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.
Wusthof Classic Hard Cheese Knife | Stainless Steel Plain Edge w/ Fork Tip 4-3/4 Inch
55 sec read
Beautifully designed for slicing harder cheeses like sharp cheddar, the Wusthof Classic 4-3/4-inch Hard Cheese knife works best on sandwich-sized blocks, not large wheels. The unusual blade of the Classic has practical purpose behind every odd feature.
The upswept point of the cheese knife should be first to touch the cutting board. Using the tip of the blade as a rest, the remainder of the knife shears downward under total control. The plain-edged blade cuts cleanly without leaving marks on the sliced cheese, and the heavier section near the handle accurately cubes smaller pieces.
Cheeses produce a lot of friction as a knife cuts, sticking to the blade and tearing instead of falling cleanly away. To reduce that problem, Wusthof added the rows of etched squares on the blade surface. Like the hollows of a santoku, these etchings break up the knife’s contact with the food, releasing slices from the blade as it passes through. When you’re done and there’s a pile of sliced cheese beside the block, use the forked tip of the knife to separate and pick up individual layers.
Made with the same strong construction techniques as larger knives in the Wusthof line, the Wusthof 4-3/4-inch Hard Cheese Knife looks good enough for table service, matching popular contemporary serving patterns with a traditionally designed riveted slab handle of black polymer. The Wusthof logo is etched permanently on the blade and embossed in red on the knife’s grip.
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...
Beautifully designed for slicing harder cheeses like sharp cheddar, the Wusthof Classic 4-3/4-inch Hard Cheese knife works best on sandwich-sized blocks, not large wheels. The unusual blade of the Classic has practical purpose behind every odd feature.
