Vampire Killer Bowie -- Ole Dark Companion Configuration
Jun 20, 2022 1:29:27 GMT
Post by Ouroboros on Jun 20, 2022 1:29:27 GMT
Welcome!
A while ago, during the spring thaw, I received a box from The Levin Lance (or at least, one of the smiths I know he uses)...
I was shocked to find a custom version of his Vampire Killer Bowie! I can't express how thankful I am at receiving anything from anyone around the world. The lore and story-points behind it, the execution of the vision of the creator and the way it feels in the hand are all reminders of how far this gentleman has come with his designs, his presentations and his worldbuilding and story telling. I am honored to be able to write this review and to place this gorgeous knife in my collection. Thank You to The Levin Lance , please chime in with anything I get wrong or if there's more to add!
Fig 0.0 The Vampire Killer in Repose.
(Disclaimer: I was given this blade--my opinions and review content are my own words and my own interpretation of what i was gifted. I do not know the smith nor have I an understanding of the technical details of the construction/heat treatment or tests any of this batch of blades might have gone through. I supplied no specifications for the design. Im trying to present an honest, barely technical review of how much ive enjoyed this knife so far. If that gives you pause to question bias, prejudgement or preferential treatment on my part, hell, you're probably right but this is one fun knife everyone should try using to start a fire and stake a vampire!)
Fig 0.1 The Vampire Killer with magnifier and amber.
Thank you, O Levin Lance. Ive been looking for something like this--even going as far as trying to snag a vampire killer in the classifieds (missed it by that much).
Anyone who spends time in the bush will appreciate a stout chopper, a sharp edge, geometry to both strip and split bark, and the finess to cleanly cut leather and dispatching and steaking the occasional fish but thats not all...
The esthetics are a compliment to those on the Mikade Mk II. A wood core, leather covered sheath with blued chape and throat collar. The collar includes the sigil of the Levin Lance, long sought after of the secretive group called The Lodge.
The blade fits well in the sheath(but im gonna shim it up a bit) but does slip out every now and then. The embelishments to the blued metal are done well and are consistently spaced and evenly filed/ground.
The blade has technical details which I'll add once I'm not camping in the bush (no calipers or tape measure in the trailer--Dance Nationals are over). Can measurements tell you what you need to know about this knife Is it a tool? Will it rend and kill undead flesh? Can it make the all important weapons you will need to deal with a vampire infestation? Can you end a Wamphyri rightly with it?
The blades edge is straight and true, there are no false starts to the grind and no wavy gravy bs as I sight down the centerline. What appears to be an aggressive angle later turned out to be the perfect blend of chisel, plane and chopper. There is no niku, the grind on the edge is a workhorse of a secondary bevel which compliments the main descending angle to the blade body itself by being of even
The false edge is not sharpened but comes to an apex to aid in piercing tasks (button holes in deerskin leather, getting into the belly of a fish, turkey-work, the obligatory stabby stabby). There's a wonderful distal taper
The pomel is of blued steel and solid. It does not appear to be screwed on there so I can't remove it and end a man rightly (though I'm sure no bowie has this adaptation).
The coffin handle is mikarta with a high polish and brass pins.
The guard appears to be a blued steel and is coffin shaped. There're more than enough material here to stop ones hand from slipping up onto the blade during thrusts or light wood chores.
The blade is of a blued steel that has held its edge without needing additional honing or sharpening through the four tasks ive put her through (see my note below). One of many sigils of the Levin Lance, borrowed by the Lodge, is prominent on the blade.
Fig 1.0 The Vampire Killer (sheathed)
A point of interest: the blade and sheath came well protected and oiled for additional rust repelling. Though this protective measure was applied a small spot of active red appeared on the blade while acclimatizing for camping in our rv. Im not surprised, our climate in eastern ontario is quite wet--we also live on a river...in a valley so humidity is high . There was a small patch of rust on the chape but it cleaned (microfiber cloth rubbed it right off) without apparent damage to the metal beneath.
