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.
Designed as an LDK or Last Ditch Knife for police, the TDI knife Rig from Ka-Bar comes in two sizes with two slightly different mounting assemblies. The larger knife is for belt wear, and the smaller rig straps discreetly to the ankle.
The unusual design of the TDI knife mimics the feel of a pistol handle. Both knives work equally well in right or left hand and have been praised by law enforcement experts as emergency knives and instinctive fighting weapons. The canted handle presents the blade properly for slashing and piercing attacks while allowing the wrist to stay in its strongest position. No specialized knife fighting technique is needed — punches work fine with the TDI firmly in hand.
The belt version of the TDI features an AUS8 stainless steel blade with a combo serrated cutting edge of 3-11/16 inches and an overall length of 7-9/16 inches. The ankle model only drops a little in size, to 3-1/2 inches of blade and an overall length of 7 inches. The hard sheath of the TDI knife system attaches to a much more comfortable Cordura belt and can be repositioned as needed. In the ankle system, the knife sheath turns 15 degrees to the front or the back to allow personalized access and better concealment.
Only 0.15 pounds in weight, the TDI makes an excellent emergency knife for civilians as well as police and military. The angle of the handle makes this knife primarily a fighting weapon and more than a little awkward for ordinary tasks.
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.
Designed as an LDK or Last Ditch Knife for police, the TDI knife Rig from Ka-Bar comes in two sizes with two slightly different mounting assemblies. The larger knife is for belt wear, and the smaller rig straps discreetly to the ankle.
