JT Hats
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.



Global Yoshikin 5 Piece Set w/ Knife Storage Tray | High Carbon Stainless Steel Cutlery

1 min read

Global Yoshikin 5 Piece Set w/ KnifeLighter and harder than European forged steel knives, Yoshikin Global cutlery outperforms heavyweight German patterns in many ways. Using these fine blades does require some adjustment in technique, but most chefs will find it worth the trouble. Older knives won’t be obsolete in your kitchen, but you’ll love these for the fine work.

My first encounter with Japanese blades was in woodworking, when I compared European chisels and saws to tools of Japanese make and wound up with full sets of both that I like for entirely different reasons. I’m impressed in the same way by Global knives for the kitchen — they add precision and efficiency you may never have had before.

The harder steel in the Global 5-Piece Knife Set rarely needs sharpening if you don’t abuse the blades. The acute tapered bevel could chip on a glass cutting board, or if stroked too hard on a honing steel. The temper that keeps this edge sharp also makes the blades more fragile — drop one on a hard floor and you might chip the edge or break the blade. Side pressure is a bad thing for Global knives, so crush garlic cloves with something else.

The up side is the cutting. Global knives slice meats and vegetables paper thin, so sharp that the blades shear without compressing food structure. Careful balancing with hollow steel handles counterweighted by precise amounts of sand also contributes to the ease of use, although I’m not sure I’m so advanced that I notice that much. The effect of the edge is much more obvious.

These five knives cover anything from paring to slicing, carving, and cutting pastry. The eight-inch chef’s knife is the most versatile, but these knives are so good you’ll find reason to use them all. Keep some good European knives around for the heavy chopping, slicing through bones, and other tough jobs. The stainless steel storage tray fits in a drawer, but doesn’t match a storage block’s convenience.

Find this Global 5 Piece Knife Set :

JT Hats
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.



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