Fig 1.1 The Vampire Killer Point On
The Fire Utility Test
Like the Mikade Tanto, i put this knife through a basic firestarting task. Not all knives make fire. Ive had penknives that were excellent woodshapers but couldnt spark worth a crap and others (notably a cheap surplus Argentinian army machette) that could spray a splash of sparks across a target.
"This is asinine with the number 9!" you scream at the screen. "Why is he making fire when we have lighters and matches??" Because as a bushskill, this one will save your ass more times than knowing how to piss. If you can spark a ferorod with your knife, you can find a steam and a set of stones that'll spark just as well. When metal was an unknown skill or scarce to be had, a fire-hardened spear was the next best thing. With fire you can purify water (or at least make it less parasite and bacteria ridden). With fire and stone you can shape birch bark.
I digress...
The wood was a piece of park-store bag wood that was pretty wet. It was a medium density wood that burned with a smouldering flame.
Fig 2.0 wood
It was remarkably easy to shave some good starter material from this block. Using the handle in my right hand while guiding the blade with my left on the spine.
Fig 2.1 shavings and block
I could chop and cleave with both the lighter top 1/3 of the blade or with the belly near the crossguard. Baton method for splitting was quite successful and produced no damage to the spine or the edge of the blade from repeated impacts.
Fig 2.2 knife tip chop
Fig 2.3 knife belly chop
The magnesium brick firestarters i like to use shaved down easily with the backside of the blade. In fact, the filework there really let the blade spine bite into the block. The same area on the spine sparked quite nicely against the ferorod.
Fig 2.5 knife shavings and flame start
Fig 2.6 Fire
Fig 2.7 The fire ignited
Edge
I had a great writeup of how the edge had suffered no damage at all during my firemaking tests.
Somewhere along the way after taking these pics, a slight roll had started near the center of the belly of the blade. I recall smoking a knot during last nights firestarting & woodsplitting but to prove it wasn't a bad or fatal flaw: I honed the area and planed down a hardwood log to make sure it wasn't general use but my own "will it cut" enthusiasm to show the Daughters what a knife it is.
Here are some pics before and after the fire adventure.
Fig 3.0 edge before
Fig 3.1 The edge after
Conclusion:
I would buy this knife in an instant for the Daughters of Ithaqua (the girls). I found it a stout and handy friend that brought forth fire like Prometheus himself. The tasks of planing, shaving and later shaping were very enjoyable. The mirror smooth, nicely honed edge was a pleasure to work with and suffered no ill at my hand. I am looking forward to doing some organic penetration testing when I return from our latest adventure.
Thank you once again O The Levin Lance
More to come when I return to civilization!
As Novice O'Hanrahan faced the unknown of the bog, a fetid stench of rotting corpses overcame him. He feared his breakfast might rise. Something moved just out of sight; he heard it pass across fallen trees.
He reached for his well earned Mukade tanto, with intent to place it beside his ring hilt sword at his belt but the elder interrupted him and whispered in his ear.
A different weapon was thrust forth and with a glance saw the use of it for he had been allowed to see them train with the vampire killer bowie. The mists seemed to rise, it steamed from the unholy ground; a dozen elders were giving instruction. The sun had begun its slow rise. The elders retreated, one sounding the bell.
Resisting the urge to rush forth, he considered his options and set about building a small fire.
The blade shaved and chopped then sparked flintstone against dry moss and shavings. Before he knew it, the damp was driven back by licking flames.
He hardened several stakes in the coals at the edge of the fire. A six pack of short, sharpened spears came next and their launching atlatl, then a mallet. He chanced upon local garlic and coated his spear tips and his rubbed the bulbs against his long, hard-collared vest. He stripped bark, twisting and braiding roots for rope and lashings made arcane by the whispers he gave them. Beside the fire lay cedar and birchbark, one to be ground to fine powder and the other to hold written incantations for his medicine bundle. These improvised weapons and components for the proper rituals took only an hour to gather and imbue with the spirit.
The darkened blade, so recently gifted him, never faultered in these tasks and when the last flames of the fire were upon him he took it from his belt and placed it beside the medicine bundle. He prayed and incanted protections upon himself and his tools.
Killing a vampire was no easy task and freeing the trapped soul within required a deeper path than any knife could furrow. An established undead infestatiom of vampire, thralls, guardians and undead creations might lay before him...
