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.



Masahiro Hand Forged Functional Katana | High Carbon Tempered Steel Sword, White Leather

1 min read

Masahiro Hand Forged Functional Katana This 44-inch hand-forged katana from Masahiro has great potential as a functional cutter, but you won’t know until you test it whether it lives up to reasonable expectations. Manufactured in China by one of several difficult-to-trace companies, the Masahiro brand intended to fill the needs of martial artists looking for a reasonably priced practical sword, but only sometimes succeeded.

Consistencies within the brand are limited. Wide variations in the quality of both workmanship and materials can be expected with some winning swords and some genuine losers included in the same design series. This particular katana’s blade is tempered high carbon steel with traditional handle construction and handle materials, but tolerances are unpredictable. The tsuba in this version seems especially weak. The habaki of brushed copper also raises some doubts, since copper tarnishes and corrodes easily and may not even hold its original shape well. Brass, the usual material, works much better.

You will at least get a nice display sword for the desk or the wall if you buy this hand-forged katana. Whether or not it holds up to actual use, it is nicely balanced, and the traditional wrapped handle shows an interesting contrast between the white leather woven ito, the black rayskin covering, and the gold-plated menuki in the shape of a dragon. The gamble is whether or not this will prove to be a good cutter as well as a showy display katana.

Whatever the quality, the sword is yours once you pay for it. Masahiro offers no warranty, and the only customer service you’ll receive will be from the retail dealer. Whether you have complaints or compliments, the sword’s makers will be equally impossible to track down.

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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