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.
Blade Movie Replica Fantasy Sword | Bloodbath Glaive | United Cutlery
59 sec read
This licensed replica of the vampire killer Blade’s deadly Bloodbath Glaive rests securely on a boldly decorated metal stand, suitable for desktop, shelf or wall display. The United Cutlery version of the double-ended throwing knife used by Wesley Snipes in the Blade movie — and by Kirk Jones in the Blade tv series — is well sculpted with wide double beveled hook blades and sharp saw teeth. The edges are not razor sharp, and the points of the knives are too slender to be very durable in use. The 420C high carbon stainless steel used for this weapon is display quality and vulnerable to nicks and other damage if actually thrown.
Most than just a showpiece, this double bladed glaive actually folds, as did the blade in the movie Blade II. Five-and-a-half inches across when closed, the two knives lock into place on the central hub for a final open length of ten inches. Pressing a release button on the back of the hub unlocks the glaive and allows careful folding of the knives.
Based only marginally on actual throwing knives, this glaive design isn’t a practical throwing weapon. Awkward to hold and awkward to throw, there’s a good chance of self injury even with the unsharpened display version. Real multi-blade throwing knives often included a throwing handle, and this glaive is heavy enough that it needs one. As a display piece it’s certainly well made, and a replica weapon that actually does what the movie version does — in this case, fold — is unusual.
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.
This licensed replica of the vampire killer Blade’s deadly Bloodbath Glaive rests securely on a boldly decorated metal stand, suitable for desktop, shelf or wall display. The United Cutlery version of the double-ended throwing knife used by Wesley Snipes in the Blade movie — and by Kirk Jones in the Blade tv series — is well sculpted with wide double beveled hook blades and sharp saw teeth. The edges are not razor sharp, and the points of the knives are too slender to be very durable in use. The 420C high carbon stainless steel used for this weapon is display quality and vulnerable to nicks and other damage if actually thrown.