...he stepped onto the beckoning fen.
A while ago, during the spring thaw, I received a box from The Levin Lance (or at least, one of the smiths I know he uses)...
I was shocked to find a custom version of his Vampire Killer Bowie! I can't express how thankful I am at receiving anything from anyone around the world. The lore and story-points behind it, the execution of the vision of the creator and the way it feels in the hand are all reminders of how far this gentleman has come with his designs, his presentations and his worldbuilding and story telling. I am honored to be able to write this review and to place this gorgeous knife in my collection. Thank You to The Levin Lance , please chime in with anything I get wrong or if there's more to add!
Fig 0.0 The Vampire Killer in Repose.
(Disclaimer: I was given this blade--my opinions and review content are my own words and my own interpretation of what i was gifted. I do not know the smith nor have I an understanding of the technical details of the construction/heat treatment or tests any of this batch of blades might have gone through. I supplied no specifications for the design. Im trying to present an honest, barely technical review of how much ive enjoyed this knife so far. If that gives you pause to question bias, prejudgement or preferential treatment on my part, hell, you're probably right but this is one fun knife everyone should try using to start a fire and stake a vampire!)
Fig 0.1 The Vampire Killer with magnifier and amber.
Thank you, O Levin Lance. Ive been looking for something like this--even going as far as trying to snag a vampire killer in the classifieds (missed it by that much).
Anyone who spends time in the bush will appreciate a stout chopper, a sharp edge, geometry to both strip and split bark, and the finess to cleanly cut leather and dispatching and steaking the occasional fish but thats not all...
The esthetics are a compliment to those on the Mikade Mk II. A wood core, leather covered sheath with blued chape and throat collar. The collar includes the sigil of the Levin Lance, long sought after of the secretive group called The Lodge.
The blade fits well in the sheath(but im gonna shim it up a bit) but does slip out every now and then. The embelishments to the blued metal are done well and are consistently spaced and evenly filed/ground.
The blade has technical details which I'll add once I'm not camping in the bush (no calipers or tape measure in the trailer--Dance Nationals are over). Can measurements tell you what you need to know about this knife Is it a tool? Will it rend and kill undead flesh? Can it make the all important weapons you will need to deal with a vampire infestation? Can you end a Wamphyri rightly with it?
The blades edge is straight and true, there are no false starts to the grind and no wavy gravy bs as I sight down the centerline. What appears to be an aggressive angle later turned out to be the perfect blend of chisel, plane and chopper. There is no niku, the grind on the edge is a workhorse of a secondary bevel which compliments the main descending angle to the blade body itself by being of even
The false edge is not sharpened but comes to an apex to aid in piercing tasks (button holes in deerskin leather, getting into the belly of a fish, turkey-work, the obligatory stabby stabby). There's a wonderful distal taper
The pomel is of blued steel and solid. It does not appear to be screwed on there so I can't remove it and end a man rightly (though I'm sure no bowie has this adaptation).
The coffin handle is mikarta with a high polish and brass pins.
The guard appears to be a blued steel and is coffin shaped. There're more than enough material here to stop ones hand from slipping up onto the blade during thrusts or light wood chores.
The blade is of a blued steel that has held its edge without needing additional honing or sharpening through the four tasks ive put her through (see my note below). One of many sigils of the Levin Lance, borrowed by the Lodge, is prominent on the blade.
Fig 1.0 The Vampire Killer (sheathed)
A point of interest: the blade and sheath came well protected and oiled for additional rust repelling. Though this protective measure was applied a small spot of active red appeared on the blade while acclimatizing for camping in our rv. Im not surprised, our climate in eastern ontario is quite wet--we also live on a river...in a valley so humidity is high . There was a small patch of rust on the chape but it cleaned (microfiber cloth rubbed it right off) without apparent damage to the metal beneath.
Fig 1.1 The Vampire Killer Point On
The Fire Utility Test
Like the Mikade Tanto, i put this knife through a basic firestarting task. Not all knives make fire. Ive had penknives that were excellent woodshapers but couldnt spark worth a crap and others (notably a cheap surplus Argentinian army machette) that could spray a splash of sparks across a target.
