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.
Valiant Armory War Sword | European Soldier Replica | Ebony Handle, Leather Sheath
1 min read
Patterned after one of the common soldier’s blades from the European battlefields of the 1400’s, this sword from Valiant Armory has a plain name and a plain build. Sold by Valiant as the War Sword, the only thing fancy about this very realistic weapon is the black and tan macassar ebony handle. Let me clarify that I think this is a good thing — I like this sword. Swords of the period would probably have been made of more common materials than this expensive African hardwood, but an added touch doesn’t hurt.
Rather than making strict reproductions of period pieces, Valiant’s craftsmen in the Philippines often go a step further. Though not intended for combat, even Valiant’s standard series swords have the feel of real weapons. Details show that the makers took pride in their work. The War Sword isn’t decorated with cast metal that gets knocked loose in shipment — the seven-inch cross guard and pommel are solid steel. The blade itself shows 32 inches of hand forged carbon steel — rat tail tang and pommel bring the total length to 41 inches. Though this was considered a one-handed sword in the old days, the War Sword was also heavy enough to swing two-handed. At just under four pounds, it’s definitely too weighty for fencing practice. Modern swordsmen need to train a while before a blade this heavy is steady in the hand.
The War Sword comes with a good leather sheath and an excellent warranty. Give the blade a light coating of oil to protect it from rust, and don’t treat it as a toy. In fact, Valiant does not recommend using even the standard series blades like the War Sword as theatrical props. If you swing this at something, it will do some damage.
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.
Patterned after one of the common soldier’s blades from the European battlefields of the 1400’s, this sword from Valiant Armory has a plain name and a plain build. Sold by Valiant as the War Sword, the only thing fancy about this very realistic weapon is the black and tan macassar ebony handle. Let me clarify that I think this is a good thing — I like this sword. Swords of the period would probably have been made of more common materials than this expensive African hardwood, but an added touch doesn’t hurt.
