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.
Knife & Utensil Chef’s Attache Case by Ultimate Edge | Holds 12, Laminated Black 2001-EXEC
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With plenty of storage space for knives and accessories, the Ultimate Edge Attache Case provides convenient lightweight everyday transportation but could be risky as checked baggage.
Two main compartments split the load between knives and utensils, offering organized storage for each. On the knife side, double-stitched reinforced elasticized pockets stow twelve different blades safely; on the utensil side, nylon loops arrange 16 kitchen utensils. Each of the two compartments covers implements securely with an inner fabric flap anchored at the corners with Velcro. Close the two halves of the case, and the main zipper anchors both together. Also on the inside, find pen and pencil holders and a mesh pocket for thermometers, tasting spoons, and other small necessities.
The Ultimate Edge Attache Case has a tough exterior of 600 denier PVC laminated polyester fabric — spill and puncture resistant. Steel D-rings support a deluxe adjustable shoulder strap, and a padded reinforced carrying handle offers a chance to trade-off the load between shoulder and hand during long walks.
One of the best features of this attache-style knife case is the organized outside storage. Five pockets — each individually accessible through zippered closures — offer customized space for business cards, important papers, notebooks, and all the other essentials you don’t want to bury under several pounds of neatly arranged sharp steel. While the Ultimate Edge Attache Case is well designed, it provides only basic security and very little padding — consider it a carry-on wherever knives are allowed.
Wusthof’s 25-Knife Case provides storage for up to 25 knives and other tools in a luggage-quality naugahyde soft-sided suitcase.
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...
With plenty of storage space for knives and accessories, the Ultimate Edge Attache Case provides convenient lightweight everyday transportation but could be risky as checked baggage.
