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.
Double Shadow Fantasy Knife by Gil Hibben | United Cutlery Sci-Fi Collectible Display Weapon
54 sec read
Gil Hibben designed the 11-1/4-inch Double Shadow Knife specifically for United Cutlery in 1991. Part of Hibben’s Fantasy Knife Series — an exclusive property of United — the Double Shadow shows the sci-fi style that eventually won Hibben a place as the designer of Klingon weapons for Paramount Studios.
The Double Shadow has the “energy blade” look that’s part tuning fork and part dagger and makes good visual sense in a strange way. The 5-1/2-inch blade is divided into two parts, each with a hollow ground cutting edge, and does look as though it could emit force as well as stab. The very heavy bladeguard and spiked pommel are of the same 420 stainless steel as the blade, and the grip is silvery wire with a tight spiral twist that’s wrapped in even layers around the tang.
Although the knife can be sharpened, the blade design is not a strong one, and the 420 steel isn’t of the best practical quality. Components were designed for display, and the steel was chosen for corrosion resistance and beauty rather than tensile strength and edge-holding. Hibben’s maker’s mark is stamped on the blade. The Double Shadow knife comes with a custom-fitted leather sheath.
Hibben’s knives are favorites of many collectors, and the series he designed for United is still one of the company’s best.
See the Gil Hibben Rambo Bowie for a closer look at one of Mr. Hibben’s most famous knives.
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.
Gil Hibben designed the 11-1/4-inch Double Shadow Knife specifically for United Cutlery in 1991. Part of Hibben’s Fantasy Knife Series — an exclusive property of United — the Double Shadow shows the sci-fi style that eventually won Hibben a place as the designer of Klingon weapons for Paramount Studios.
