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.
Leatherman Crater Knife, Carabiner Plain Edge C33L | Locking Pocketknife Folder, Drop Point Hollow Ground Blade 8601140
1 min read
Full of good features but not complicated, the Leatherman Crater appeals to handymen, outdoorsmen, and anyone who needs a basic dependable pocket blade.
Small details make all the difference here. The Crater’s one-hand opening system uses a thumb-stud at the base of the blade for leverage, but you have access to it from a smooth thumb-sized groove shaped in the handle. After a short break-in period, the blade flips open and locks with a single smooth motion. The liner-lock system is simple but strong and releases with fingertip pressure. Since the lock release is near the blade’s base, one-handed closure is also an option.
The Crater puts 2.6 inches of hollow-ground drop point blade into this small package. The 420HC high carbon stainless steel sharpens easily and is tempered to be tough. Both the blade and the handle are corrosion-resistant. The 60-percent glass-filled nylon handle cuts the weight to only 2.38 ounces. If you’re an ultra-lite backpacker who treats ounces like pounds, the Crater makes every ounce count and is built for real work.
There’s no sheath for the Crater, but you won’t have to drop the knife in your pants pocket. The Leatherman Crater’s tempered stainless steel pocket clip mounts to the very tip of the Crater’s handle with three precision screws. That re-design places nearly all the knife below the level of the pocket seam for more security and less obvious pocket clip carry. The knife includes a stainless steel carabiner clip as a second folding blade. Opening from the butt of the handle, the carabiner latches onto any suitable line or strap and doubles as a bottle cap opener. If you don’t need both clips, the pocket clip removes easily.
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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Full of good features but not complicated, the Leatherman Crater appeals to handymen, outdoorsmen, and anyone who needs a basic dependable pocket blade.
