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.
Folding Sharpening Steel, Diamond Fine Grit | Ultimate Edge Sportsman Ultra Light Oval 4 Inch 4NFP
1 min read
The half-inch-wide oval cross-section honing rod of the collapsible Sportsman Ultra Light Diamond Sharpening Steel will restore the cutting edges of small knives and maintain the edges of larger ones. This tool is more appropriate to the kitchen than the deep woods — you may want to carry a flat stone along with it.
The fine 600 diamond grit bonded to the hone’s steel shaft works like a file as well as a steel hone and actually does remove metal. Using the flatter side of the oval places more of the grit against the blade, but all surfaces of the hone are usable. The small edges of the hone may even fit the serrations of some modern knife blades. Another good point is that you don’t need water or oil to use the hone, which works just fine as a dry tool. The Ultra Light 4NFP won’t perform as well as a file or flat stone when reworking major damage and makes better practical sense as a touch-up tool.
The construction of this hone is extra-tough with a housing of 6061 T6 machined aircraft aluminum. The 4-inch honing section locks into place with a threaded compression fitting, large enough to lock and unlock easily. When not in use, the abrasive rod slides back into the handle, and the small tool slips into a belt sheath of Cordura nylon. It’s a neat package and weighs only 2.1 ounces. Toss it in your pack for use at camp, and you’ll never notice the extra weight on the trail.
Before you decide to rebuild your dull, combo-edged blades with this pocket-sized sharpening steel, check to be sure the hone fits the groove. It’s a touch-up tool and very handy for maintaining blades still in good shape, but major damage only responds to something bigger.
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.
The Diamond Edge Pro knife and scissors sharpener from Smith Abrasives combines electric and manual sharpening systems for quick and accurate refurbishing of knives...
The half-inch-wide oval cross-section honing rod of the collapsible Sportsman Ultra Light Diamond Sharpening Steel will restore the cutting edges of small knives and maintain the edges of larger ones. This tool is more appropriate to the kitchen than the deep woods — you may want to carry a flat stone along with it.
