Bowie and Big Knife Fighting System Paperback – January 1, 2003

This was a great book! Profusely illustrated by the author, showing closeup detail of each technique, with motion simulated well. This is the ONLY knifefighting book I've seen that clearly shows variants of the "back cut" technique.Dwight obviously spent years researching the history of Jim Bowie, the Bowie knife, and those who fought with large knives during the 19th century. A number of little known facts about Bowie's checkered past are revealed, and several of his legendary exploits are questioned. The fact that no-one really knows what kind of knife Bowie used at the infamous Sandbar Duel is also revealed (it was likely a butcher-style hunting knife, which was later believed to have been lost in the woods). This book would be of value to historians as well as martial artists.Dwight has a solid background in the martial arts, and practices Bowie techniques regularly -- he doesn't spar with rubber knives or practice his cuts on cardboard boxes either -- full contact sparring with protective gear and padded training knives, and cuts are practiced on heavy logs (a practice that would quickly destroy most folders and "tactical" knives). The man is very experienced, unlike some other authors who speak primarily from theory.And, finally, a book that acknowledges that the eye is not necessarily considered a "lethal" target. I've read dozens of books stating that the brain can easily be accessed through the "eggshell thin" socket -- even with the thumb! Again, authors speaking from theory who likely have never even handled a skull in an Anatomy course. Dwight provides a very accurate targeting chart, and discloses that Fairbairn's famous "timeline of death" (regarding arterial cuts) has been proven inaccurate, according to various medical reports.This is an outstanding introduction to how to fight with a Bowie, or large Bowie-style, knife -- although many of the techniques could be applied to smaller knives as well. It is true that almost no-one actually carries a Bowie-sized knife anymore, but most of these techniques (with the exception of the back cut) could be executed with a 10" chef knife (found in most kitchens).Highly recommended for anyone who is considering sparring with training blades. IMHO, far easier to understand than "Knife Fighting Encyclopedia."

I collect knives and love the bigger ones and also have 3 of Dwight C. Maclemore's books, The fighting tomahawk and big knife, The fighting Kukri and now this one. I have a few bowies in my large collection and just today received a cold steel natchez bowie and the book matches so well with that blade. In reality, the techniques, footwork and slashes and cuts apply to just about any knife excepting a very small one and the drawings of his, like all of his, make things easy to follow and then you can tell how it could be used for many blades. But it certainly applies itself to large bowie knives first and foremost and really makes a difference in learning the best ways to use it. There are so may books on knife fighting and I own many and always am looking for more. No doubt I'll have all of his over the next few months as well. You do need to read and reread this book or any of his to absorb the information and more importantly practice the techniques. I can't say enough good about this book and if you are fortunate to own any of his books you know what I mean and if not you won't regret this purchase. Lastly, although the chances of getting into a knife fight are rather slim I feel it still it is a good thing to know how to wield a knife especially a large bowie. This volume is a very good one, if you're into knives, this book is for you, highly recommended!

In an age where the single shot pistol gave at most one chance to dispatch the assailant, a reliable backup weapon was critical. The common man's choice was not the gentleman's small sword, but the big knife--the Bowie. BBKFS is a fascinating historical reconstruction of what big knife fighting of the early 19th century may have been like.McLemore has successfully documented the dynamics of the bout using a combination of still images (line drawings) and continuations (vectors) for feet, blade and hand. He also explores the possible history/origin of the big knife fighting technique--an adaptation of small sword fighting to an even shorter length weapon. His illustration skills are excellent. He is a very effective communicator in this medium. Even so, this material cries out for a companion dvd.The drawings and labeling are generally accurate, but there are a few mistakes which better editing would have caught.o p.73 (Timetable for death) "Subclavian" should be "Femoral"; on the Brachial Artery diagram, loss of consciousness should be 14 seconds (not 5 seconds), death 1 1/2 minutes (not 12 seconds); on the Radial Artery diagram, loss of consciousness should be 30 seconds (not 30 minutes). [This information is a restatement from Fairbairn's "Get Tough"]o p.94, p.95, p.121 (Angles of attack). Which drawing is correct? I had to conclude p.95, since most of the labeling on subsequent drawings is consistent with this figure.o p.101 (View of Angle 5 on the opponent) The leftmost drawing mistakenly labels this as angle 6.o p.102 (View of Angle 6 on the opponent) The leftmost drawing mistakenly labels this as angle 5.Grip, stance, guard, presentation, thrust, cut, parry, legwork--this book reads like a fencing manual. Add to that Mr. McLemore's skill with the conte crayon. Agrippa meets Bridgman.

Well, I doubt that I'll ever have occasion to get involved in a fight while my Bowie is close enough to get to...but, I feel pretty well prepared if I do!Coming at this book as a swordsman, I very much enjoyed the points the author made on the applicability of fencing technique to the bowie knife. The Bowie and Big Knife Fighting system is an easy read, an interesting book and a practical form and style guide covering stances, attacks and defenses.This book is friendly to read and pretty easy to follow. Plenty of historical information about how the American knife fighting style came to be (The best of European heavy on the Scott please.) If I loose this book or it gets stolen, I will immediately buy another copy!

Highly recommend for anybody wanting to get into large knife fighting

Escelent and useful book, I recommend it!

Full of good informationAnd drawings

Really well done. Im going to have to buy second one and get the rest of his collection. I hope he does a few on hand fighting

The pictures are dreadful and i wonder why photos of posed combatants were not used. Equally, there are any numbers of pictures of real bowies about so why rely on truly awful line drawings.The historical section is full of assumption and supposition.I could find nothing in here that could not be got out of a conventional book on fighting with a sabre.