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.
Case Trapper Pocket Knife, Yellow Delrin 161 | Stainless Steel California Clip & Spey Blade
1 min read
With the look of aged bone as soon as it leaves the box, the 4-1/8-inch Yellow Trapper pocketknife from W.R. Case & Sons adds modern high carbon vanadium stainless steel to a time-tested pocketknife pattern. With spey and California clip blades 3-1/4 inches long, this fine pocket folder offers nearly full-sized function in a small package.
Neither blade of this older but still popular knife locks in position when open, but the spring tension bars hold the blades firmly in both closed and open positions. Open with the thumbnail notch in the blade’s spine, and close again with steady pressure on the back of the blade. Action gets easier with use and care — a drop of oil now and then is helpful, even though the blades are corrosion-resistant stainless. Solid nickel bolsters and brass liners hold up to hard use with minimal care.
Although the pinned handle slabs look like bone, this is actually a synthetic called Delrin which Case has used for many years. Nearly indestructible, the yellow grips also make the knife easier to spot when dropped in tall grass or leaves. Of course you’d never make that mistake, but just in case you do, you’ll find it makes a lot more sense than camouflage.
The Case Trapper’s spey blade was designed for minor surgeries on farm animals, but as the name implies, it also was a favorite of trappers who needed a good but light skinning blade. The California clip serves well as a fishing knife, but both blades will find frequent use even if you spend most of your time in the office or warehouse.
If you’d like a darker jigged bone pattern, try the Amber Bone Trapper — the same knife with a different look.
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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With the look of aged bone as soon as it leaves the box, the 4-1/8-inch Yellow Trapper pocketknife from W.R. Case & Sons adds modern high carbon vanadium stainless steel to a time-tested pocketknife pattern. With spey and California clip blades 3-1/4 inches long, this fine pocket folder offers nearly full-sized function in a small package.
