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.
Hanwei Dark Sentinel Sword, Functional Forged | Battle Ready Fantasy Longsword w/ Curved Blade
57 sec read
The Dark Sentinel Sword from CAS Hanwei could be called a fantasy weapon — except that CAS Hanwei built it to be fully functional and combat ready. Taking inspiration from the Japanese katana and European dueling swords, the Dark Sentinel seems practical for modern warriors.
With an overall length of 47-3/8 inches, the CAS Hanwei Dark Sentinel sword presents 31-1/2 inches of blade and 10-1/2 inches of handle. The extra-long handle allows either a balanced single-handed swing or a powerful two-handed grip. At 2 lbs. 3 oz., the Sentinel wields easily and still has enough weight for efficient slashing. The nearly 1/4-inch-thick blade of forged high carbon steel should hold up well in actual use.
The look of the sword recalls video games more than historic weapons, but the leather grip with metal studs and the stainless steel pommel and tsuba-style bladeguard all come from true combat designs. CAS Hanwei combined them in a slightly new pattern to create the Dark Sentinel, a fanciful but still formidable sword.
The Dark Sentinel comes with a leather-bound scabbard sturdily reinforced with simple steel fittings. All CAS Hanwei swords are forged either in Dalian in northeast China or in Fuxin near the border with Mongolia. Hanwei expects their fully functional products to be as good as genuine martial arts weapons from earlier times, and their swords often prove to be even better due to improved manufacturing processes and better modern steel.
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 Dark Sentinel Sword from CAS Hanwei could be called a fantasy weapon — except that CAS Hanwei built it to be fully functional and combat ready. Taking inspiration from the Japanese katana and European dueling swords, the Dark Sentinel seems practical for modern warriors.
