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 Serrated Paring Knife, Full Tang 3 Inch | Twin Pro S Forged HC Stainless Steel Blade
1 min read
The Henckels Twin Pro S 3-Inch Paring Knife with serrated cutting edge should be teamed up with a good plain-edged paring knife, but there definitely are kitchen tasks where the serrated blade excels. Just don’t expect peeling cuts to be smooth and flawless when clawed by this little beast.
Where you need a knife that digs in quickly, the Henckels serrated paring knife works well. Soft skinned vegetables like tomatoes — which slip away from any plain knife that isn’t razor-edged — yield to these sharp serrations immediately. You get fast cutting action with less force. If you’re slicing defects out of fruits and veggies, the serrated high carbon stainless steel blade works aggressively and won’t skip.
Many chefs use a paring knife with the edge aimed toward the thumb for some work — if you’re paying your dues by peeling a sack of potatoes by hand this won’t be the best knife for that. Keep the serrations away from from your fingers — points start the cut and the blade finishes, and no matter what you’re cutting it happens quickly. When peeling curved surfaces, the teeth will leave obvious tracks on the food, so you won’t get a clean look. This forged, full tang knife works much better for trimming out flaws and making straight slices.
Washing this forged, full tang knife properly is even more important because the tips of the teeth are easily damaged if banged around in a dishwasher. Always clean the knife by hand and store it where the edge won’t contact other blades or utensils. A wooden storage block is the best place for this good Henckels serrated paring knife.
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 3-Inch Paring Knife with serrated cutting edge should be teamed up with a good plain-edged paring knife, but there definitely are kitchen tasks where the serrated blade excels. Just don’t expect peeling cuts to be smooth and flawless when clawed by this little beast.
