Bowie Knife Now The Official State Knife of Texas
There's one thing no self-respecting Texan would be caught without. A decent knife (or two). As of a few days ago, the Bowie Knife is now the Official State Knife of Texas.
According to the Bowie News, the Texas Senate Concurrent Resolution 7 was sponsored by Senator Drew Springer and State Representative David Spiller and became official when Governor Abbott signed it on May 30th. The Resolution names the Bowie Knife the Official Knife of the State of Texas.
It's only appropriate that this news should come to us by way of Bowie, Texas. They are the home of the world's largest Bowie Knife with a blade measuring more than 14 feet long.
The giant piece of cutlery in Bowie weighs in at 3,000 pounds. It would even qualify as and actual knife because it has a metal blade, brass guard, and wooden scales on the handle. And lest you think that 'Largest Bowie Knife In The World' claim is just small-town Texas bravado, it was certified as such with a Guinness World Record entry in 2016.
Exactly what makes a Bowie Knife a Bowie Knife is largely open to interpretation. The name came about as it was a favorite weapon of choice for Texas hero, Jim Bowie. Aside from fighting for Texas independence at the Alamo he was a storied knife fighter and the long-bladed knife with just a simple guard and no other hand protection was one of his go-to weapons.
According to Wikipedia, Jim Bowie went through several designs and lengths over the years. The original intent was to create a wearable, convenient, close-combat weapon. Basically a short sword about the size of a carving knife, with most having blades between 8 and 12 inches long.
If you want to see the largest Bowie Knife in the world, just head down to Bowie and exit onto Highway 81 (East Wise Street). The official address for the display is 1555 East Wise Street, Bowie, Texas.