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.



SOG Power Assist Multitool | Black EOD Knife B67-N with Pliers, Fuse Lighter

1 min read

SOG Power Assist Multitool Bitter memories of standard-issue military gear always make me skeptical of manufacturers who produce military-style products like the SOG Power Assist EOD Multi-tool. This time, SOG meets more than military standards and creates a tool which should be a first-choice item.

Several good improvements are included here, and I’d have been happy with just one. I don’t count the tactical black non-glare coating, which is handy for the military user but not important for the rest of us. The best feature of the SOG B67-N is the compound-gear of the pliers. This is what makes or breaks a multi-tool, and it usually breaks them. In desperate situations, the pliers will be used like a wrench, and most will fail. Either the tool itself will twist, or there won’t be enough leverage to do more than chew up that important nut. Success has a better chance here, since the compound gearing provides nearly twice the gripping power of ordinary plier jaws. The tool handles still aren’t as strong as a simpler pair of forged steel pliers but are better than the ordinary multi-tool.

Two assisted-opening blades also simplify one of the most awkward features of the do-everything multi-tool — getting the knife blade open. Finding it and separating it from the herd of other tools can be a frustrating issue. SOG helps with the spring-loaded Power Assist system. Push the blade partly open with the thumb and the Power Assist takes over, opening the blade the rest of the way. One-handed knife blade opening in a multi-tool is just too sweet. Don’t expect it to work unless you clean the multi-tool regularly.

Several tools meant for the modern soldier are included — electrical crimpers, a fuse lifter, and a three-sided file will find uses in trades other than bomb disposal and missile maintenance. Although multi-tools are handy, I’ve broken several good ones just trying to use them for normal things, and I do like to see a better version come along. This is it.

Find this SOG Power Assist Multitool:

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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