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.
Forschner Victorinox Salmon Slicing Knife | Kitchen & Fish Granton 12 Inch Plain Edge Blade NSF
55 sec read
From Forschner Victorinox, this 12-inch granton blade is designed specifically for accurate slicing of smoked salmon. You’ll get the famous practical quality of Victorinox cutlery with this important knife, with performance equal to that of much more expensive salmon slicing blades.
Stamped high carbon stainless steel forms the blade and full tang of the knife. Stamped steel guarantees that the finished product keeps the characteristics of the original alloy — hot forging sometimes forms weakened areas with slightly different combinations of elements. Heat-treating the blade creates a reliable temper and strength in every part of the knife. The Granton Salmon Knife flexes to follow subtle contours easily, but has enough stiffness to cut wide, straight sections. That’s important for producing the thinnest and most uniform slices of smoked salmon, an increasingly expensive seafood delicacy.
The many granton hollows ground into the knife’s surface decrease cutting friction by reducing the amount of blade that actually contacts the fish. These hollows collect oils and lubricate the movement of the knife, letting slices slide over the steel without tearing. The comfortable black Fibrox handle is non-slip even when wet and completely seals the knife’s tang, making cleanup quick and simple.
This plain-edged knife sharpens quickly with a honing steel, but you’ll need one with enough length to match the longer blade. Forschner’s stain-free steel should be hand washed, not put through the dishwasher.
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...
From Forschner Victorinox, this 12-inch granton blade is designed specifically for accurate slicing of smoked salmon. You’ll get the famous practical quality of Victorinox cutlery with this important knife, with performance equal to that of much more expensive salmon slicing blades.
