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.
Damascus Bowie Knife w/ Stag Bone Handle | Bear & Son
56 sec read
I’ve always wondered about the story K-Bar tells of the trapper who killed a wounded bear with one of their Bowie knives. I’ve felt that it probably wasn’t one they make now. If they made this knife, their company story would be a lot more believable — but the Damascus Steel Stag Bowie comes from Bear & Son in Alabama. Technically, a fourteen-inch knife still is a little short for grizzly, but this knife looks the part. With the simple styling of the real frontier Bowies — sometimes made by trappers and mountain men who built what they could from whatever they found to work with — the Bear & Son Bowie drips efficiency.
This Alabama cutlery firm works in-house, making all the components that go into their knives. That’s pretty remarkable considering that the blade of the Damascus Bowie contains no less than 512 layers. The appearance is of old-style carbon steel darkened with age, enhanced by the patterns of the Damascus folds. Only a little slimmer than the heavy fighting knives made by James Black that started the Bowie knife trend, the Bear & Son version shows a refined hollow ground cutting edge and upswept dagger point, both features saving a little weight without taking away functionality. The generous hand guard removes any danger of slipping fingers towards the blade. A full tang handle and pinned stag handle slabs create a comfortable and strong grip.
With the quick release leather sheath, the Damascus Bowie hangs conveniently at the hip next to the bear repellent pepper spray. Remember to use the pepper spray first.
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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I’ve always wondered about the story K-Bar tells of the trapper who killed a wounded bear with one of their Bowie knives. I’ve felt that it probably wasn’t one they make now. If they made this knife, their company story would be a lot more believable — but the Damascus Steel Stag Bowie comes from Bear & Son in Alabama. Technically, a fourteen-inch knife still is a little short for grizzly, but this knife looks the part. With the simple styling of the real frontier Bowies — sometimes made by trappers and mountain men who built what they could from whatever they found to work with — the Bear & Son Bowie drips efficiency.
