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.
Since 1984, Myerchin has made modern rigging knives for the modern professional sailor. The Myerchin A200P is one of the strongest Myerchin professional models, carried by sailors aboard hi-tech yachts, Coast Guardsmen aboard rescue and patrol boats, and even crewmen working the decks of river tugboats.
The Myerchin system puts both rigging knife and rigging spike in the same belt sheath of ballistic nylon. The multi-position sheath includes secure Velcro closures and options for mounting in any position — even upside-down. The combination works as well for divers as for clipper ship crewmen.
The 8-1/4-inch-long Myerchin A200P knife weighs only 7.5 ounces but wields a strong drop point blade of 440C high carbon stainless steel, ground with a serrated edge Myerchin developed especially for cutting rope. The quick-cutting serrations extend over three quarters of the knife’s cutting edge, leaving only the tip section for plain-edged work. For undoing tight knots on lines you don’t want to cut, the 6-1/2-inch stainless steel spike will come in handy. This 2.5-ounce rigging spike fits in a side pocket of the knife sheath and can also be used to stitch repairs in heavy sail canvas.
People who work regularly with rope or cargo straps, whether on land or on the water, will find much practical use for this professional rigging knife. Collectors might also find the A200P of interest, since to many, it’s an unusual design. Each A200P knife is stamped with a unique serial number so you’ll be sure you have the real thing. Built with a full tang handle and slab grips of tropical rosewood, the A200P carries a lifetime warranty.
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 by Doug Ritter of “Equipped to Survive,” the Adventure Medical Kits Pocket Survival Pak earned positive reviews from survival instructor Cody Lundin and...
Since 1984, Myerchin has made modern rigging knives for the modern professional sailor. The Myerchin A200P is one of the strongest Myerchin professional models, carried by sailors aboard hi-tech yachts, Coast Guardsmen aboard rescue and patrol boats, and even crewmen working the decks of river tugboats.
