Can I Use My Bowie Knife As A Punch?

In the face of such a question, the only answer possible is a resounding "NO!" However, why is "no" the only answer here? Why can't you use your bowie knife as a screwdriver? Why can't you chisel or punch with the blade? What happens if you attempt to use your knife as a pry bar? In short, each of these uses, while seemingly innocent enough, can lead to serious damage to your blade and may even lead to injuries.

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.

Let's look at using your bowie knife as a pry bar to get an even better feel for why these versatile knives should not be used for such tasks. When prying on something, it generally means that the item is either rather heavy, or it is jammed and stuck. While your knife might fit quite well under whatever that object might be, you can rest assured that you do not want to put the blade there. Even a small amount of pressure can actually bend the blade of your bowie knife, leading to some serious problems.

Now that you know a bit about why you shouldn't use your knife for situations such as this, you should know a few other things. First, using your bowie knife in such a way will instantly void the warranty on the blade. As you've probably spent a pretty penny to purchase a high quality bowie knife, this is not a good situation to be in, particularly if an issue comes up for which you need that warranty protection.

If you do manage to bend the blade or damage the knife in some other way, and it is not covered under manufacturer warranty, you will need to find a skilled blacksmith or cutler to repair the knife for you. As these skills are not quite as common as they once were, this can be an expensive, time consuming process.