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.
General Edge Celtic Sword w/ Leather Sheath | Medieval Fantasy Dress Weapon
59 sec read
The Celtic Dress Sword from General Edge includes modern interpretations of the old features of this ancient European blade. The result is a display sword with a good overall look.
The crescent moon motif that forms the sword’s hilt and pommel fits the modern idea of what a Celtic sword should be, although in 500 BC when the Celts battled the Roman legions, the swords were much simpler. The Celts used longswords with handles of natural materials, like born and horn, and shortswords with copper hilts. Some of the stories left from those days describe warriors stopping in the middle of the battle to straighten out bent blades — iron and steel were relatively new then, and many weapons were imperfect.
So complain if you will about the riveted embellishments on this light and nicely balanced modern Celtic sword, because in some ways it’s probably better than the real thing. With a central blood groove beyond the ability of the smiths of ancient Europe and a refined shape that resembles the old gladius of Rome, this 26.5-inch sword with a 19-inch-long polished high carbon stainless steel blade could have been a nobleman’s weapon in the days of the Empire. The Dress Sword is unquestionably a little light for the real battlefield.
The sword’s ornate handle, built of hardwood and brass-plated metal spacers around a rat tail tang, doesn’t look out of place — and the stitched natural leather sheath goes well with the pattern. The Celtic Dress Sword should be welcome among the modern Celts.
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.
The Celtic Dress Sword from General Edge includes modern interpretations of the old features of this ancient European blade. The result is a display sword with a good overall look.
