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.
Cold Steel Naval Sword Dirk, High Carbon Steel | Military Navy Replica 88ND
56 sec read
Cold Steel’s Naval Dirk duplicates the character of one of the most common naval sidearms of the sailing era without exactly copying any particular authentic blade. During their heyday, no exact form of the dirk became standard. This modern Naval Dirk follows that trend of individuality but is unmistakeably Cold Steel.
The 21-7/8-inch Naval Dirk looks as though it somehow slipped out of the 18th century, but the materials and workmanship are totally modern. Pommel, hand guard, and handle spacers add some class to the knife with the glow of solid brass. Brass throat and chape of the leather-covered wooden scabbard contribute to the antique look of the dirk, but outer fittings of the functional scabbard are blued steel.
With some steel fittings and a 16-1/2-inch blade of 1055 high carbon steel, Cold Steel’s Naval Dirk will require some extra care in comparison to a modern stainless steel knife. An occasional application of light oil should keep the knife blemish-free. As the metal ages, the appearance should be even closer to the knives which inspired this functional replica.
A fullered blood groove runs nearly the full length of the Naval Dirk’s double-edged blade. The dirk’s strong rat tail tang holds a polished faceted hand grip of dark horn and brass. This is a beautiful knife in a style originally used as a parrying dagger or a backup to the naval cutlass. There’s no mistaking the Cold Steel Naval Dirk for anything other than a fighting knife.
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.
Cold Steel’s Naval Dirk duplicates the character of one of the most common naval sidearms of the sailing era without exactly copying any particular authentic blade. During their heyday, no exact form of the dirk became standard. This modern Naval Dirk follows that trend of individuality but is unmistakeably Cold Steel.
