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.
DOVO Shavette Red | Straight Razor Kit w/ Holder, Extra Blades
1 min read
Though my instinct is to recoil and wonder why anyone would want to revert to the Dark Ages of shaving, the DOVO Shavette Straight Razor actually could be an excellent choice for men who prefer well-kept beards and moustaches to plain faces.
Only professionals still use straight razors today, and even though the quality of a barber shop shave surpasses the best home version, straight razors for home use are not common shopping choices. If you buy this one, you’ll find it most useful in combination with a safety razor — the red model DOVO even uses the same double-edged razor blades as your old Gillette. Where this modern straight razor will come in most handy is in those awkward places where electric and safety razors never quite reach. Cutting clean lines in moustaches and sideburns will require a little practice, but the DOVO will certainly do better work than razors with training wheel safety guards. With the DOVO, you’ll be able to see the actual edge of the blade and get the results you want.
The red DOVO offers a shorter cutting edge than DOVO’s black model, which requires blades specially engineered for DOVO razors. DOVO’s green version holds only single edge blades, so for general use and overall economy, the red DOVO is a good all-around choice.
The DOVO relieves owners of the need for a barber’s honing strap by holding safety razor blades in an aluminum blade arm. Don’t skimp on new blades, and you’ll always have a razor sharp edge. The potential for mayhem is only slight. If you do nick yourself, it won’t be deep — most of the cutting blade is shielded in the aluminum arm of this safety straight razor.
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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Though my instinct is to recoil and wonder why anyone would want to revert to the Dark Ages of shaving, the DOVO Shavette Straight Razor actually could be an excellent choice for men who prefer well-kept beards and moustaches to plain faces.
