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.
Japanese Handmade Dragon Tanto Sword, Damascus Steel | Ryumon Collectible Samurai Sword w/ Gift Box
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This very-well-made Japanese Tanto in Damascus steel was actually manufactured for Ryumon at the famous Lung Chuan forge in China. Traditionally styled and hand-forged, the knife was made for the collector but shows far more functional quality than an ordinary display piece.
Considering how much highly skilled hand craftsmanship went into this tanto, it’s almost an unbelievable bargain. To produce the layered steel of this full tang blade, the original high carbon steel bar was heated, folded, and reshaped by hand ten times. That creates a total of 1024 layers. Each knife also receives the traditional clay tempering which produces a hard edge and a tough shock-resistant spine. Even the final razor edge resulted from hand labor.
Construction details of the tanto are just as precise. Both cast metal bladeguard and pommel have a dark antiqued patina and show traditional martial symbols — the dragon motif for the tsuba or bladeguard and the “three fish” symbol on the pommel. Genuine rayskin covers the hardwood grip, and over that is the traditional woven cotton ito. The knife seats securely in a black lacquered hardwood sheath.
Seventeen inches long overall, the 3/4-pound Dragon Tanto presents 10 inches of fullered blade. The fully functional tanto comes in a presentation box of hardwood with real silk lining.
See the Yoroidoshi Tanto from Ryumon for a more modern version of the classic tanto in Damascus 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.
This very-well-made Japanese Tanto in Damascus steel was actually manufactured for Ryumon at the famous Lung Chuan forge in China. Traditionally styled and hand-forged, the knife was made for the collector but shows far more functional quality than an ordinary display piece.
