Actually its good to see life on this thread after it has lain in state since December!
With the Bowies, its important to note that the familiar large clipped point types were made that way, and I personally am unaware of any sword blade which might serve to that profile.
However, the contemporary large frontier knife known as an 'Arkansas toothpick' typically had a more even dagger type blade, and likely predated the 'Bowie'. The history of these knife forms is heavily clouded with 'lore' and it seems the term Arkansas toothpick and Bowie were often interchanged in many cases in 19th c.
The Arkansas toothpick would seem more potentially suitable for sword blade repurpose.
The so called Confederate Bowie had a knuckleguard in most cases, which was why espada anchas were often taken for them.
Ironically one of the most prolific supply centers for Bowie knifes was Sheffield, England!
The cutlass arrived today, and it has crowned GR on blade (Gilkerson, p.88) but hilted with Spanish cockle shell guard of espada ancha. It appears to be indeed a cutlass but of the 'Spanish Main' of the early 19th century in Caribbean 'South Seas'. As these Caribbean colonies were using many English (or Solingen produced versions) in these times, this falls neatly into that regional part of the espada ancha spectrum.
|