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.



Minimalist Neck Knife by Columbia River Knife & Tool 2385 | Alan Folts Custom Wharncliffe

1 min read

Minimalist Neck Knife by Columbia RiverDesigned by Alan Folts of Greenville, N.C., the Folts Minimalist neck knife produced by Columbia River Knife and Tool friction-fits in an inverted sheath worn around the neck. Grasp the deep finger grooves of the handle or the braided nylon fob hanging from it and pull the knife free for quick one-handed deployment.

The unusual handle style, made long and thin and offset from the blade, works well when the handle tucks behind the middle joints of your fingers. For a heavy shearing cut with the spine of the handle set against the palm, there’s just not enough handle here to get a secure grip. Use the Minimalist improperly, and there’s a good chance the handle will twist in your hand. The Wharncliffe blade, only 2 inches of straight-edged, talon-shaped 5Cr15MoV stainless steel, provides considerable strength in spite of the knife’s light weight of 1.1 ounces. Ground with a rugged flat taper and built with a full tang micarta-slab handle, this knife doesn’t have the cheap feel of other neck knives made from thinner stock. Used for slicing cuts as intended, it’s a sensible blade.

Although the concept of a neck knife is an intriguing idea, in actual use you may find them inconvenient. If they’d stay where you put them, it would be a lot better than what they really do, which is bounce and jangle about and never stop in the same place twice. Secure enough in demonstrations, the friction fit sheaths aren’t foolproof when moving fast or weaving your way through heavy underbrush. It’s very possible to lose a neck knife without even noticing. As an emergency blade or a backup knife, the Minimalist makes better sense strapped to gear or sewn to the inside of a hunting vest. At 1.6 ounces including the Zytel sheath and nylon neck cord, it’s a dependable but light-duty knife that outdoorsmen won’t notice until it’s needed.

Find this CRKT Minimalist Knife:

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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