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.


Solingen Forged Bamboo Knife Block Set by Victorinox | 17 Piece w/ Steak Knives & Granton Santoku

1 min read

Solingen Forged Bamboo Knife Block SetThe 17 items in this Forged Knife Block Set from Victorinox (maker of the famous Swiss Army Knife in its many forms) do cover most needs in the kitchen as well as during dining service. Eight fine steak knives make the major difference between this set and the efficient Victorinox 8-Piece Block Set. Victorinox adds one more prep style to the collection.

The set’s 14 knives include very practical prep knife choices for the average kitchen with no extra paring or utility knives as cheap filler. One paring knife, a boning knife, and the eight steak knives are the only small blades in the block. Eight-inch carving and chef’s knives and a 9-inch bread knife handle the major work, with a 7-inch granton-edged santoku added for efficient slicing of fruits and veggies. Unless you do heavy chopping or specialty work, you should find everything you need here, including a honing steel and a pair of kitchen shears.

The block itself is renewable-resource bamboo, not hardwood. Built with precise layers of squared bamboo, this relatively new approach to knife storage matches the quality and beauty of traditional beechwood, oak, or maple without the environmental damage. Ecological arguments aren’t necessary — the bamboo block is obviously a good deal.

Victorinox contracts most of the manufacturing work for its forged knives to well-known cutlery companies in Solingen, Germany. When buying forged knives from Victorinox, you’re actually getting a well-tested German pattern forged on German dies and made from German Solingen high carbon stainless steel. Added to that solid foundation are Swiss finishing and sharpening steps and excellent quality control. The knives in the set all feature the same triple-riveted full tang build with POM (or Plastic Over Molded) handle slabs. Knives need ordinary hand washing and drying and occasional maintenance with a sharpening steel. Victorinox covers the set with a lifetime warranty against defects in workmanship.

Find this Victorinox Forged Knife Block Set :

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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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