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 Neck Knife & Lanyard, Black BK11 | Becker Necker Fixed Plain Edge LDK Tactical
1 min read
The 6-3/4-inch Becker Necker, now produced by Ka-Bar, seems a bit much to hang around the neck. Though it’s better suited for fixing to gear or hanging on the belt, the BK11 outshines many neck knives by simply being enough knife to actually use.
The Necker’s 3-1/4-inch flat ground blade is set for a fine cut with a fifteen-degree edge bevel that’s easy to keep razor sharp. The one-piece knife with skeletonized tang weighs only 0.15 pounds but provides enough steel handle for a strong hold. You could rig this knife with handle slabs if you’re a craftsman and like to tinker, but the real draw of the Necker is the minimalist package. Chrome vanadium 1095 tool steel is the only material used in the Becker Necker, apart from the black powder coating. The Becker Necker BK11 might be a functional Last Ditch Knife or Boot Knife for the tactical user, but it also deserves some consideration if you’re an ultra-lite hiker interested in truly practical gear. With the Becker Necker you’ll put 2.5 ounces of payload into a knife that’s worthwhile. One extra perk for Necker owners is the useful gap in the butt of the handle, capable of breaking (not cutting) wire or even prying loose bottle caps.
In partnership with Ka-Bar, the Becker Knife and Tool Company of Olean, New York, still manufactures this quality neck knife. The knife’s sheath is the only part produced outside the U.S. and is manufactured in Taiwan to Ka-Bar specifications. The Necker comes with the glass-filled nylon sheath and a neck cord. Ka-Bar redesigned the original sheath to accept a reversible belt clip from Tactical Defense Institute. If mounted to TDI’s patented belt clip, the Necker clips easily to gear, pockets, or belts. The belt clip does not come with the 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.
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The 6-3/4-inch Becker Necker, now produced by Ka-Bar, seems a bit much to hang around the neck. Though it’s better suited for fixing to gear or hanging on the belt, the BK11 outshines many neck knives by simply being enough knife to actually use.
