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.
Victorinox Paring Knife Set of 3 | Forschner Kitchen Cutlery w/ Bird’s Beak Decorative Blade 48042
1 min read
For one of the best values in good kitchen cutlery, consider the three-piece Paring Knife Set from R.H. Forschner Victorinox of Switzerland. These knives couldn’t be simpler, but Victorinox provides everything you need in a good paring knife at one of the lowest prices you’ll find.
There’s very little here beside high quality stamped stainless steel and black poly handles — the rest is functional design. You might pay nearly as much for a paring knife with almost no tang in the handle, or a paring knife with a poorly tempered blade that bends or breaks. These three knives meet Victorinox standards with steel that’s evenly tempered for strength, flexibility, and an edge that you can resharpen for years. Instead of flimsy tangs that quickly push through plastic grips, the Victorinox knives have ample steel in the handle and will hold up to hard use.
The three paring knife styles provided here include two spear-point paring blades with plain or serrated edges and one special purpose Bird’s Beak style. The Bird’s Beak comes in handy when doing decorative work but also has a practical application if you’re faced with oddly shaped garden vegetables. The curve of the blade peels ginger root, for example, without the massive amount of waste you’d get from a straight-edged knife. Blade length of the standard paring knives is 3-1/4 inches, while the Bird’s Beak knife blade measures 2-1/2 inches.
Each knife is NSF approved and made to clean easily, either by hand or in the dishwasher. Washing any modern stain-free steel by hand extends the life of polish and edge. Expect to sharpen the knives regularly — use a standard honing steel to quickly reset the edges before use.
Professionals who need good knives they can still afford to lose will also be interested in the Mundial Paring Knife Set.
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.
The Diamond Edge Pro knife and scissors sharpener from Smith Abrasives combines electric and manual sharpening systems for quick and accurate refurbishing of knives...
For one of the best values in good kitchen cutlery, consider the three-piece Paring Knife Set from R.H. Forschner Victorinox of Switzerland. These knives couldn’t be simpler, but Victorinox provides everything you need in a good paring knife at one of the lowest prices you’ll find.
