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 Salmon Slicer | Plain Edge 11 Inch Seafood / Fish Knife
1 min read
Large game fish like salmon are too valuable to risk on inferior tools — if you’re lucky enough to need a way to slice smoked salmon this 11-inch cutting edge Wusthof Gourmet Salmon Slicer provides the method. Designed especially for thin precise cuts of delicate fish, the salmon slicer’s plain edge blade is long enough to span the width of the catch. The rounded tip won’t snag the edges of the cut.
In skilled hands, this compound tapered blade can cut seafood paper thin without tearing or distortion. Only advanced manufacturing methods make that level of precision possible. With a blade this long, small distortions should be commonplace. Wusthof cuts the slender stock for these full tang knives from rolls of alloy steel — specifics are etched on the blade. Cheaper knives would be stamped out from blanks with presses. Wusthof knives are laser cut, eliminating crude distortions in the knife blank. Laser measurements guarantee the precision of both grind and edge. The full length of the precisely tempered narrow blade is hollow ground to reduce cutting friction — juices collecting in the hollow help lubricate the cut.
The result is a blade that looks simple but holds many unseen qualities that would have been impossible to achieve a century ago. The highly polished and razor sharp high carbon stainless steel is easily touched up by hand with a honing steel. Though the handle is plain, the polymer slabs are shaped to give the user a secure and comfortable grip without any unnecessary bulk.
Always wash this fine knife by hand to prevent damage to the finish or the edge.
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...
Large game fish like salmon are too valuable to risk on inferior tools — if you’re lucky enough to need a way to slice smoked salmon this 11-inch cutting edge Wusthof Gourmet Salmon Slicer provides the method. Designed especially for thin precise cuts of delicate fish, the salmon slicer’s plain edge blade is long enough to span the width of the catch. The rounded tip won’t snag the edges of the cut.
