JT Hats
James grew up on an Ozarks farm where tools like axes and picks were still used in the daily routine and the blades of stockman's pocketknives served their original functions. Receiving his first pocketknife at age four he got it open by himself nearly a year later and spent his formative years wandering the woods with a succession of ever larger knives, a book of matches and a rifle.

A veteran of Vietnam, James also served in Alaska during a stint in the Army, receiving his first intensive culinary training by setting a record for extra KP at Ft. Richardson.

Settling in the Pacific Northwest after his discharge, James crewed on sailing yachts in local races, backpacked hundreds of miles of mountain trails in search of good trout fishing, and occasionally attended college.

His first serious job as a civilian resulted from answering a Seattle Post Intelligencer want ad requesting someone who could lift 120 pounds repeatedly and wasn't afraid of fire. James apprenticed to John Frazier -- the most knowledgeable traditional foundryman in North America at that time -- for the next six years.

Returning to the Ozarks James made his living by growing ginseng on a hand-terraced wooded hillside and selling handmade wood turnery, furniture, sculpture and architectural carvings. James harvested trees from his own land, processing logs into posts and beams and turnery billets with saws, axes, froes and planes. Since many tools he needed were no longer available, James built his own forge from a barbeque grill, a vacuum cleaner and a 55 gallon steel drum, found a chunk of railroad track for his first anvil, and taught himself blacksmithing -- creating his own knives and tools from scrap steel and sweat.

Changing economic pressures eventually forced James back to the restaurant industry in Branson, Missouri, and later to even more success as a maintenance engineer for one of Branson's largest condominium resorts. Finally escaping to Indiana, James now makes his living telling true stories as a freelance writer.



Boker Cop Survival Tool Kit | Tactical Serrated Cord Cutter, 440C Plus

1 min read

Boker Cop Survival Tool Kit The ideas behind this unusual and very practical urban tool resemble a knife design from Becker Knife & Tool, now a part of Ka-Bar. The Boker Plus Cop Tool uses concepts similar to a tactical tool Becker designed for police SWAT teams. It’s more tool than knife and makes an excellent urban survival kit for civilians in this more compact form.

Developed for Boker USA and Wilson Tactical by 20-year veteran police officer Roy Huntington, the 4.2-ounce knife offers prybar strength and many application options in a simple 6-inch-long belt knife style. The Boker Plus Cop Tool comes with a leather belt sheath, which attaches easily to other gear or stores in the car for emergencies. The serrated cutting edge quickly saws through seat belts and shoulder harnesses, and handles ordinary cutting chores. The squared chisel point of the high carbon stainless blade slips into crevices for levering apart jammed doors and wreckage or stubbornly chips away at obstacles. For quick cord cutting, use the notch in the spine of the blade.

G-10 handle scales give the knife a non-slip textured grip that holds up against chemical solvents and stays tactile when wet. A finger choil gives extra purchase when slicing, and a hollow in the base of the blade fits the thumb when using the flat edge of the knife’s point. A notch in the handle fits the valve of an oxygen tank. Exposed metal surfaces are bead-blasted to reduce shine. Thick high carbon stainless steel and one-piece full tang construction make this a versatile no-fail tool for any urban traveler.

For a larger knife with similar features, see the Ka-Bar Tac Tool.

Find this Boker Plus Cop Tool:

 

JT Hats
James grew up on an Ozarks farm where tools like axes and picks were still used in the daily routine and the blades of stockman's pocketknives served their original functions. Receiving his first pocketknife at age four he got it open by himself nearly a year later and spent his formative years wandering the woods with a succession of ever larger knives, a book of matches and a rifle.

A veteran of Vietnam, James also served in Alaska during a stint in the Army, receiving his first intensive culinary training by setting a record for extra KP at Ft. Richardson.

Settling in the Pacific Northwest after his discharge, James crewed on sailing yachts in local races, backpacked hundreds of miles of mountain trails in search of good trout fishing, and occasionally attended college.

His first serious job as a civilian resulted from answering a Seattle Post Intelligencer want ad requesting someone who could lift 120 pounds repeatedly and wasn't afraid of fire. James apprenticed to John Frazier -- the most knowledgeable traditional foundryman in North America at that time -- for the next six years.

Returning to the Ozarks James made his living by growing ginseng on a hand-terraced wooded hillside and selling handmade wood turnery, furniture, sculpture and architectural carvings. James harvested trees from his own land, processing logs into posts and beams and turnery billets with saws, axes, froes and planes. Since many tools he needed were no longer available, James built his own forge from a barbeque grill, a vacuum cleaner and a 55 gallon steel drum, found a chunk of railroad track for his first anvil, and taught himself blacksmithing -- creating his own knives and tools from scrap steel and sweat.

Changing economic pressures eventually forced James back to the restaurant industry in Branson, Missouri, and later to even more success as a maintenance engineer for one of Branson's largest condominium resorts. Finally escaping to Indiana, James now makes his living telling true stories as a freelance writer.



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