Knight:

Let me clarify something here... You don't know me from Adam...and that's OK..let me introduce myself..maybe that will help a bit..

My moniker here (and a few other places as well) is JPH, the "J" part is for James (Jim) the "H" part is for Hrisoulas..I am a professional bladesmith (now part time thanks to my NG unit being activated on 09/11/01) with close to 40 years experience in making swords, daggers, knives and pattern welded steel. I have written 6 books on the subject of forging and re-creating fine cutlery, 3 of which are currently in print (No. 4 will be out in about a year with numbers 5 and 6 following there after).  Can I ask you how many books you have to your credit?

My  published works so far (on the books that is) have been referred to as "standard works" on the subject, that term is reserved for only the top works published.

I am also a sworn Law Enforcement Officer under the Nevada Revised Statutes.  Before I came to live in Nevada I was  Federal Special Agent. I have been involved in law enforcement and bladesmithing all my  life (more or less...I have been bladesmithing since I was 12..)

I hold a Doctoral degree in metals and I have been referred to numeorus times as one of the "10 most influential people in bladesmithing in the last 500 years".

In addition I have writtenm numerous articles for various trade magaizens and publication such as "Knives Illustrated", "Swords" , "Tactical Knives" and a few others.  I was also a contributing editor for the now defunct "Cut and Thrust" magazine. 

Examples of my work have been displayed in museums world wide and I am considered one of the world's leading researchers into Dark Age Metallography. In fact my Doctoral Thesis was on Pattern Welding Techniques in Dark Age Europe.

Yes, I am "new here" but I am not new to the world.  Now if you  are in the United States and you wish to run afoul the laws of your state, that is your choice. Personally, I would hate to see someone get thrown into jail over something like this, especially when it is totally preventable.  If you are NOT in the US..I would say check your local laws and make damn sure you're not going to be in violation becasue as I understand things, prisons outside the US make US prisons look like vacation hotels...

In closing...if you took offense at what I wrote..I will NOT say I am sorry for if my words saved one person from doing something that could prevented them from ruining their lives..this is a good thing...

Good luck to you..

JPH

Quote:


hear hear!

Without those in the know about the law we could easily get carried away creating all manner of objects, then find ourselves on the wrong side of the law.

To speculate and theorise about how one of these weapons would look/work is one thing, but to create one ?



Greywolf

http://www.bowenknife.com/products_main.shtml

The Bowen knife, AKA belt knife 


Greywolf

Hello again..

THe Bowen knife was/is a "survival knife" in the simplest sense.. It is a small blade compared to the "others" as far as survival knives go.  The idea behind it was a belt buckle/knife that you could wear every day, as "insurance" as far as being in a "live or die" situation...the last time I checked they were made out of 440C, with excellent thermal treatment. They are a good..solid knife... Yet..the "powers that be", being what they are..picked up on these and well..looking at vartious laws, statutes and all..wearing one is a felony. 

I own one, I got it gee..close to 25 some years ago (?) as a "last ditch" back up when I was in the DEA...It was/is an excellent idea really..A good knife can be, literally, a life saver in more than afew situations...

Anyway..back on track here...I made my comment in regards to this to point out that a "bell sword" would be exposing the owner/wearer to arrest and prosecution on a felony charge.  Like I said earlier, a felony conviction can and WILL ruin your life from that point on...I just wanted to prevent something that is life shattering from happening...

Th Bowen knives  were/are a great idea..but in this day and age of fighting "terrorism", they are pretty much an invitation to jail, which in my eyes, is a total shame. 

As far as a "belt sword" goes..this is an extension of this and well, as far as risk vs "benefit" ..I will say don't even think about it if you are in the U.S..

Personally, I have NO problem with an "armed populace"..In fact, every State that has become a "shall issue" state as far as CCW has had a serious DROP in crime. All this shows that criminals prefer unarmed victims and well..I for one won't "go down without a fight"...

But concealed weapon permits ONLY pertain to firearms, NOT any sort of blade at all..and to expose yourself to arrest and prosecution on something like this..well...that is up to the individual, but still itr's not something that would be "worth the risk" as they say...

JPH

Well Mr. JPH, I'm an amatuer bladesmith- Here you go. I like the heft of it. My own personal bowie knife, made out of fine steel, white oak handle. I used some homemade pitch varnish and alcohol for the finish. Hope you like it. I tend to wax the handle a bit, makes it shiny. This is a pic of my bowmaking tools. You can see the bowie knife in there. Its incredible steel, got it from an old buzzsaw blade.  Well, otherwise, theres my handplane, sandpaper, files, hatchet, and a ruler. I really like that knife, and I'm working on the sheath. Those bowen knives are neat.
Another thing to keep in consideration JPH, we are mostly fourteen, fifteen, sixteen year olds here- in other words- we are not serious!. There is almost no one here who can forge something or anything like a "belt sword".  Knight was mostly wondering if anyone knew anything about it. I don't think he would be able to or try to make one.

Take a look at JPH's website, boy those blades are somthing else!

Hey Jim read some of your books. How well do you sling lol.
Any way to today i was thinking of some thing like the belt sword at work.
Now granted this is just for imformation sakes. By the way some of jims bookds have been published in cataalogs that use that phase a lot.
this is just a very simple thing a peice of inch metal banding brazed to a metal belt buckle the banding is o.k spring still very flexable would easly fit inside a double layer belt. it also takes a edge very well. my expernce with this is using banding as box cutters and awsome make shift machette's with such a flexable weapon defence might be limited but offence would be awsome
also the wholething would take very little money time or expence. but to where one as Jimputs out would be illigal and most likly insane.
Hey JPH let me introduce you to a gentleman that go's by the monicker TechStuff lol

The sequel to "shanghi Kid"  (Shanghi Noon ? ) with Jacky Chan protrays a villian with a belt sword . Also with my experience with handleing Tai Chi swords I've come across a lot of spring steel swords that are extremely flexible . As to their combat virtues I can't comment except that different weapons require different tactics . With a flexible sword one would have to be very evasive and flexible to get out of the way , Esp against a dude with a viking sword .  8)