RIP Bill Bagwell

[3fifty7]

Per Instagram post by Jerry Fisk
Bill Bagwell has passed away.

Louisiana born, knife making legend in his own time. His work has influenced many.

 

[Gator 45/70]

Per Instagram post by Jerry Fisk
Bill Bagwell has passed away.

Louisiana born, knife making legend in his own time. His work has influenced many.

I knew a Billy Bagwell from up around West Monroe, Same guy?

 

[3fifty7]

Not sure if he ever lived around West Monroe, I know he was from Shreveport and eventually moved to Texas. He was a knife maker and one of the founders of the American Bladesmith Society. He specialized in early damascus and Bowie knives.

 

[Gator 45/70]

Not sure if he ever lived around West Monroe, I know he was from Shreveport and eventually moved to Texas. He was a knife maker and one of the founders of the American Bladesmith Society. He specialized in early damascus and Bowie knives.

Probably not the same guy, We ran deer dogs ( gasp) with Billy a couple of times up around West Monroe when dog hunting was cool.

 

[Gravelface]

Damn, should have bought that Hell’s Belle years ago.

 

[maniac cop 5]

Man i hate to hear that. Bill was a helluva nice guy, despite coming across as gruff and surly on the boards. His username "rdneck" (sp?) was completely the opposite of the man who was thoughtful and articulate.
When i first met him about 20 years ago he was living in a small wooden frame house on the edge of a cotton field a few miles outside of Delhi, La. I couldnt figure why a world famous knife maker who was the long time knife associate editor for Soldier of Fortune magazine was living like a poor man so to speak. Turns out Bill was having IRS troubles. A bad deal with Gerber Knives caused some a-hole at Gerber to turn Bill in to the IRS for unreported knife making income. He was laying low until he got his issues resolved.
I was visiting Bill after he graciously offered to teach me about shooting my Shiloh Sharps 45-110. I was on a blackpowder cartridge rifle forum and was asking questions and Bill told me to just come and visit. Bill was an expert blacpowder cartridge shooter and actually did field testing for Goex black powder. Bill had a rack with about 10 Sharps and rolling block type rifles, some he had built by hand. He had about 900 yards cut out through a cotton field where we shot that afternoon. Afterwards his charming wife Sidra fixed us a wonderful supper. I learned more from Bill in one afternoon than i ever did from books and internet boards.
The last time i heard from him he was returning from Montana. He called me up and said he was passing through West Monroe and wondered if i could grab a bite with him at Barbeque West, a place he loved. We met and Bill showed me 2 new beautiful Shiloh rifles he had purchased. He also had with him a very large custom Bowie knife he had made for his wife. Bill was a stocky guy and carried a 12 inch Bowie like a regular guy carries a pocket knife. He told me he had resolved his IRS issues and had just bought a ranch in Texas where he was building a 1000 to 1200 yard shooting range. He said to come by whenever i could. We ate and parted ways and i never saw or talked to him again. I tried to look him up a few years ago on the blackpowder boards with no luck. I was proud to say i knew him just a little bit.
Rest in peace Bill, and thank you.

 

[Old School]

Man i hate to hear that. Bill was a helluva nice guy, despite coming across as gruff and surly on the boards. His username "rdneck" (sp?) was completely the opposite of the man who was thoughtful and articulate.
When i first met him about 20 years ago he was living in a small wooden frame house on the edge of a cotton field a few miles outside of Delhi, La. I couldnt figure why a world famous knife maker who was the long time knife associate editor for Soldier of Fortune magazine was living like a poor man so to speak. Turns out Bill was having IRS troubles. A bad deal with Gerber Knives caused some a-hole at Gerber to turn Bill in to the IRS for unreported knife making income. He was laying low until he got his issues resolved.
I was visiting Bill after he graciously offered to teach me about shooting my Shiloh Sharps 45-110. I was on a blackpowder cartridge rifle forum and was asking questions and Bill told me to just come and visit. Bill was an expert blacpowder cartridge shooter and actually did field testing for Goex black powder. Bill had a rack with about 10 Sharps and rolling block type rifles, some he had built by hand. He had about 900 yards cut out through a cotton field where we shot that afternoon. Afterwards his charming wife Sidra fixed us a wonderful supper. I learned more from Bill in one afternoon than i ever did from books and internet boards.
The last time i heard from him he was returning from Montana. He called me up and said he was passing through West Monroe and wondered if i could grab a bite with him at Barbeque West, a place he loved. We met and Bill showed me 2 new beautiful Shiloh rifles he had purchased. He also had with him a very large custom Bowie knife he had made for his wife. Bill was a stocky guy and carried a 12 inch Bowie like a regular guy carries a pocket knife. He told me he had resolved his IRS issues and had just bought a ranch in Texas where he was building a 1000 to 1200 yard shooting range. He said to come by whenever i could. We ate and parted ways and i never saw or talked to him again. I tried to look him up a few years ago on the blackpowder boards with no luck. I was proud to say i knew him just a little bit.
Rest in peace Bill, and thank you.

Thats a great story, thanks for that!

 

[maniac cop 5]

Youre welcome.
What was funny was when i first called Bill to get directions to his house (he had PM'd me his number) he told me his name and where he lived. He asked i not mention his real name publicly on the board and would explain why when we met. Well this made me curious so i did an internet search for Bill Bagwell and all i could find was a well known knife maker and SOF magazine columnist. I said to myself "well it cant be THAT guy". Imagine my surprise when i got there and it WAS that guy. Bill said he didnt want his identity publicly known on the shooting board in order to keep things simple for him while he was "laying low".

 

[EJAIII]

RIP Bill. The good die young.