I have seen pictures of authentic D-handled bowies made of materials which the Confederates had at hand in their local area. These materials included old cross-cut saw blades, scythe blades, or more likely, horse shoe rasps. I have constructed such a knife using such pictures as a pattern. It is 13.5 inches in total length,(handle, 4in., blade 9inches.) and .5 inches taken up with the thickness of the D-guard (1/4 inch at each end.) the knife is 3 1/8 inches vertically from the back of the blade to the outside of the guard, this allows plenty of room for the hand. The d-guard should be of soft iron, so that an opposing blade is held, rather than glancing off. The blade is 1.5 inches wide with an upswept point typical of bowies. The front of the D-guard extends 1 1/4 inches above the blade, with a depression for a thumb during a thrust. The back of the point is sharpened back 3-1/8 inches. The blade is ground down 1/8 inch on each side, so that the D-guard is held at the front by being pushed against the back of the blade. The back of the D-guard is held by cutting the tang of the horse shoe rasp off at about 3/4 inch, and pushing a slot made in the d-guard up on the tang, which is then heated and peened over. The horse shoe rasp must be annealed, then the blade ground to shape, and rough sharpened, and then the newly formed blade has to be tempered. The D-guard is left soft and added last. The handles were wooden, usually oak, or walnut. The rivets were made of any type of rod material about 1/4 inch in diameter. Most of the ones I've seen used heavy copper wire passing through the handles and the blade, then peened over, making an effective rivet. When the teeth on the horse shoe rasp are ground down, they leave a very attractive pattern. The metal part of the knife is browned, and the wooden handles are left to age naturally. There are pictures of this type of knife posted on the internet. Remember that a picture is worth a zillion words. I hope this helps, Joe W. Smith