The historical Bowie was not a single design, but was a series of knives improved several times by Jim Bowie over the years.

The version most commonly known as the historical Bowie knife was rather large and of massive construction, as knives go, usually having a blade of at least six inches (15cm) in length, some reaching 12 inches (30cm) or more, with a relatively broad blade that was an inch and a half to two inches wide (4 to 5 cm) and made of steel usually between 3/16" and 1/4" thick (from 4.8 to 6.4 millimeters). The back of the blade often had a strip of soft metal (normally brass or copper) inlaid intended to catch an opponent's blade, a concept borrowed from the medieval Scottish dirk. The back edge of the curved clip point, also called the "false edge," was often sharpened in order to allow someone trained in European techniques of saber fencing to execute the maneuver called the "back cut" or "back slash." A brass quillon was attached to protect the hand, usually cast in a mold. It is likely that the blade shape was derived from the Spanish navaja clasp knives carried in Spain and the Spanish colonies in the Americas.

The shape and style of blade was chosen so that the Bowie knife could serve usefully as a camp and hunting tool as well as a weapon. Many knives and daggers existed that could serve well as weapons, and many knives existed that could serve well as tools for hunters and trappers, but the Bowie knife was designed to do both jobs well, and is still popular with hunters and sportsmen even in the present day.

The curved portion of the edge, toward the point, is for removing the skin from a carcass, and the straight portion of the edge, toward the guard, is for chores involving cutting slices, similar in concept to the traditional Finnish hunting knife, the Puukko (though the typical early 19th Century Bowie knife was far larger and heavier than the typical puukko). The blade is generally long enough and heavy enough that the knife can be used as a hatchet or machete, but not so heavy or long as to be cumbersome. Most such knives intended for hunting are only sharpened on one edge, to reduce the danger of cutting oneself while butchering and skinning the carcass.

Huge Tribute Bowie Knife Huge size	TBK made from Japanese Nisshin steel	Ten inch Nisshin Japanese stainless steel blade. Razor sharp single edged. Fifteen inches overall. Wood handle. Full leather sheath. "Original Bowie" is engraved on the blade.	39US$
Traditional Bowie knife King size	KSB made from Japanese Nisshin steel	Nine inch Nisshin Japanese stainless steel blade. Razor sharp single edged. Fourteen inches overall. Wood handle. Full leather sheath.	64US$
Bowie safety knife (rubber insulated handle) King size	SKR made from Japanese Nisshin steel	Twelve inch Nisshin Japanese stainless steel blade. Razor sharp single edged. Seventeen inches overall. Steel handle, completely rubber insulated.. Full leather sheath.	49US$
Rambo first blood survival knife.	RSKZ	Awesome knife! High strength Japanese carbon steel. (Other versions are made of cheap Chinese steel) Comes with full leather sheath. (other versions have cheap nylon sheathes) All metal handle (other versions have cheap plastic handle) with screw on metal top. Includes sharpening stone, compass, fishing hook etc etc 0.5 cm thick steel blade. 9 inch Bowie razor back blade 14 inches overall. "beautifully engraved with the words "survival knife". This is unique for this knife. This is the highest quality production Rambo knife available on the internet	14US$
Skinning survival combo knife.	SC1 made from Japanese Nisshin steel	Four inch total length. Nisshin Japanese stainless steel blade. Razor sharp single edged. Nylon sheath.	9.99US$
Skinning survival combo knife.	SC2　 made from Japanese Nisshin steel	Four inch total length. Nisshin Japanese stainless steel blade. Razor sharp single edged. Nylon sheath.	12US$
Ranger bowie knife.	F1 made from Japanese Nisshin steel	Ranger original bowie knife beautifully engraved on the blade). Full leather sheath. Blade 6.5 inch Nisshin hardened 440 stainless steel. Single edge, razor sharp. 11.5 inch overall Wooden handle.	29US$
Ranger bowie knife.	F1 (no engraving) made from Japanese Nisshin steel	Full leather sheath. Blade 6.5 inch Nisshin hardened 440 stainless steel. Single edge, razor sharp. 11.5 inch overall Wooden handle. (Same as above but without engraving on the blade).	29US$