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.
Inspired by authentic museum pieces and by dress swords still carried by the British Army’s Royal Regiment of Scotland, Cold Steel’s Scottish Broad Sword demonstrates there’s more to this company’s self defense swords than good looks.
Some details of the 37-3/4-inch broadsword vary from the classic pattern. The redesigned sword makes good use of modern materials without losing the look of the traditional highlander one-handed battle sword. Scabbard fittings and basket hilt are forged from gunmetal blue high carbon steel. The strong materials give the sword the look of a new weapon instead of an antique reproduction. The hand-forged 1055 spring steel sword shows three parallel fullers which lighten the 31-1/2-inch, double-edged blade without reducing strength. Handle design also closely matches the genuine Scottish broad sword, but the Cold Steel version uses materials more common in samurai katana — genuine rayskin over a hardwood grip, wrapped securely with a spiral of wire in the European style.
Each Cold Steel Scottish Broadsword meets the standards of the British Proof Test and is battle ready. The action and weight is similar to the weapons carried by Highland clansmen as recently as World War II. This lighter sword weighed between two and three pounds when built in the old pattern and was meant for use with a targe or shield. Cold Steel’s sword is on the heavier side of the scale at just under three pounds, not counting the matching wood and leather scabbard.
For another high quality Scottish broadsword with an antiqued appearance, see the Scottish Basket Hilt Broadsword by Paul Chen of Hanwei Forge.
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.
Inspired by authentic museum pieces and by dress swords still carried by the British Army’s Royal Regiment of Scotland, Cold Steel’s Scottish Broad Sword demonstrates there’s more to this company’s self defense swords than good looks.
