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 Gourmet Asian Knife Set | Granton Edge Full Tang Molybdenum 2 Piece
1 min read
Though this isn’t the forged pattern many expect from the established German knife makers like Wusthof, there’s quality here of a different kind. Streamlined methods and improved steel alloys create knives which are lighter and thinner than the old builds. One piece of chrome molybdenum vanadium steel makes both blade and full tang. Laser cutting and laser controlled shaping create standardized blades and perfectly ground edges. The flat ground taper is the smooth cutting shape you expect to see in fine cutlery. Touch the knives up with a honing steel and go to work straight out of the box.
Synthetic molded handles have the same shape as Wusthof’s classic knives but fully enclose the handle tang. Securely held by wide stainless steel rivets, the construction is gap free and sanitary. Dishwasher safe, the knives retain sharpness and finish better if washed by hand.
The 7-1/2-inch santoku’s hollow ground granton blade slides easily through vegetables and other light slicing chores. Thinner blade stock causes less resistance in the cut, and the multiple hollows shed sliced food easily from the sides of the blade. If you’re accustomed to a European cook’s knife for that kind of prep, you’ll be surprised and pleased at the degree of difference. You’ll still need heavier knives for chopping, but there’s no question that a light Santoku outperforms a heavy chef’s knife for slicing. Since slicing is often what you do most when you cook from scratch, this is a very handy blade.
For light paring and peeling, the three-inch paring knife excels, but the light blade won’t be as good for prying apart joints of meat or breaking up frozen food. Reserve levering and piercing tasks for the old prybar knife styles.
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...
Though this isn’t the forged pattern many expect from the established German knife makers like Wusthof, there’s quality here of a different kind. Streamlined methods and improved steel alloys create knives which are lighter and thinner than the old builds. One piece of chrome molybdenum vanadium steel makes both blade and full tang. Laser cutting and laser controlled shaping create standardized blades and perfectly ground edges. The flat ground taper is the smooth cutting shape you expect to see in fine cutlery. Touch the knives up with a honing steel and go to work straight out of the box.
