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.
Hamilton Beach Electric Serrated Knife Carve ‘n Set | Meat Carving Fork White 74250
54 sec read
Hamilton Beach’s Carve ‘n Set Electric Knife makes carving cooked meats and bread easy. You even get a carving fork and storage case to go along with this handy tool. Plug the cord into the wall outlet, squeeze the trigger switch, and twin reciprocating blades with durable serrated edges shear meat which often crumbles under the touch of an ordinary knife.
With 100 watts of power, the Hamilton Beach Electric Knife should handle any carving job, but use a heavier old fashioned knife for food that needs chopping. This won’t cut through bones unless they’re very small, and isn’t designed for vegetables with a hard rind like squash. The knife should cut through the food effortlessly — too much downward pressure can cause the blades to flex and fill the gap between with bits of food, bringing a halt to the clean cut the knife normally provides.
Blades pop out of the power pack handle for cleaning, but removing and replacing them can be tricky. If limited dexterity due to arthritis or other problems is your reason for purchase, you may find this knife a difficult machine to maintain. Cleaning the 7-1/2 inch serrated knife blades should be done by hand, not in the dishwasher. The carving fork in the set can go through the machine without problems.
In general, it’s a good electric knife but not heavy duty, and the 7-1/2 inch cut is a little short for home baking.
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...
Hamilton Beach’s Carve ‘n Set Electric Knife makes carving cooked meats and bread easy. You even get a carving fork and storage case to go along with this handy tool. Plug the cord into the wall outlet, squeeze the trigger switch, and twin reciprocating blades with durable serrated edges shear meat which often crumbles under the touch of an ordinary knife.
