Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Can I Use My Bowie Knife as a Punch?

By Dylan Sabot

Your bowie knife is a very handy tool, indeed. It provides you with numerous benefits and uses, whether you are hunting, camping, fishing or even just working around your home. However, while that knife is an ideal tool for many different things, from cutting to slicing and even blazing a trail through the underbrush, you'll find some things that it should not be used for. What should you not use your knife to do?

Let's take the screwdriver usage as an example. Chances are pretty good that the tip of your bowie knife is going to fit well into the head of a screw, whether it's a flathead screw or a Phillips head. However, actually turning the screw requires that you exert pressure on the tip of the blade. Unfortunately, the metal is not designed for this type of use. Usually, what happens next is that the tip of the blade bends. You might even find that the tip snaps off completely is you are using significant force.

Another mistake that people make when using bowie knives is mistaking them for pry bars. While these knives are undoubtedly sturdy and the thickness of the blade might make you believe that it would make an ideal tool for prying, this is actually not the case. Prying with that blade can lead to severe bending, or even breakage, should you exert too much pressure against significant amounts of weight. Once the blade is bent, your only hope is a professional cutler, though even these professionals might have a hard time making the needed repairs. You can be certain that you'll pay a pretty penny, as well.

Chisel - Chiseling is something best left to specially designed tools. While your bowie knife might seem to have the right size and shape, and might even do a good job of it at first, you'll find that it can quickly become blunted and damaged through this type of misuse. You'll also find that use like this will void the warranty on the knife, if you have one.

Punch - Punches are used in a variety of different areas, from leatherworking to stonework. However, your bowie knife is most certainly not a punch. While it might do an ok job on leather or cloth, you'll find that anything harder than this will leave your knife a ruined mess. Therefore, do not use your bowie knife as a punch. - 16887

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