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.
Ka-Bar Bobcat Folding Knife by Bob Dozier | Lockback w/ Black Plain Edge, Zytel Handle
1 min read
Designed by Bob Dozier, marketed by Ka-Bar, and manufactured in Taiwan, the Bobcat Dozier from Ka-Bar looks much like Dozier’s larger fixed blade designs when open and locked. The Bobcat offers similar grip strength and versatility in a folding lockback build with qualities tactical users and woodsmen both appreciate.
This plain-edged version of the Bobcat unleashes a strong AUS 8 stainless steel clip point blade that’s flat ground and beveled at a sharp 15 degrees. Opening the Bobcat is a one-handed procedure for either right or left hand, due to the dual thumb studs at the blade’s base. That’s one of the few arguable faults of the Bobcat, which is a little awkward to open because of the otherwise very practical bolster formed from the pivot area of the handle. It’s a tolerable trade-off; that same handle shape does increase the knife’s safety in slippery conditions.
The Zytel handle may get more attention than the blade, because it’s certainly more handle than you get in most pocket clip folders. Five-and-a-quarter inches when folded, the knife offers leverage and control you won’t find in the usual compact and slimmed-down style. Textured Kraton inserts increase the friction of the handle slabs, and the inner liners of stainless steel form a very strong foundation for heavy work.
The lockback blade brushes the legal limit of 4 inches for a pocket folding knife in the U.S. and should be enough for utility work, cleaning small game and fish, and even field dressing the occasional white-tail. If you choose the eight-ounce Bobcat for bloody work, remember that folders aren’t the easiest field knives to clean. Camp work and other chores suit them best.
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.
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Designed by Bob Dozier, marketed by Ka-Bar, and manufactured in Taiwan, the Bobcat Dozier from Ka-Bar looks much like Dozier’s larger fixed blade designs when open and locked. The Bobcat offers similar grip strength and versatility in a folding lockback build with qualities tactical users and woodsmen both appreciate.
