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Rare Western BX-54 (V-44) Theater Bowie Knife


TALLYHO
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Ive seen a lot of theater knives, but i never saw one made from the Western BX-54 (V-44), until now. I was lucky enough to get my hands on this beauty. Very well constructed and a darn nice sheath to boot!

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A Western V-44 is on my desired list, and I would take that one in a heartbeat to fill the slot. Great knife and sheath; especially the sheath.

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  • 3 weeks later...

post-6195-0-11335500-1482196628_thumb.jpgCongrats on the find! Now, thats only the second BX-54 theater knife I ever have seen. Interesting to note the "S" guard on your knife as well as on one I got a few years back (bottom in photo). Although I can`t be certain when it was done to mine. In 1964 Western introduced the Bowie, later designated the model W49 with a "S" guard. Interesting.

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Mine popped up on craigslist a few days ago. But seeing your Western is what prompted me to buy mine. Here's a close up of the art work on the scabbard. It reads: Down Where the Trade Winds Blow".

 

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The guards do seem different thou from the later knife.

 

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I've found it curious why Western deviated from their practice of stamping the pile side of the blade with the stock number of the knife with this model. Something they had been doing for ten years and more with their fixed blade knives. I also don't remember them stamping the nick-name of the knife on any other models, some of which were commonly known by said nick-name.

In one sense the knife was always a W49 as regards the price sheets and markings on the side of the box they came in. Still with three versions of the knife marked BOWIE while the others are marked W49 it could be considered a difference with little distinction.

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Let us not forget the illusive stainless steel variants of which there are three. One blade marked the other two guard marked. The earliest blade marked as well as one of the two guard marked variants have the Bowie designation, while the third carries the W49 model number. But to your point a difference with little distinction.

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Robinb, I always forget to check in on Craigs list. The folk art you would think would indicated a Pacific theater knife. I like the color in the handle. So many theater knives use red its nice to see something different.

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Here's the only image I have for the 3rd marking regarding the 649, sorry it isn't any better.

 

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I've always wondered about the order of the different markings. Do you have anymore insight towards that?

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Here is a chart that I found on line. It primarily deals with the W49 variants from 1964 to 1977. It was incomplete in that it was missing a few variants. I filled in the blanks and ran it by a few Western enthusiasts and the concur with my order of variants. If anyone has more info or opinions please chime in.

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We know that the first edition W49 (1964) had BOWIE on one side and WESTERN Boulder, Colo on the other. The second edition or variant incorporated both on one side. Then the third the markings migrated to the guard and started with BOWIE again. When the stainless steel version was introduced the three variants closely followed suit in the markings. I hope I explained it clearly. It can be confusing especially if your trying to digest it for the first time. Sactroop you are correct on the guard marked third edition stainless steel. It bears the model # S649 and not W49 as I stated.

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When it comes to the order of appearance of the variants listed for the W49 and 647, I believe that's the way they came about. As far as the dates go I'd like to hear more regarding the reasons used for them at least up to variant #7 and the practice of date coding the knives. I have some difference of opinion in the likely dates on some of the earlier variants, but I think it mostly reflects the difficulty in trying to nail them down in the absence of detailed documentation.

I have to disagree with the description of variant #8. I'm convinced it's a Camillus made knife post 1991. All other Longmont Colorado made W49's are date coded. Also how likely can it be that not only would Longmont change the marking used on that blade, but absolutely match the same stamping that Camillus used for the W49 for their 15 year production of the knife?

As far as the other commemorative/limited production knives, I don't consider myself well enough informed on them.

I've wondered if the introduction of the 649 and the early practice of marking it "BOWIE' might have lead to some push back about having two knives in the market place with the same name. Certainly changing the identifier to the stock number was consistent with Western's long standing practice with the other fixed blade knives they made. But that's just speculation.

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