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 Sword Cane, CAS Bird Dog | Stainless Steel Functional Blade w/ Rosewood Scabbard
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Made from solid stainless steel and genuine rosewood, the CAS Hanwei Bird Dog Sword Cane combines elegance and a completely functional high carbon stainless steel sword blade. Whether you’re a collector or a swordsman looking for discreet defense, you’ll like the Bird Dog Sword Cane.
All parts are high quality. Investment casting — a tricky advanced technique used for fine artwork — created the bird dog styling of the cast grip. Instead of the usual fragile cast metal, the Bird Dog Cane uses heavier and indestructible stainless steel. The rosewood grip of the sword cane ends in a stainless steel ferrule which protects the grip from damage and matches the mouth of the scabbard exactly.
Hidden in the polished rosewood shaft of the cane you’ll find a 25-1/2-inch-long high carbon steel sword blade firmly set in the stainless steel grip. The blade is also several cuts above the usual collector’s cane and isn’t a simple spike. The Bird Dog’s blade is a true sword — double-edged and forged with a fullered blood groove. Tempered for real action, the blade’s stock is thick enough to take considerable stress and measures 0.21 inches at the base.
Overall, the cane is 37-1/2 inches long and most users will find it comfortable, although neither rosewood nor steel are the lightest possible materials and the cane does weigh 1 lb. 13 oz. That’s a little heavy if you need a cane, but about right if you’re looking for a secret sword.
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.
Made from solid stainless steel and genuine rosewood, the CAS Hanwei Bird Dog Sword Cane combines elegance and a completely functional high carbon stainless steel sword blade. Whether you’re a collector or a swordsman looking for discreet defense, you’ll like the Bird Dog Sword Cane.
