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.
Assassin’s Creed II Altair Sword Replica | Majestic Medieval Fantasy Sword w/ Engraved Hardwood Handle, Leather Sheath
57 sec read
The virtual assassins among us will appreciate this straightforward battle sword. Visually, this display-quality weapon is a good match for the best weapon in Assassin’s Creed II.
Carried by the assassin hero Altair as the game begins, Altair soon loses the rights to this high-level weapon as a result of breaking the tenets of his order. Much of the later story involves his efforts to regain his former status and the best sword ever to grace a Persian assassin’s fighting hand. The sword only becomes available to Altair the master assassin after he rebuilds a suffering blacksmith’s ravaged shop in the latter part of Assassin’s Creed II.
Shorter than many weapons in the game, the Altair sword is only 31 inches long with a blade length of 24 3/4 inches. Ground with a diamond cross-section, the blade shows a short ricasso or section of unsharpened steel at the blade’s base. That’s not an error — this stronger portion of steel often took the force of a blocked blow and is true to the design of the game’s ancient weapon. Cast metal forms the winged skull handguard and the claw-shaped pommel, with a grip of polished hardwood decorated with symbols of the order.
Although it’s an accurate reproduction of the Altair sword, the Assassin’s Creed Altair Sword is not ruggedly made. The 440 high carbon stainless steel could be damaged by target cutting, and some of the decorative work is fragile. The soft-sided leather sheath is nicely made, but be careful not to damage it when sheathing the sword.
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 virtual assassins among us will appreciate this straightforward battle sword. Visually, this display-quality weapon is a good match for the best weapon in Assassin’s Creed II.
