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.
Emerilware Asian Cutlery Set of 2 | Wusthof Santoku & Paring Knife Silverpoint
1 min read
Designed in partnership with popular New Orleans chef Emeril Lagasse, the Emerilware Asian Santoku and Paring Knife set uses construction features taken from Wusthof’s Silverpoint pattern. Silverpoint and Gourmet are Wusthof’s budget product lines and differ mainly in style — both provide practical quality at an affordable price.
These two Emerilware knives are lightweight but versatile with easy-to-grip handles of dark polymer, unaffected by temperature or moisture. The overlapping bolster formed from the handle material strengthens one of the critical points in the knife by shifting the junction between handle and blade slightly forward. Molded permanently around the tang of the knife, the synthetic handle is secured by one rivet near the heel of the handle. The head of the rivet is embossed with the company symbol, the Wusthof trident.
Blades of high carbon Solingen stainless steel are from the same alloy as used in other Wusthof products, but cut from a blank of steel with lasers rather than being stamped or drop-forged. Laser cutting leaves the original alloy unchanged and creates no distortion in the metal. That means a stronger and more predictable blade. Tempered tough enough to hold an edge and still be easily sharpened, the blades do require regular honing. These knives are dishwasher safe, but avoid marred blade surfaces and dulled cutting edges by handwashing.
Both the santoku and paring knife are meant for slicing, not for heavy work like prying or chopping. These knives work very well for prepping and slicing vegetables and fruits and may quickly become two of your favorites.
The higher-quality Wusthof Asian Knife Set offers two similar knives in a stronger forged pattern.
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...
Designed in partnership with popular New Orleans chef Emeril Lagasse, the Emerilware Asian Santoku and Paring Knife set uses construction features taken from Wusthof’s Silverpoint pattern. Silverpoint and Gourmet are Wusthof’s budget product lines and differ mainly in style — both provide practical quality at an affordable price.
