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 stag-handled Wapiti follows the Puma Knives’ tradition of simplicity and excellence. This old Solingen, Germany knife-making firm has made sporting knives, survival knives, and military weapons since the mid-1700’s and tailors its products to local consumer demand. The drop point skinner Wapiti offers American hunters one of the most popular modern American patterns in a well-tested Puma build.
The stout, 3.75-inch high carbon steel blade — 4 mm thick Solingen 440A stainless — is the visible part of a steel blank that runs the full length of the full tang handle. The bolster is solid stainless steel polished to the same mirror finish as the blade. The Wapiti has the natural stag antler handle slabs that have been Puma’s standard for decades — these are cut from naturally shed antlers, bringing that material into the category of a renewable resource. Finger notch and sculpted grip combine with the familiar antler texture to create slip-free handling.
Only eight inches long, this knife weighs a solid 0.65 pounds. Simple and strong, the Wapiti is built to do work with enough steel to twist with leverage and confidence. A brown leather belt sheath is included, and the knife is covered by Puma’s limited lifetime warranty. It’s not a blade you’ll need to baby. Craftsmanship is excellent — many parts of the process are still done by hand, making every knife unique.
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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The stag-handled Wapiti follows the Puma Knives’ tradition of simplicity and excellence. This old Solingen, Germany knife-making firm has made sporting knives, survival knives, and military weapons since the mid-1700’s and tailors its products to local consumer demand. The drop point skinner Wapiti offers American hunters one of the most popular modern American patterns in a well-tested Puma build.
