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.
Chicago Cutlery Insignia Knife Block Set | Stainless Steel Full Tang Cutlery 12 Piece
1 min read
Chicago Cutlery’s Insignia Stainless Steel twelve-piece block set offers a low cost alternative to all metal knives from top modern manufacturers. Made in China, the Insignia series includes taper ground plain cutting edges, gap-free construction, and weight-saving hollow steel handles.
What looks like a satin finish version of today’s best knife construction is actually an old method adapted to steel components. Not completely seamless, the knives are full tang with metal handle slabs triple-riveted securely and brushed to camouflage the joints. Blades are drop forged with full bolsters. Not quite as perfect as high tech welding, the tight construction is still so good that you shouldn’t notice the difference.
Other important differences show up during use. The temper and steel aren’t equal to the best available — these knives need frequent touch-up with honing steels to stay sharp. That’s not unusual for average knives, and many of us won’t be put off by that. With ordinary care, the knives remain razor sharp.
Handle shape means nearly as much as edge quality in purely functional terms. The contours of the handles fit most hands well with a comfortable ergonomic pattern. It’s a one-size-fits-all design that doesn’t vary much from knife to knife. The 4-1/2 inch steak knives and 3-1/2 inch paring knife have handles nearly identical to the full sized eight inch chef’s knife — in look and feel, the smaller blades are unbalanced but functional. Both the eight-inch carving knife and five-inch utility knife are useful patterns, but there’s a real need for a serrated pastry knife and a good santoku. The hardwood storage block offers sensible countertop convenience but no extra slots for expansion.
Ten high carbon stainless steel full tang blades and a sharpening steel cover a wide range of kitchen tasks and edge maintenance needs. Steel is stain-free and dishwasher safe but not corrosion proof — detergents with acid additives could rust the blades. Any faults in construction are fully covered by Chicago Cutlery’s lifetime warranty.
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.
The Diamond Edge Pro knife and scissors sharpener from Smith Abrasives combines electric and manual sharpening systems for quick and accurate refurbishing of knives...
Chicago Cutlery’s Insignia Stainless Steel twelve-piece block set offers a low cost alternative to all metal knives from top modern manufacturers. Made in China, the Insignia series includes taper ground plain cutting edges, gap-free construction, and weight-saving hollow steel handles.
