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.
Coast Bowie Knife w/ Leather Sheath | High Carbon Stainless Steel 14 Inch
1 min read
There are Bowie-style knives, and then there are real Bowie knives. The Coast 14-inch Bowie Knife is a real Bowie — maybe a little small by frontier standards, but still big enough to perform the way the originals did. With nine inches of one-quarter-inch-thick 440C high carbon stainless steel in the blade, this well-balanced weapon chops as well as it cuts. The hardwood grip around the rat tail tang is shaped comfortably and designed for non-slip control. The thick solid brass hand guard in the traditional S design could parry an opponent’s blade if necessary, and the heavy brass pommel provides balance and smashing potential. The look and feel is reminiscent of a seaman’s cutlass.
Not everyone will want to carry a knife this large and this heavy. Hanging at the belt in the secure stitched leather sheath, the Coast Bowie makes an obvious statement on the trail. Expect other people to stare. If you camp for weeks rather than days, you may be able to tighten up the gear list a little and leave the small camp axe at home. This Bowie can handle most camp work by itself. A fourteen-inch Bowie is more knife than you actually need for most hunting or fishing today — smaller blades are easier to handle and make more sense for small game.
But there’s something hypnotic about a full-sized knife, and I’m reminded of a hiking companion from years ago who packed a knife like this everywhere he traveled in the back country, despite the weight and the skeptical looks. He didn’t expect to fight bears with it, but preferred to have it within reach in case he did. There’s some good sense in that. When your hand does instinctively reach for cutting edge protection, you don’t want to come up with a two-ounce ultralight.
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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There are Bowie-style knives, and then there are real Bowie knives. The Coast 14-inch Bowie Knife is a real Bowie — maybe a little small by frontier standards, but still big enough to perform the way the originals did. With nine inches of one-quarter-inch-thick 440C high carbon stainless steel in the blade, this well-balanced weapon chops as well as it cuts. The hardwood grip around the rat tail tang is shaped comfortably and designed for non-slip control. The thick solid brass hand guard in the traditional S design could parry an opponent’s blade if necessary, and the heavy brass pommel provides balance and smashing potential. The look and feel is reminiscent of a seaman’s cutlass.
