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 War Hammer, Forged High Carbon Steel | Medieval Battle Ready Replica Weapon
1 min read
Although this modern version of the war hammer — a weapon which brought down many armored knights on the battlefields of medieval Europe — isn’t pretty, this is still an impressive and combat-ready instrument of destruction. Cold Steel’s practical defense weapons often look like farm tools, but they were created for the Mad Max scenario, not farming.
The Cold Steel War Hammer looks crude, but war hammers were never highly evolved instruments. Their function was simply to knock down an armored opponent and finish him off. The face of the hammer delivered a shocking impact even through plate steel, while the spike peen of the hammer penetrated the best armor plate of the day. Cold Steel’s version includes a drop-forged hammer head of heat-treated 5150 high carbon steel patterned after battle hammers which are now museum pieces. The 1-1/2-inch square face of the hammer isn’t appropriate for carpentry and, like its ancestors, is only meant for bashing things. Cold Steel’s demonstration video illustrates the hammer in use against modern objects like steel barrels and car doors — there’s no question it’s effective.
Steel languettes attach to the sides of the American hickory hardwood handle — 30 inches long and a formidable self defense tool even without the hammer — and offer protection against damage by edged weapons and missed strikes. Assembly is required, but you won’t need fancy tools.
Cold Steel describes this hammer as properly tempered, with the sides of the hammer eye toughened to resist impact damage. At just about 2-1/2 pounds, this is a fast weapon as well as deadly. Owners will be tempted to try this hammer out, so it’s bound to get a few nicks and scrapes. Be aware that it’s no toy. After it’s used and aged a bit, it will look pretty good on the wall, too.
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.
Although this modern version of the war hammer — a weapon which brought down many armored knights on the battlefields of medieval Europe — isn’t pretty, this is still an impressive and combat-ready instrument of destruction. Cold Steel’s practical defense weapons often look like farm tools, but they were created for the Mad Max scenario, not farming.
