Whats in a Name: The Arkansas Toothpick

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by M ELEY

I'm enthralled by both the bowie and Arkansas toothpick knives! I used to own a nice one myself, but in my brainless youth, I traded it for a sword not worth a fifth of what it would have brought. Sigh... I particularly like some of these types I've seen with the so-called 'coffin' grips. Considering how deadly these blades could be, the hilt seemed aptly named!

Thank you for answering Capn!!
As noted, these knives are pretty much a standard hereabouts, and have a remarkable history to them. Dare I say, these have become a tradition carried even into modern times!! The term 'Bowie' seems very loosely applied to any big knife, and the 'toothpick' term as noted also loosely used in the same manner. Kind of like the elaborate similes used in American lore and Davy Crockett etc.

Those coffin hilts are as noted rather morbidly fashioned, sort of like some hilts on British sabers of late 18th c. In many weapons there is is a kind of memento mori theme.
With Mexican knives, many of them 'Bowie's, there are phrases like, 'when this snake bites, there is no remedy' or to that effect.

I have a huge Mexican Bowie, which I cannot post here because of its period despite being quite old (but then so am I , but it is most fascinating because of its cactus hilt, and the notable 'notch' in the blade, a distinction used by Black on his blades.