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 Serrated Knife Block Set | Wood Teflon Handles 25 Piece Basics
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Designed to never need sharpening, the knives in this block set from Chicago Cutlery feature thick stamped high carbon stainless steel blades with serrated edges. The set is a tempting mix of good values and troublesome ideas.
The Basics 25-piece Wood Block Set, made in China to Chicago Cutlery’s specifications, includes much more than just a wide range of knives. The 25-piece count provides new owners with: a pair of kitchen shears; six Teflon ladles, spatulas and pasta tools; a medium-sized knife block with slots for all the set’s knives plus the shears; and a polymer cutting board.
This knife set was designed for chefs who prefer not to sharpen their own knives. Every blade is serrated, even when that’s not appropriate to their use. If you want an accurate paring knife, choose a plain edge. That counts for many types of slicing as well — good serrated blades cut but leave a more ragged surface than good plain edge blades. Chicago Cutlery’s website recommends sharpening the plain edge versions of these knives after every two uses. The best cutting edge on these serrated knives fades more slowly, but it still fades. Without special equipment, you’ll not be able to sharpen these blades at home.
The Basics Block Set includes six steak knives which won’t see service during prep, and a three-inch, four-inch and five-inch selection of paring and utility knives. Eight-inch carving, bread, and chef’s knives plus a six-inch boning knife are also included, along with three specialty tools: tomato and cheese knives and a matching fork.
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...
Designed to never need sharpening, the knives in this block set from Chicago Cutlery feature thick stamped high carbon stainless steel blades with serrated edges. The set is a tempting mix of good values and troublesome ideas.
