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.
Martial Arts Twin Broadsword Set | Chinese Replica Weapon Spring Steel 30 Inch
56 sec read
Sword makers in Lung Chuan village of China produced these spring steel twin broadswords. Over the last century, that district’s premier weapon smiths, the Shen family, produced several swords considered to be of national treasure quality . Though these swords are a lesser build, the signs of real knowledge are still apparent. Thick brass hand guards and flared pommels balance the carbon steel single edged blades. These swords are large, forty inches in length, and the pair with hardwood sheath may weigh more than five pounds.
Not quite combat quality, the spring steel sword blades are flexible and tempered to bend from 45 to 90 degrees without breaking. Since the swords are handcrafted, some small variations from pair to pair are expected. Scabbard fittings aren’t rugged — formed from hammered brass plate — but give the vulnerable parts of the scabbard adequate protection. Place the entire set in the nylon carrying bag for travel. Scabbard decorations are the most vulnerable point of this set, and the bag offers some protection for the lacquered wood.
The swords themselves look more real than the usual stainless steel wushu weapons but handle better than the heavier and stiffer combat steel versions. High carbon spring steel has a different color than stainless, and will darken with use. The blades also resist damage better than the lower grades of stainless steel or chromed steel often used in wushu. A little easier to adapt to fast routines than the combat blades, these weapons still handle like genuine swords.
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.
Sword makers in Lung Chuan village of China produced these spring steel twin broadswords. Over the last century, that district’s premier weapon smiths, the Shen family, produced several swords considered to be of national treasure quality . Though these swords are a lesser build, the signs of real knowledge are still apparent. Thick brass hand guards and flared pommels balance the carbon steel single edged blades. These swords are large, forty inches in length, and the pair with hardwood sheath may weigh more than five pounds.
