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.
LOTR Witch King Ringwraith Sword by United Cutlery | Lord of the Rings Nazgul Fantasy Collectible Display
1 min read
The Sword of the Witch-King from United Cutlery’s Lord of the Rings series does look intimidating. Too long and too narrow for paltry humans, with a grip designed for the bony hands of the shadow wraiths, the Witch-King’s sword comes with an appropriate air of evil.
In the LOTR saga, the nine ringwraiths were the corrupted shadows of ancient kings seduced by the power of the Ring. Serving the evil master Sauron, the nine wraiths were led by the Witch-King of Angmar and sent out by Sauron into the ancient world to reclaim the Ring. Their swords were built for the task by armourers from the dark country of Mordor.
United Cutlery took on quite a challenge when duplicating this fantasy weapon, since the overall length of the well-sculpted, two-handed battlesword is 54-5/8 inches. Made from tempered 420 J2 high carbon stainless steel, the sword is constructed for display only, even though the build is solid and massive. Practical attention was paid to details of antique two-handed battleswords, and the Witch-King’s weapon shows a ricasso handhold typical of the larger European battle blades. This short section of unsharpened blade in front of the ornate metal handguard gave better leverage and more control for fast strikes and blocks. In close combat, the ricasso was an essential feature.
The sword’s true calling was the quick scything of people with sweeping arcs of the long blade, driven by the leather-bound, two-handed grip. It’s easy to imagine the Witch-King’s sword in use, and the dark highlights of the metal fittings match the weapon’s mood. The Witch-King’s Sword is more than a museum replica and has a dark character all its own. A wall plaque with silk-screened Nazgul designs and a certificate of authenticity accompany the sword.
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 Sword of the Witch-King from United Cutlery’s Lord of the Rings series does look intimidating. Too long and too narrow for paltry humans, with a grip designed for the bony hands of the shadow wraiths, the Witch-King’s sword comes with an appropriate air of evil.
