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.
Bull Bob Dozier Knife by Ka-Bar | Clip Point Hunting & Survival Black Blade
1 min read
Designed by Bob Dozier and produced in collaboration with Ka-Bar, the Ka-Bar Bull Dozier knife shows the forty years of knife-making experience Mr. Dozier has acquired. The Bull Dozier could work as a combat knife, hunting knife, or survival knife — strong enough for any rough task and refined enough for details.
This full tang, clip point knife keeps much of the weight forward for a good balance between cutting edge and handle grip. The dark, powder-coated, 6-1/2-inch-long blade is slightly hollow-ground for easy sharpening, but the edge has a strong 20-degree bevel that holds up to more than light cutting. Owners might choose to lessen that over time, but the heavier edge can be an advantage. The Bull Dozier’s handle slabs of Zytel with textured Kraton inserts fasten to the tang with precision screws, with the advantages of a high tech folder’s grip but without the underlying weaknesses. Easy to hang onto in any weather, the Bull Dozier’s grip includes a shaped Zytel bolster and pronounced finger choil.
Twelve-and-a-half inches overall, the 13.6-ounce Dozier is heavy, but this is weight put to good use. The knife is AUS 8 high carbon stainless steel hardened to between Rockwell 57 and 59. It will hold a razor edge and hold up to hard use. The Bull Dozier is manufactured in Taiwan but fully backed by Ka-Bar’s high standards and excellent warranty. The knife comes with a Zytel sheath engineered to mount on either hip via a reversible belt fixture. This sheath fits tight, holding the knife in place with friction, and requires some breaking-in before it works properly.
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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Designed by Bob Dozier and produced in collaboration with Ka-Bar, the Ka-Bar Bull Dozier knife shows the forty years of knife-making experience Mr. Dozier has acquired. The Bull Dozier could work as a combat knife, hunting knife, or survival knife — strong enough for any rough task and refined enough for details.
