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 Yellowhorse Turquoise Trapper Pocketknife | Collectible Limited Edition Navajo Knife w/ Ivory, Malachite, Black Jet
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One of my favorite Case pocket knives, the Trapper seems just right for the pocket and the hand with a simple shape that fits the palm securely and two practical blades perfect for every situation. Ron Yellowhorse adds Navajo workmanship and symbolism to these Case Trappers, but includes a few with special meaning for other cultures as well. The knives in this selection are one-of-a-kind and very collectible. The fundamental construction of the knives is what you’d expect from a Case slip-joint Trapper, but the handle slabs aren’t the usual materials Case provides. Instead, Ron Yellowhorse adds inlays of rare materials like ivory cut from fossilized mammoth teeth, as well as semi-precious stones. Inlays may include blue and white turquoise, black jet, purple suglite, and green malachite. The knives incorporate standard nickel silver bolsters textured in unique ways through hand-hammering or etching. Folding to 4-1/8 inches, each Trapper holds two blades originally designed for the hunter and woodsman — spey and clip point. Each knife handle includes a central figure in nickel silver which represents an important animal or bird. Most are clearly from Navajo culture, but Ron Yellowhorse created a few with other traditions in mind. Themes on these unique knives range from the buffalo, roadrunner, and stallion to the jack-o-lantern, poodle, and turkey. Ron and David Yellowhorse produced limited quantities of unique knives and numbered limited editions for Case. Both men are fourth-generation Navajo jewelers and knife makers well-known for their custom creations. See the Josh Buck Gen-5 Skinner for a limited edition collectible from Buck Knives.
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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One of my favorite Case pocket knives, the Trapper seems just right for the pocket and the hand with a simple shape that fits the palm securely and two practical blades perfect for every situation. Ron Yellowhorse adds Navajo workmanship and symbolism to these Case Trappers, but includes a few with special meaning for other cultures as well. The knives in this selection are one-of-a-kind and very collectible. The fundamental construction of the knives is what you’d expect from a Case slip-joint Trapper, but the handle slabs aren’t the usual materials Case provides. Instead, Ron Yellowhorse adds inlays of rare materials like ivory cut from fossilized mammoth teeth, as well as semi-precious stones. Inlays may include blue and white turquoise, black jet, purple suglite, and green malachite. The knives incorporate standard nickel silver bolsters textured in unique ways through hand-hammering or etching. Folding to 4-1/8 inches, each Trapper holds two blades originally designed for the hunter and woodsman — spey and clip point. Each knife handle includes a central figure in nickel silver which represents an important animal or bird. Most are clearly from Navajo culture, but Ron Yellowhorse created a few with other traditions in mind. Themes on these unique knives range from the buffalo, roadrunner, and stallion to the jack-o-lantern, poodle, and turkey. Ron and David Yellowhorse produced limited quantities of unique knives and numbered limited editions for Case. Both men are fourth-generation Navajo jewelers and knife makers well-known for their custom creations. See the Josh Buck Gen-5 Skinner for a limited edition collectible from Buck Knives.
