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.
Kyoumou Tora Practical Katana | Japanese Martial Arts Sword | Valiant Armory
54 sec read
If you’ve ever been disappointed by a display katana’s inability to cut, consider the Kyoumou Tora Practical Katana from Valiant Armoury. Part of this Texas company’s Practical Cutting series of real swords and katanas, the Kyoumou Tora will actually slice through rolled tatami targets. Not only does it cut, it also looks good enough for display. You won’t be unhappy with the details — the Kyoumou Tora’s hand forging includes the differential tempering of the old combat katanas. The edge shows the wavy hamon of the ancient clay tempering method that left the edge hard while the blade back is softened just enough to be tough and resilient.
For a very reasonable price, considering the amount of labor that goes into this blade, you get traditional double-pinned handle construction and even real ray skin wrapping beneath the blue cord grip. An antiqued copper tsuba with a pouncing tiger motif forms the handguard of the 27-inch fullered high carbon steel blade. Red silk travel bag is included. Minor variations from blade to blade prove this is genuine hand forging and not a machine generated product.
Valiant recommends not using their swords as theatrical pieces, because even their display swords have clout. The Practical series provides weapons for those who actually practice the old martial arts — treat this katana with respect. Though the swords of legend might survive a hard strike against stone, the ones that survived that sort of treatment were few in number. Study the techniques of tamashigiri and use only the traditional striking targets.
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.
If you’ve ever been disappointed by a display katana’s inability to cut, consider the Kyoumou Tora Practical Katana from Valiant Armoury. Part of this Texas company’s Practical Cutting series of real swords and katanas, the Kyoumou Tora will actually slice through rolled tatami targets. Not only does it cut, it also looks good enough for display. You won’t be unhappy with the details — the Kyoumou Tora’s hand forging includes the differential tempering of the old combat katanas. The edge shows the wavy hamon of the ancient clay tempering method that left the edge hard while the blade back is softened just enough to be tough and resilient.
