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.



Bear & Son Large Stockman Pocket Knife, Slip Joint 247R | Clip Point, Spey & Sheepsfoot Blade w/ Rosewood Handle

1 min read

Bear & Son Large Stockman Pocket Knife,Built for work but good enough for show, the Bear & Son 247R Rosewood Large Stockman knife holds three important blade styles. Originally developed to suit the needs of frontier wranglers and farmers, the blade selection is just as practical for those of us who no longer work with cattle and horses.

The main blade of the Bear & Son 247R is a strong hollow ground high carbon stainless steel clip point. The hollow grind makes it easy to keep a razor edge on this, but save it for the fine work where you need smooth and controlled slicing action. For prying pebbles out of horse’s hooves or car tires, the shorter and stouter flat ground spey blade would do better. For flush cutting of plug tobacco, or possibly even opening boxes at the warehouse, choose the straight edge and sharp point of the sheepsfoot blade.

All three blades are slip joint types which don’t actually lock in the open position. Spring bars in the spine of the handle keep open blades open and closed blades closed, but release with a firm pressure. That’s always a good thing to keep in mind when using a slip joint pocket knife, because pressure on the spine of the blade folds it up even if your fingers are still in the way. The old thumb notch opening system requires two hands, and some new knives need a little oil and use before the action is just the way you want it.

All three stainless steel blades are mirror-polished as well as the nickel silver double bolsters bracketing the rosewood-slab handle. Four inches when folded, the Large Stockman isn’t too large for the pants pocket, but it’s at the edge of what’s practical for rolling around with the pocket change. Entirely American-made, all parts for the Stockman knife were fashioned in Bear & Son’s Alabama facility.

Find this Bear & Son Large Stockman Knife :

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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