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.
Columbia Operator Tactical Knife by Jim Hammond | Double Edged Tanto CRKT ABC 2605
1 min read
Designed by Jim Hammond, the Operator’s Model A.B.C. (All Bases Covered) knife adapts Hammond’s popular fixed blade diver’s knife design to land use. With full-length cutting edges both plain and serrated, this rugged outdoorsman’s knife covers every situation.
The four-ounce knife of AUS8 high carbon stainless steel incorporates a modified tanto point for efficient penetration. Construction is extremely simple, with easily gripped Kytel handle slabs that provide nonslip traction in all weather conditions. Hardened to HRC 56 to 58, the 8-1/4-inch knife takes a razor edge and holds up to heavy cutting. To increase corrosion resistance, the steel is first polished to a mirror finish, sealing the pores of the metal, and then coated with dark titanium nitrate for a long lasting barrier against chemicals and saltwater.
The Operator’s Model A.B.C. offers full sized capability in a small package suitable for hikers, backpackers and fishermen as well as emergency rescue and tactical users. The thin handle’s deep finger choils compensate well for the lack of bulk in the grip, with deep traction grooves to add even more slip-free friction. The Operator’s 3-3/4-inch dagger blade fits snugly into a versatile multi-position Zytel sheath. The sheath adjusts to eight different positions and attaches to harness webbing, pack straps, Personal Flotation Devices, belts, and nearly anywhere else a user might consider it handy. Brass tension screws on the scabbard adjust the fit of the blade so it can even be carried inverted — strapped to the leg or hung from a neck cord.
Do-everything knives usually do nothing very well, but Hammond’s tactical design experience closed that gap. The Operator’s Model A.B.C. actually works.
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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Designed by Jim Hammond, the Operator’s Model A.B.C. (All Bases Covered) knife adapts Hammond’s popular fixed blade diver’s knife design to land use. With full-length cutting edges both plain and serrated, this rugged outdoorsman’s knife covers every situation.
