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.
Paul Chen Hanwei Sword | Miyamoto Musashi Daito Katana | Japanese Military Replica
1 min read
Inspired by the personal weapon of Miyamoto Musashi — one of feudal Japan’s greatest swordsmen and author of the famous book of strategy The Book of Five Rings — this daito or long sword would have been used in conjunction with a shorter wakizashi. Musashi’s dual weapon style saw him through more than sixty successful duels and countless military battles. CAS Hanwei built this completely functional katana to match the size and detail of the master’s favorite daito. At 45.5 inches in overall length and a weight of two pounds nine ounces, this is no practice weapon.
High-quality materials are used throughout, with a double-pinned full tang blade hand forged from high carbon steel and differentially tempered. The lower hardness (40HRC) of the blade back gives the fullered sword unusual flexibility and toughness. A hardness of 60HRC at the cutting edge gives the sword the ability to stay sharp while slicing through tough targets. Clay tempering creates the difference in the steel’s abilities and leaves the distinctive hamon that marks a sword built in the traditional style.
Details are also accurate, with handle wrapping of ray-skin and bindings of black leather. Like the original, the two-ring iron tsuba, or hand guard, is simple and without decoration. The matching black scabbard is equally plain. The sword impresses even without inlay and sculptured fittings, matching an old style and a way of thinking that many modern people still admire. The Miyamoto Musashi Daito was not made simply to hang on the wall — this CAS Hanwei creation by Paul Chen actually cuts. Use the traditional training targets for best results.
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.
Inspired by the personal weapon of Miyamoto Musashi — one of feudal Japan’s greatest swordsmen and author of the famous book of strategy The Book of Five Rings — this daito or long sword would have been used in conjunction with a shorter wakizashi. Musashi’s dual weapon style saw him through more than sixty successful duels and countless military battles. CAS Hanwei built this completely functional katana to match the size and detail of the master’s favorite daito. At 45.5 inches in overall length and a weight of two pounds nine ounces, this is no practice weapon.
