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.
Clam Mussel Knife Set of 2 by Mundial SCW5670 | Narrow 3 Inch Full Tang w/ White Antibacterial Polypropylene Handle
1 min read
If you have the good fortune to live where the clams do — or if your local seafood market offers the fresh item in the shell — you’ll definitely need a couple of good clam knives like the Mundial Narrow Clam Knife Set. A paring knife isn’t nearly so handy for this as a knife specially made for the work.
A good clam knife has a rounded handle wide enough for good twisting leverage and a short strong blade that hopefully won’t stab you if it slips. There’s a trick to opening a live clam, and the clam definitely won’t cooperate. Even if you douse them with boiling water, the clam knife will still play an essential role. The toughest muscles in the little beasts are the ones that anchor the shell closed.
These clam knives are inexpensive and well-designed for the work. There are several important steps in cleaning a clam, and the Mundial knives cover all of them. The strong polypropylene handles offer a secure grip for driving the edge of the knife between the shells in a controlled and reasonably safe way. The full tang embedded in the poly grip handle supports the twisting force that works the blade deeper, and the rounded point severs the muscle hinge without digging into the shell. These knives were built for professional use, and home chefs will find them equally practical.
If you’re working with something tougher than a clam or a mussel, you may need a similar knife with a larger handle like the Lamson Oyster Shucking Knife. A cut-proof glove also helps.
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 Diamond Edge Pro knife and scissors sharpener from Smith Abrasives combines electric and manual sharpening systems for quick and accurate refurbishing of knives...
If you have the good fortune to live where the clams do — or if your local seafood market offers the fresh item in the shell — you’ll definitely need a couple of good clam knives like the Mundial Narrow Clam Knife Set. A paring knife isn’t nearly so handy for this as a knife specially made for the work.