"This is asinine with the number 9!" you scream at the screen. "Why is he making fire when we have lighters and matches??" Because as a bushskill, this one will save your ass more times than knowing how to piss. If you can spark a ferorod with your knife, you can find a steam and a set of stones that'll spark just as well. When metal was an unknown skill or scarce to be had, a fire-hardened spear was the next best thing. With fire you can purify water (or at least make it less parasite and bacteria ridden). With fire and stone you can shape birch bark.
I digress...
The wood was a piece of park-store bag wood that was pretty wet. It was a medium density wood that burned with a smouldering flame.
Fig 2.0 wood
It was remarkably easy to shave some good starter material from this block. Using the handle in my right hand while guiding the blade with my left on the spine.
Fig 2.1 shavings and block
I could chop and cleave with both the lighter top 1/3 of the blade or with the belly near the crossguard. Baton method for splitting was quite successful and produced no damage to the spine or the edge of the blade from repeated impacts.
Fig 2.2 knife tip chop
Fig 2.3 knife belly chop
The magnesium brick firestarters i like to use shaved down easily with the backside of the blade. In fact, the filework there really let the blade spine bite into the block. The same area on the spine sparked quite nicely against the ferorod.
Fig 2.5 knife shavings and flame start
Fig 2.6 Fire
Fig 2.7 The fire ignited
Edge
I had a great writeup of how the edge had suffered no damage at all during my firemaking tests.
Somewhere along the way after taking these pics, a slight roll had started near the center of the belly of the blade. I recall smoking a knot during last nights firestarting & woodsplitting but to prove it wasn't a bad or fatal flaw: I honed the area and planed down a hardwood log to make sure it wasn't general use but my own "will it cut" enthusiasm to show the Daughters what a knife it is.
Here are some pics before and after the fire adventure.
Fig 3.0 edge before
Fig 3.1 The edge after
Conclusion:
I would buy this knife in an instant for the Daughters of Ithaqua (the girls). I found it a stout and handy friend that brought forth fire like Prometheus himself. The tasks of planing, shaving and later shaping were very enjoyable. The mirror smooth, nicely honed edge was a pleasure to work with and suffered no ill at my hand. I am looking forward to doing some organic penetration testing when I return from our latest adventure.
Thank you once again O The Levin Lance
More to come when I return to civilization!
As Novice O'Hanrahan faced the unknown of the bog, a fetid stench of rotting corpses overcame him. He feared his breakfast might rise. Something moved just out of sight; he heard it pass across fallen trees.
He reached for his well earned Mukade tanto, with intent to place it beside his ring hilt sword at his belt but the elder interrupted him and whispered in his ear.
A different weapon was thrust forth and with a glance saw the use of it for he had been allowed to see them train with the vampire killer bowie. The mists seemed to rise, it steamed from the unholy ground; a dozen elders were giving instruction. The sun had begun its slow rise. The elders retreated, one sounding the bell.
Resisting the urge to rush forth, he considered his options and set about building a small fire.
The blade shaved and chopped then sparked flintstone against dry moss and shavings. Before he knew it, the damp was driven back by licking flames.
He hardened several stakes in the coals at the edge of the fire. A six pack of short, sharpened spears came next and their launching atlatl, then a mallet. He chanced upon local garlic and coated his spear tips and his rubbed the bulbs against his long, hard-collared vest. He stripped bark, twisting and braiding roots for rope and lashings made arcane by the whispers he gave them. Beside the fire lay cedar and birchbark, one to be ground to fine powder and the other to hold written incantations for his medicine bundle. These improvised weapons and components for the proper rituals took only an hour to gather and imbue with the spirit.
The darkened blade, so recently gifted him, never faultered in these tasks and when the last flames of the fire were upon him he took it from his belt and placed it beside the medicine bundle. He prayed and incanted protections upon himself and his tools.
Killing a vampire was no easy task and freeing the trapped soul within required a deeper path than any knife could furrow. An established undead infestatiom of vampire, thralls, guardians and undead creations might lay before him...
...he stepped onto the beckoning fen.