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.
Henckels Complete Kitchen Knife Block Set | Full Tang 18 Piece Twin Pro S
1 min read
The Henckels Twin Pro S 18-piece knife block set combines traditional forging and high-tech welding processes. You’ll get top quality prep knives in the patterns most familiar to western chefs with hidden improvements, which result from more efficient modern methods.
A total of seven kitchen knives with forged bolsters and triple-riveted full tang handles comprise the heart of this assortment. A small peeler knife and paring knife handle the first stages of the work, with a four-inch utility knife and five-inch serrated utility blade for boning and sandwich preparation. An eight-inch chef’s knife and a five-inch santoku tackle critical carving and slicing chores, and an eight-inch bread knife awaits the baked goods. Rounding out the collection are eight good steak knives in the same pattern, kitchen shears, and a sharpening steel. All fit neatly in the solid hardwood knife block.
The Pro-S series from Henckels uses knife blanks with three different welded sections, each section cut from a different type of alloy. While older manufacturing processes created different qualities in different parts of the knife through forging and tempering, this procedure begins with steel alloys designed for three different knife zones. This new manufacturing procedure refines the shape without losing the original unique qualities of each type of steel.
Henckels knives have stronger and thicker blades than comparable stamped steel knives. Some of that extra weight was cut from the Classic series by refining the shape of the handles, now more ergonomic than the original styles. Wash these knives by hand to maintain the finish and preserve the edge. Restore them to razor sharpness quickly with a few strokes of the honing 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 Diamond Edge Pro knife and scissors sharpener from Smith Abrasives combines electric and manual sharpening systems for quick and accurate refurbishing of knives...
The Henckels Twin Pro S 18-piece knife block set combines traditional forging and high-tech welding processes. You’ll get top quality prep knives in the patterns most familiar to western chefs with hidden improvements, which result from more efficient modern methods.
