Down Under DUKCD-BRK The Down Under Bowie

Hello, I needed to give an update on my experience with my Outback Bowie Knife as well as with World Knives, Down Under Knives, and North American Enterprises, which os one of their affiliates. Anyway, I bought and owned my Outback Bowie knife for over a year. However, a few months after owning/ using it I felt like I needed to refine the blade's sharp edge. However, no matter how hard I tried to or what I used, the blade on the knife just would not sharpen. I mean, it would get a little sharp but would not get razor sharp like it claimed. I knew something was wrong because it was very sharp out of the box. But with owning it for many months, I figured that I was justs tuck with a defective knife. I read some online reports where some of the Outback Bowie knives had slipped through QC and had some quality issues. I knew my knife ha da lifetime warranty on it but like all other items we buy that claim that, I figured it would just be waste of time and I would just get nothing but the runaround. However, one day and after owning the knifr for almost two years, i at least felt the desire to contact World Knives and vent my unhappiness and frustrations about the knife to them. I was extremely surprised just a few days later when I opened my email and one was from World Knives who said they had contacted Down Under Knives to see what they could do for me, especially when I didn't even buy my knife through World Knives. Anyway, then about two more days later I was contacted again by World Knives rep via email, and he said that he received a reply from Down Under Knives. He said that they wanted to send me a brand new replacement Outback Bowie knife and that I needed to contact North American Enterprises and give them my name and mailing address. He said Down Under had approved for my knife to be replaced Immediately. I contacted their store and gave them my name and mailing address, and within just two or 3 days, in my mail box, was a box with a brand new Outback Bowie Knife inside. I took it out right away and used the blade extensively for several days, purposely trying to get it used so i could test resharpening it. It did and the blade on the new one sharpens easy and gets razor sharp like nobody's business. What fascinates me is that Down Under Knives is a company that still has embedded in them the old traditional method of replacing defective items. What I mean is that unlike SOG, Target, and many other supposedly awesome places of business that just give you the rude run-a-round or bunches of lame excuses and red-tape that you cannot possibly get past anytime quick, Down Under takes their customers' word for it, and they send out replacements almost Immediately and they do not even request that you send the defective one back first. Nor do they use the Ole "We need to do some testing on yout item before we can decide to replace it or not" lame excuse. And the replacement Outback Bowie knife is Exceptionally Flawless!! Blade gets extremely razor sharp and it gets sharp easy, yet it has excellent edge retention! Down Under, World Knives, and North American all wasted No Time in handling my problem and providing a very fast solution/ replacement. And it didn't cost me one cent! All other companies and stors out there should read this and then take a good look at how a real mature company and store does business. other stores should really model themselves after Down Under Knives, World Knives, and North American. I give them three wonderful places TWO THUMBS UP... And Then Some!!!!Also, I have read reviews on The Outback Bowie Knife and have read where one or two people are not happy with the sheath that comes with the knife. I happen to have two extra handmade sheaths for the Outback Bowie knife that I no longer need and use. One of them I have only had a couple of weeks and another one I have had for some time but never wore it or used it and it still looks brand new. One looks just like the sheath the knife is sold with Minus the crocodile skin design. It is dark burgundy color and has the sharpener pouch on the side of the sheath just like the one that comes with it. The other sheath is brown and has a 1/4" round diamond sharpener pouch in the middle of it like a regular sheath. Each sheath is made by different makers and both are totally handmade and hand sewn. If you are interested in purchasing one or both of these sheaths, plesse feel free to email me at [email protected]. I am selling them because I bought a 3rd and much more expensive sheath for my Outback Bowie knife. Thanks and sorry my review here is so long.

Excellent

Knife collector for 10 years now, and I have some really cool ones. my one thing in the last few years is that the knife has to be fully functional.The qualifications for me are -1)has to be able to take and hold an edge.2)has to be able to withstand strain.- this is including throwing, chopping, dropping, slicing, wedging, prying, and the elements.3)it has to be able to stay together without being a "project" as i call it.So the question is this, Does this knife meet all three of my criteria for a "fully functional knife"?the answer is an overwhelming YES!YES YES YES!!!I drive semi trucks for a living and use knives big and small on a daily basis. and i can honestly say that out of the 100 + knives i have, this one is by far the best.Pro'sMinimal maintenance- rarely do i have to do upkeep to hold the edge, and ive taken this bad boy wading in lakes and heat ect. the only damage taken was to the sheath!Heavy duty- she's a biggen, and because of the taper of the blade, she can machete through limbs as thick as 2 inches with a single slice.Grip- the grip is to doe for. its very comfortable, and because of the brass fittings, you really would feel comfortable trying to crocodile dundee it and try to pierce a croc skull.ConsOnly one con, and its not even with the knife, its the sharpening steel and lanyards. when moving about the lanyards can get in the way, and the sharpening steel can be pron to falling out if doing extreme stuff. this is easily countered though bt taking the lanyards and holding under the sheath strap.in 2 years time i'll give an update to let you know if it still is kicken.Update- 9/10/2015It's been more than two years, time for an update.After close to five years of using and abusing this knife, I can give a good "long term" review of the knife.First with the pros ...1. After five years camping, trucking and swimming (you read right) the blade still maintains an awesome edge with minimal upkeep. For the blade, I keep it up with a "handy sharp" sharpener, and polish off with a leather belt. Works. Great.2. No fuss, no rust. Despite being used for gutting, yard work and even digging in a few cases, the blade is an easy clean. I'm not exaggerating when I say this - all I do is wipe and/or dry it off on my jeans, then put it in the sheath. That's it. Only noticeable damage is cosmetic scratches and dings. No rust, no discoloration.3. I dropped the blade right on its tip, three feet up, onto concrete. Dented the tip... Not bent, not break... A dent. Two hours grinding it down with a small abrasive sharpening stone, and a few swipes of my handy sharp. Fixed like new.Cons-1. Sheath is barely holding together, had to make a new one as back up. But still holding in there.2. The included sharpening steel got lost quick. Not much to hold it in place.3. The strap that holds the knife in is in a counter intuitive location. Gets cut up by the knife every time you sheath / unsheathe it.So, after five years with this knife, my final say is...The price is all in the knife, and worth it. Sheath stinks, but easily remedied by making, a new sheath. (20 bucks and an hours work and you can rock a great sheath. Go to instructables.com if you want some good ideas on making a quality sheath.)