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.
Chinese Qing Dynasty Replica Broad Sword | Kung Fu Ox Tail w/ Red Scabbard
58 sec read
Designed in the same style as combat broadswords of China’s Qing Dynasty, the Ox Tail Kung Fu Broadsword from Hanzo Steel offers lighter weight than a true sword but still much of the same feel. This broadsword is good enough for practicing movements but not built solid enough for striking.
With an overall length of 37 inches and a 31-inch double-edged blade of high carbon stainless steel, the Hanzo Ox Tail Sword is a big step up from the beginner’s wooden or aluminum model practice blades and deserves some respect. Though it’s lightly built with plastic pommel and pressed metal bladeguard, the factory-sharpened blade could inflict real damage. Cupping of the bladeguard actually matches the style of old combat swords, designed both to keep rainwater out of the scabbard and to prevent blood from running onto the grip.
The Qing Dynasty broadsword design was derived from the sabres of the Mongol warriors. The niuweidao (or oxtail sword) developed in the early 1800s and became popular with civilians, but was never military issue even though modern movies often portray it as such. A counterpart to the European cutlass, the broadsword is used more often for slashing and chopping than for piercing thrusts. In kung fu broad sword routines, whirling movements are common.
The look of the sword isn’t bad at a glance, but the colored metal scabbard and synthetic cord wrappings of the handle make more of an impression at a distance. This version of the Ox Tail is one more step up the training ladder towards one of Hanzo Steel’s functional broadswords.
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.
Designed in the same style as combat broadswords of China’s Qing Dynasty, the Ox Tail Kung Fu Broadsword from Hanzo Steel offers lighter weight than a true sword but still much of the same feel. This broadsword is good enough for practicing movements but not built solid enough for striking.
