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.



Boker Jim Wagner Tactical Knife Plus | Plain Edge Blade Pocket Folder Gladius

1 min read

Boker Jim Wagner Tactical Knife Plus This personal tactical folder designed for Boker Plus by martial arts instructor Jim Wagner may be just what you need if you carry a knife for urban emergencies like cutting yourself out of a safety harness or smashing an occasional car window. Although the Reality-Based Plain Blade serves well enough for that, if you use a knife for standard purposes, the special design of the blade might seem awkward.

With a stout, piercing point that Boker describes a a gladius-style, the blade plunges through tough materials easily. A concave cutting edge on the anodized high carbon stainless steel blade hooks straps and cord for quick cutting, but won’t be quite so easy to use if your applications involve paring and slicing. Whether a knife makes good sense for everyday carrying depends on how well it matches your daily chores, and if you’re an electrician or a handyman, you might miss the old drop point.

For the urban survivalist more interested in clambering out of car wrecks than in peeling apples, this design does make good sense. Deep finger grooves in the fiber reinforced nylon grip give the knife excellent grip strength in difficult circumstances, and the wide handle provides torque for the strong 3-7/8-inch blade. The knife blade swings out with a push on the thumb stud, and locks securely into open position for a working length of 9 inches. Underneath the nylon handle scales, you’ll find a strong framework of stainless steel. The pommel includes a hardened steel insert useful for smashing window glass.

See the Boker Hyper for a slimmer pocket folder designed by Chad Los Banos.

Find this Boker Jim Wagner knife:

Find this knife on eBay:

[phpbay]Boker Plus Jim Wagner, 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.



Adventure Medical Kits Pocket Survival Pack | Cody Lundin…

Designed by Doug Ritter of “Equipped to Survive,” the Adventure Medical Kits Pocket Survival Pak earned positive reviews from survival instructor Cody Lundin and...
JT Hats
1 min read

Buck X-Tract Multi-tool, One Handed | Lockback Combo Edge…

Multi-purpose gear for hikers, backpackers, and other outdoorsmen gets better every year. If you make the Buck 731 X-Tract LED Multi-Tool part of your...
JT Hats
1 min read

Leatherman Super Tool 300 New | Stainless Steel Locking…

Leatherman’s back with an even stronger version of the original Leatherman Super Tool. The Super Tool 300 Multi-tool offers the strongest pair of multi-tool...
Sharon
1 min read