All one piece, the knife, guards and butt end I forged out of a old Heller hoof rasp. Heller rasps began their business in 1836 and are still in production today. Hand hammered to taper the tang and to lengthen and widen just a bit, the 12 inch blade gets ones attention.
Handle is black locust burl, inlet with coinage from the day. Four silver dimes and two half cent copper pennies were used as rivets with brass rod and pitch glue, thus the name “ 41 Cent Bowie”.
The sheath is steer leather overwrapped with deer rawhide and brain tan buckskin. Linen string binds the brain tan fringe and black bear tooth.
Oil hardened it’s made to be used but my intention was to display it ( includes the shadow box) but it’s amazing how it feels in the hand, not cumbersome as one might think for it’s size, pick it up and it’s a part of you.
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