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.
Case Fishing Knife, Scaler & California Clip Blade | Yellow Delrin Texas Toothpick Handle 320094F SS
1 min read
The Texas Toothpick handle style of the Yellow Delrin Fishing Knife from W.R. Case & Sons makes this knife elegant enough for dress occasions. The knife was actually intended for better things than formal dinners. With this in your pocket and some tackle stashed in the car, you’re never that far from a fishing day off.
The Texas Toothpick grip works well in slick conditions, since the tapered dropped bolster at the knife’s heel helps keep the knife in your hand, and there’s even a finger choil ground into the base of the long double-purpose scaler blade. The teeth of the scaler blade lift the scales as you scrape them off the fish but aren’t sharp enough to score the flesh. The blade also helps if you catch and release your fish, since the long notched tip can reach into a fish’s mouth to carefully ease out an embedded hook without doing more damage. It’s a skill that needs some thought and practice, but if you keep a little tension on the line, there is a way.
And of course, if you want the fish for supper, the elongated California clip style of the main blade nearly qualifies as a fillet knife. The four-inch-long high carbon stainless steel knife is just large enough to handle the average catch.
One more small bonus comes attached to the side of the knife where an engraved stainless steel logo is usually found. The grooved abrasive plate puts the point of a fishhook back to needle sharpness when it’s spent too long in the tackle box.
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.
Multi-purpose gear for hikers, backpackers, and other outdoorsmen gets better every year. If you make the Buck 731 X-Tract LED Multi-Tool part of your...
The Texas Toothpick handle style of the Yellow Delrin Fishing Knife from W.R. Case & Sons makes this knife elegant enough for dress occasions. The knife was actually intended for better things than formal dinners. With this in your pocket and some tackle stashed in the car, you’re never that far from a fishing day off.
