Cold Steel88CSAB 1917 Frontier Bowie

Wow! This is great fighting knife! I'm sure it can do bushcraft stuff, but that's not why I purchased it. If you want a great self defense "Bowie" knife, buy this for $100 dollars! Comes with a great leather sheath also!

This is a great rendition of a WWI era Bowie combat knife. Love the features and the look. Used some WD40 to take off all the preservative grease and to clean the dye off of the handle - works great and there is not any need for acetone and the like. The scabbard/sheath is excellent, built like the old times when people actually had to carry knives everyday. I would buy this knife a thousand times over and at the price of Benjamin it is the lowest I have ever seen it. Buy it if you find it interesting, you won't be disappointed. There are a lot of hand made touches to it, slight blemishes and all, that make it a beautiful piece for display or serious use in combat or the bush.

Extremely large and appears well made. The grinds are even, the handles meet the guard appropriately, the finish is nice and even, the guard is tight with no play. The scabbard is well made albeit a little tight. I'm sure it will loosen up with use. All in all a great buy for right under $100. The only complaint I have is that it could be sharper, the last 3in. and the first 2in. aren't very sharp. It is a great (huge) bowie that will make you feel like you've been taken back in time. It's well enough executed that I'll give it 5 stars even though it needs some sharpening.

Great knife but you'll have to sharpen the edge

I wanted a Bowie knife to add to my knife collection. My collection is a working collections, so I use them. That meant that my criteria for the a Bowie that would meet my aesthetic tastes, still be a functional worker, and not be so expensive that I was hesitant to actually strap it on my hip and take it into the woods. So the the big 600 buck Bowie by Cold Steel didn't really fit in my collection by that criteria. But the 1917 Bowie seemed just right given the price point. I think it is intended to imitate Bowies that might have been found in World War I trenches. And so I thought it would pair well with my Cold Steel Trench Hawk.When I got the thing, it seemed even better. I thought I understood the Bowie knife form. I thought I understood the limits of what a Bowie knife could be. So, I didn't really pay that much attention to the dimensions. I thought it would be about the size of the Laredo Bowie. What I got would be considered a sword in Hobbiton. This is one big knife, that comes perilously close to being a machete.That said, it is a very fine looking beast. It is all blued Steel, has a stout wooden handle, and a solid leather sheath with some kind of rigid interior structure. Mine came sharp. I know some reviewers have not had that experience. I've no complaints. This is exactly the Bowie knife you want for bushcraft, bear fighting or the zombie apocalypse. If you are thinking about, go ahead and order it. It is a great Bowie.

Mine came shaving sharp. The blade seems properly ground with identical bevels on both sides of the blade. The polished blued finish is attractive in a utilitarian way. The knife and scabbard both have a down-to-earth utilitarian appearance that is a pleasure to look at. The grip scales are some sort of tropical hardwood and are smooth and comfortable in the hand without being slick. It's easy to keep a secure grip on it.This thing is huge! When I first handled it I was thinking that it felt more like a Roman gladius short-sword than a Bowie knife. Nonetheless, it's still extremely handy and fast, much more nimble than you'd guess from just its immense size. The blade seems to be an ideal compromise between being thick enough for toughness while not weighing a half-ton. As noted it shaved my arm right out of the box. it is officially the largest Bowie I own (I have a collection of custom and vintage Bowies) being about a half-inch longer in blade than my next largest one, The Natchez Bowie, also a Cold Steel product.The scabbard is also (apparently) period-correct and is quite elaborate, having a leather frog it's suspended from as well as a metal tip. The knife comes with a coating of what appears to be lithium grease on the blade, and you should leave it on the blade or at least re-grease it after cleaning. There's some sort of friction spring arrangement inside that holds the blade securely yet is also easy to draw quickly from. The grease probably keeps the friction retainer from marking the blued blade.I've only scratched the surface in Filipino knife fighting but like I said, this huge blade is *fast* and handy. It does NOT handle like a battle axe. More like a rapier. The enormous guard would also be quite effective in protecting the hand in the unlikely event you actually found yourself having to engage in a knife fight.Would definitely purchase again and would have no qualms at all over taking this thing on a camping trip with me or engaging in combat with it. I've several Cold Steel Bowies, starting with an original Trailmaster I bought in 1987, and will keep on collecting them as long as Cold Steel keeps making them.

I’m impressed at the build quality of this Bowie Knife! I bought it to have protection in my semi since I live in it! This will definitely do the trick! Very well balanced! Amazing blueing in it. Blade is very sharp all the way from the tip to the other end! Worth the $100 I paid for sure!

Why did you pick this product vs others?:Man, what an awesome and beautiful piece of steel.