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.
Zwilling Henckels Four Star Cutlery | Forged Steak Knife Set 4 Piece
1 min read
The Zwilling J.A. Henckels Four Star four-knife steak set offers forged high carbon stainless steel blades and a lighter build than the Henckels full tang cutlery. With rat tail tangs enclosed in molded polymer handles, the construction is clean and functional but not heavy duty.
Backed up with a limited lifetime warranty, the set holds up well to table use. Plain-edged blades slip through steak easily, and edges dulled by porcelain can be easily restored with an ordinary honing steel. Most people expect heavy knives when they buy Henckels products and may be surprised by this lighter build. While it might be too light for heavy prep work, this should be a good match for dining.
The Four Star series doesn’t have the usual Henckels look, in spite of the Henckels trademark — the high carbon stain-free stainless steel alloy specs are displayed on the steak knives as with Henckels best chef’s knives. With a Henckels product, I expect to see more steel than I do here, with the components boldly becoming part of the look instead of being hidden away in a molded polymer handle. It’s much easier to trust what you can see.
The junction of blade and bolster is abrupt, not blended gradually, and I’ve seen that contribute to metal fatigue in other knives I’ve owned and broken. There’s much to like in this set, but if you’re an old Henckels customer, you may not like all the design changes. If you’re a new customer and open minded, you’ll see these as as good knives backed up by a reliable company.
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...
The Zwilling J.A. Henckels Four Star four-knife steak set offers forged high carbon stainless steel blades and a lighter build than the Henckels full tang cutlery. With rat tail tangs enclosed in molded polymer handles, the construction is clean and functional but not heavy duty.
