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.
Shark Carpentry Hand Saw | Japanese Woodworking 12 Inch 10-2312
59 sec read
Being able to cut a 2×4 at a perfect right angle with a handsaw is always one of the marks of a skilled carpenter — with the European style of saw most of us know, accurate cuts take years of practice. With Shark’s 12-inch carpentry saw, an improved version of a traditional Japanese handsaw design, those accurate cuts are within everyone’s reach — but better and five times as fast. In fact, considering the quality of the cut, this handsaw could even compete with machine tools.
Japanese handsaws operate literally backwards compared to European carpenter’s saws. European saws cut on the push stroke, requiring stiffer blades and nearly inhuman skill. Japanese saws cut on the pullstroke, which allows their thinner blades to cut more accurately with less effort. The differences don’t stop there. The blade of the Shark carpentry saw stays sharp far longer than the old type. When the teeth do dull, simply switch out the blade for a new one with perfect set. Sharpening Japanese saw teeth is an art all its own, requiring special files and exceptional patience — so for most of us, replaceable blades are the practical way to go.
The 12-inch Shark will accurately and quickly saw through heavy stock a standard circular saw can’t handle — eight by eight isn’t out of reason. Use it for crosscutting hardwood, softwood, and plywood, as well as accurate cutting of round stock and PVC pipe. This particular saw isn’t made for ripping, but Shark makes alternatives in other traditional Japanese patterns which handle that job equally well.
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.
Being able to cut a 2×4 at a perfect right angle with a handsaw is always one of the marks of a skilled carpenter — with the European style of saw most of us know, accurate cuts take years of practice. With Shark’s 12-inch carpentry saw, an improved version of a traditional Japanese handsaw design, those accurate cuts are within everyone’s reach — but better and five times as fast. In fact, considering the quality of the cut, this handsaw could even compete with machine tools.
