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.


Wusthof Asian Knife Set, Granton Santoku & Paring | Classic Ikon Black w/ Solingen Stainless Steel

1 min read

Wusthof Asian Knife Set, GrantonIn the Classic Ikon 2-Piece Asian Cook’s Set, Wusthof pairs two knives which have a good chance of being nearly everyone’s favorite blades. The paring knife — often the first knife a chef picks up in the kitchen — and the matching santoku bring Asian improvements to an already good brand of German cutlery. Technical changes include a new and genuinely improved handle design and lighter, more efficient blades.

Good features for which Wusthof has earned a solid reputation survived the redesign. Wusthof uses the same high carbon stainless steel in this set that has been the company standard for years. Tempered to hold an edge (not so hard the blades will chip) and soft enough to sharpen at home with ordinary honing tools, Solingen steel doesn’t exactly match the qualities of high-tech alloys, but it’s proven to work well. Cutting efficiency now increases because of the Asian-style granton grind — multiple hollows in the blade’s surface break contact with the food to reduce sticking and friction.

Forged bolsters are still a part of these knives, but the heavy front bolster has been slimmed down and no longer extends to the cutting edge. As in Asian knives, this allows complete access to the cutting edge for both slicing work and sharpening. To improve the balance of the knives, the full tang ends in a second forged bolster, putting more weight at the rear and making the riveted slab-handle build even stronger than before.

One of the best features of this two-knife set is the improved handle shape. Wusthof’s usual handle has a blocky style with chamfered ninety-degree edges that don’t match the comfort of the Classic Ikon’s tapered and rounded handle grip.

Find this Wusthof Asian Knife Set:

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[phpbay]Wusthof Classic Ikon Set Asian, 2[/phpbay]

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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