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 International Knife Block Set | Lightweight Cutlery Fine Edge Pro 7 Piece
1 min read
Henckels International products differ considerably from the traditional Henckels knives. The first impression here is lightweight — compared to the heavy forged blades from the German branches of the company. The 7-piece International Fine Edge Pro comes from Japan, and the construction methods use stamped steel and welded handles — which might be exactly what you want as a modern customer. Heavy forged builds really aren’t necessary considering the quality of modern steel.
Fine Edge Pro knives lack the heavy bolster of the Henckels forged products — that could be seen as an improvement, since the bolster does get in the way of slicing work and prevents owners from sharpening the blades for the entire length of the edge. Blade stock in this set is thinner than in the forged line, making the knives lighter and easier to handle. Expect to sharpen these knives before the first use. Edges obviously aren’t permanent, and many who think a knife is substandard haven’t actually learned to maintain that critical sharpness and shape. With this quality of steel, you can expect to hone the blades daily, if they are used daily.
I have heavy knives and light ones, some forged and some laser cut, and I have favorite uses for each. One of the knives I use most often is a light stamped steel blade of no particular pedigree, and I like it. I find these knives similar in structure, not built to be prybars but very handy for normal work. The seamless stainless steel handles clean up well, although I recommend hand washing and drying instead of running them through a dishwasher. I’d prefer handles with a different shape — the grip on these sits too far back. The assortment of blades in this set makes good sense — only the basics of paring and utility knives, chef’s knife and carving knife, and a serrated bread blade. Honing steel is included, and the block offers one more slot for kitchen shears. As a beginning selection, or gift set for a household just starting out, it’s a practical choice.
Find this Henckels International Knife Block Set :
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...
Henckels International products differ considerably from the traditional Henckels knives. The first impression here is lightweight — compared to the heavy forged blades from the German branches of the company. The 7-piece International Fine Edge Pro comes from Japan, and the construction methods use stamped steel and welded handles — which might be exactly what you want as a modern customer. Heavy forged builds really aren’t necessary considering the quality of modern steel.
