Cold Steel 88CSAB 1917 Frontier Bowie

I didn’t know what to expect but at first glance This knife, is Not the first knife I would reach for to peel an apple. It is big, and feels more like a sword, no rattle, firm comfortable grip, and well balanced. It came Covered in grease that I would Not clean off. Just a light wipe to remove any clumps from the sheath as it’s there to protect the steel. My blade didn’t ’/ doesn’t need any reprofiling as it’s sharp like an ax or hatchet not a BIC disposable razor. The top of the Bowie blade is formed, but blunt and can be redressed to taste. The grip is square off, with smooth edges, but not fatiguing and is meant to keep the blade positioned for branches or a fight. The grip, well secured by screws is used to cover the unsharpened part of the blade. It’s just one big piece of steel. The sheath is adequate and didn’t need any leather dressing as there was enough grease covering the blade. The tip of the sheath is metal as the blade would do so serious damage in a fall or slide without it. This knife was a bargain at $110, and I would call it a Cold Steal.

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!

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.

So you want a cold steel bowie huh,? good old American made , sharpest, strongest brainchild of Lynn Thompson and all the beefy choppy and stabbiness and slicey and diceyness that cold steel has produced for 35 years? This is not it. its not a Trailmaster. I must say that it looks good, feels good in the hands. and has that fresh out the armory WW1 Soldier's parents got him a special gift to take with him to the battlefield in case he needed to handle some enemies in the trenches. Or maybe you fancy yourself the last man standing at the end of the Battle of the Alamo. Whatever your reason, this is a serious weapon. Its designed to dominate in a knife fight, or to even the odds against multiple attacking bears/wolves. Problem is you need to sharpen it for a while because it comes dull, the grip is loose and wobbly, and the leather comes dry, must be oiled/conditioned The blade is a foot long yet only has about 9.75 inches of usable edge. Ridiculous choil, extremely square grip is big and uncomfortable for extended use, but is great for keeping the edge properly aligned on target. Great for big hands. I was able to remove the grip and coat the surface of the tang with adhesive so it eliminated the considerable wobble. The guard is robust, but only attached to the tang with 2 tiny little tack welds. Areas of the guard are sharp enough to cut my finger. Long story short, its not cold steel, but its a lot of knife for the price. The sheath alone should be 100 retail. Has a nice swivel that is great for ridin, Its a well balanced fighter that needs just a little help to become great. These are no longer made in South Africa. Theyre made in India. Overall its not bad. Nice gun blue finish.

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.