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.
Kershaw Whirlwind Folder Knife by Ken Onion | Sandvik Combo Edge Blade
55 sec read
This plain and simple folder from Kershaw Ken Onion doesn’t have any gimmicks or flash but works reliably. The Whirlwind’s 3.5-inch Sandvik 13C26 stainless steel blade has a partially serrated edge for quick emergency cutting of rope, belts, or rigging. Textured injection-molded handle slabs are warm to the touch and non-slip.
Speed-safe opening, a patented Ken Onion feature, allows easy one-handed opening. This isn’t one of Kershaw’s ambidextrous designs, however, and won’t be as convenient for the left-handed user. In the fully open position, the knife’s liner lock fixes the blade steady for piercing work without danger of folding. Closure requires pressure on the lock release tab.
The Whirlwind also comes in a plain edge model, easier to sharpen than the serrated blade. Kershaw offers free sharpening of the knife whenever owners pay the shipping cost to and from the Oregon factory. A lifetime warranty covers defects in workmanship but not damage due to abuse.
The Whirlwind is a well-made and handy knife, small enough for easy carry with the stainless steel pocket clip for convenient security. It makes good sense as a utility knife or emergency knife, and at 3.5 ounces is light enough for backpackers interested in shaving a few ounces from the pack. There’s a lot you don’t get with the Whirlwind — like a can opener, lanyard hole or screwdriver bit. Without all of that extra stuff, you get a better knife.
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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This plain and simple folder from Kershaw Ken Onion doesn’t have any gimmicks or flash but works reliably. The Whirlwind’s 3.5-inch Sandvik 13C26 stainless steel blade has a partially serrated edge for quick emergency cutting of rope, belts, or rigging. Textured injection-molded handle slabs are warm to the touch and non-slip.
