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 Shotoh, Miyabi Paring Knife 600-S | Henckels Masaharu Morimoto Kitchen Cutlery 4-1/2 Inch
58 sec read
The Shotoh knife from the Miyabi Morimoto Edition of the 600-S series fits neatly between the paring knife and the utility knife with a slender point and fine edge well designed for wide paring tasks and delicate piercing work. The Morimoto Edition knife combines a Japanese style of blade with a European handle type, making it a good choice for those accustomed to European cutlery.
Two Iron Chefs influenced the Miyabi product lines. When Zwilling J.A. Henckels of Germany purchased an established Japanese knife company in Seki, Japan in 2004, Henckels sought the help of respected Japanese chefs to design a new type of cutlery combining European and Japanese concepts. While Chef Rokasuburo Michiba refined the professional level series, fusion Chef Masaharu Morimoto created the 600-S series. Morimoto’s knives give western chefs the chance to try Japanese cutlery with familiar European handle styles.
This shotoh or paring knife adds the fine points of a Japanese blade to the sturdy and easily controlled riveted slab handle of an old German design. Entirely forged from one piece of ice-hardened Friodur stainless steel provided by Henckels, the full tang knife includes a solid steel bolster and dark polymer handle grips. The high carbon stainless steel, hardened to Rockwell 57, flexes under stress and holds a razor-sharp edge. Expert Japanese craftsmen put the finishing touches on the blade with a three-step honing process. Owners will find the edge easy to maintain — Friodur steel resets with an ordinary sharpening steel.
The Henckels hollow-ground Kudamono, another Henckels hybrid, includes friction-reducing granton hollows in the blade’s sides.
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 Shotoh knife from the Miyabi Morimoto Edition of the 600-S series fits neatly between the paring knife and the utility knife with a slender point and fine edge well designed for wide paring tasks and delicate piercing work. The Morimoto Edition knife combines a Japanese style of blade with a European handle type, making it a good choice for those accustomed to European cutlery.
