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 Sharpening & Honing Steel 10 Inch | Grand Prix 2 #4477
1 min read
A matching sharpening steel for fine Wusthof Cutlery, this 10-inch honing steel quickly resets the blades of most good kitchen knives, regardless of brand. The most important feature beyond usability is the handle, styled to match Wusthof patterns and sporting the trademark trident rivet on the end. The steel adds a little flash to the Wusthof carving set if you’re working at the dining table.
Unless working with high-end knives that chip on hard surfaces, a honing steel like the Wusthof is the fastest and easiest way to maintain an edge. Keeping blades sharp should be a frequent habit, not a dreaded chore. Pick up a knife, give it a few quick swipes on the steel, and go to work. Don’t wait until the edge is too dull to cut anything, because badly blunted edges need some time on a sharpening stone. Frequent use of a honing steel can postpone that job indefinitely.
If you’ve never used a honing steel before, plenty of online instruction is available for free, and you’ll find that many professionals do things differently and still get good results. Some stroke the blade edge forward, and some hone the blade spine forward. The safest method is with the tip of the hone braced on a cutting board. Stroke the knife against the blade edge down and work from top to bottom on the hone, passing the entire length of the cutting edge over it in one stroke. Work towards a bevel of about 30 degrees. If that won’t restore the edge to like new condition, it may be time to bring out the whetstone.
If you want to try the Chef Gordon Ramsey method, work in slow motion at first and be very aware of people around you. Even dull knives cut.
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...
A matching sharpening steel for fine Wusthof Cutlery, this 10-inch honing steel quickly resets the blades of most good kitchen knives, regardless of brand. The most important feature beyond usability is the handle, styled to match Wusthof patterns and sporting the trademark trident rivet on the end. The steel adds a little flash to the Wusthof carving set if you’re working at the dining table.
