of been a problem.
I wanted to test the point of the blade on some bone to see how it would hold up. The knife performed better than what I expected it would. I thought the point would get stuck in the rib bones, but it didn't. It only got stuck in the post. Each thust, the blade would slip between the ribs. Even when hitting the rib dead on, the blade would slide up or down, slicing deep on both the ribs that it penetrated. Having the clip point sharpened as well, helped the blade thrust and cut both rib bones all the way down to the marrow. I was highly impressed with how well and easy it was to cut through the bone, and felt no resistance from the bone at all.
When cutting the soda can I went too high and hit the top of it, causing it to explode instead of cutting. So instead, I cut a 2 liter soda bottle. After I cut through it, I wished I soaked a Mungen Dachi matt, because if I can cut a 2L, I can cut a mat.
Conclusion
The weight and balance is excellent and makes a great fighting knife. The sharpness, heat treat, and durability is impressive and passed the first two ABS tests. It might be able to pass the last test. The brass guard with it's rounded edges made it very comfortable when thrusting.
The handle is made for a more larger hand then mine, and it makes it uncomfortable when doing some heavy chopping.
This knife passed the cutting test and still looks the same as it did when I got it, with no chipped or rolled edges. I would recommend J & L Costum Cutlery if you are in the market for a knife.
By Ray Harrington
Introduction
Last summer, L. Driggers PM'd and informed me that he had six bowie knives he was going to give out for reviews. Unfortunately, I had not been on the SBG Forum for some time. When I did log in and read his PM, I realized it was too late, as all six bowie knives had been sent out for reviews. Fortunately, Driggers told me he would be sending me something later on. It's always exciting receiving something to test out, especially something from J&L. I've handled and cut with some of his pieces before from my sword cutting parties, and after reading the six reviews, I was really bummed out that I had missed it.
Full Disclosure
I did not buy this bowie knife. L Driggers, from J&L Custom Cutlery, sent me this knife to do an honest review. He also mentioned that this is a 2nd with some cosmetic flaws, but it performs well. The flaws will be pointed out in the review.
Initial Impressions
The knife was securely wrapped in bubble wrap. When I opened the shipping box, I was excitied to see a guard on it. I prefer my bowies to have guards on them. When I picked it up and started moving it around I was impressed with how it handled.
Statistics
Blade Length: 10 3/16"
Handle Length: 5 1/4"
Overall Length: 15 3/4
Blade thickness at the guard: 6.41 mm
Blade thickness 1" from tip: 3.19 mm
Blade width: 1 11/16"
POB: 1"
Weight: 1lb 3/8oz
Blade
The blade is made out of 5160 and has a clip point that is 6 1/4" long and sharpened. The edge has a secondary-ish bevel were the edges on the top part of the bevel are rounded a little, and hair shaving sharp.
Here is where the flaws can be seen. The edge on the bottom of the blade isn't straight, and the grind slightly goes into the blade. Not a major issue, but still not up to par for J & L. There is some grinding marks on the edge that weren't fully poished out. This is so minor, and you need to look very hard to see it. The most noticeable flaw would be the blade and guard not fitting correctly. All these flaws are cosmetic and doesn't hurt the performance.
Handle
The handle is 5/8" thick and 1 1/2" wide at it's widest part. It is made out of Makore, which is an African hard wood, and has two brass pins sacuring the handle to the kinfe tang. Like I've said before, I've handled and cut with some of J&L knives from my cutting parties. All the grips seem to be made for individuals with larger hands, this one being no different. I don't have large hands, and the deep belly on the grip took me awhile to get used to. My friend wears an extra large glove and it fit his hand perect. The shape of the handle does make it easier and more comfortable to hold it in a saber grip.
Guard
The guard is brass and is 1/4" thick with rounded edges, and is comfortable when thrusting into hard targets.
Cutting
For the cutting test I wanted to get some ideas so I went to ABS (American Bladesmith Society), and I watched how they test their blade. They start with cutting a 1" free hanging rope. Next they chop a 2x4 in half, twice. Afterwards, they checked how the edge held up, by attempting to shave arm hair off with the portion of the blade that chopped the wood.Finally, the bend the blade 90 degree without snapping the blade in two. I decided to do the first two tests....the hardest part was finding the rope sold by the foot because it usually come 70'.
This was the first time I cut free hanging rope. The knife cut through it, but I need to practice cutting rope if I want to do any more testing with it.
The blade performed well with chopping the 2x4, and still shaved hair off my arm. It was the handle that gave me trouble. The shape of the handle made chopping the 2x4 very uncomfortable. On the second time, chopping the wood in half(and into a knot) my hand started hurting and I had to keep regrasping the handle. It's the handle's belly, if 1/4" shaved off or the whole belly taken off it wouldn't of been a problem.
I wanted to test the point of the blade on some bone to see how it would hold up. The knife performed better than what I expected it would. I thought the point would get stuck in the rib bones, but it didn't. It only got stuck in the post. Each thust, the blade would slip between the ribs. Even when hitting the rib dead on, the blade would slide up or down, slicing deep on both the ribs that it penetrated. Having the clip point sharpened as well, helped the blade thrust and cut both rib bones all the way down to the marrow. I was highly impressed with how well and easy it was to cut through the bone, and felt no resistance from the bone at all.
When cutting the soda can I went too high and hit the top of it, causing it to explode instead of cutting. So instead, I cut a 2 liter soda bottle. After I cut through it, I wished I soaked a Mungen Dachi matt, because if I can cut a 2L, I can cut a mat.
Conclusion
The weight and balance is excellent and makes a great fighting knife. The sharpness, heat treat, and durability is impressive and passed the first two ABS tests. It might be able to pass the last test. The brass guard with it's rounded edges made it very comfortable when thrusting.
The handle is made for a more larger hand then mine, and it makes it uncomfortable when doing some heavy chopping.
This knife passed the cutting test and still looks the same as it did when I got it, with no chipped or rolled edges. I would recommend J & L Costum Cutlery if you are in the market for a knife.