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.
Viking Gladiator Fantasy Sword, Horn Helmet Cross Guard | Movie Replica w/ Wood Display Plaque
52 sec read
Some parts of this movie replica Viking Gladiator Sword are so unusual they deserve a closer look. Although by no means practical, this fantasy weapon does have a style all its own.
Forty-four inches long with a 33-inch-long, double-edged blade, the sword is impressively heavy. Even though the handle is wrapped with heavy wire instead of leather and includes a heavy, solid metal spiked pommel, the Viking sword has an unbalanced feeling. Obviously built only for display, the horned helmet ornamentation leaves large gaps between cross-guard and blade. Horns of cast resin were clearly not built to deflect enemy blades. That leaves us suspicious of important details like the hidden junction between tang and blade. There’s certainly no reason to test this sword’s ability to cut, because damage to the weapon is nearly guaranteed. The construction is crude, and the fullered section of blade was clearly nothing more than an afterthought. Possibly that’s typical of Viking workmanship, but I’d expect better. Here, it seems that the smith ran short of time.
But with antiqued fittings and the dull but efficient look of the wire-bound grip, the sword has enough individuality that it’s worth considering as a collector’s piece. If you collect fantasy weapons and don’t expect to hack down trees or enemy warriors with them, this could be an unusual display weapon for your wall. The sword comes with a lacquered hardwood plaque designed for wall display, but does not include a sheath.
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.
Some parts of this movie replica Viking Gladiator Sword are so unusual they deserve a closer look. Although by no means practical, this fantasy weapon does have a style all its own.
