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.
Henckels Hollow Granton Chef’s Knife, Full Tang | Twin Signature High Carbon Stainless Steel 8 Inch
1 min read
Combine two of the best knife blades for the modern kitchen and you might get this knife — the Henckels Twin Signature 8-inch Hollow Edge Chef Knife. Henckels kept the classic European Chef’s knife blade shape and the riveted slab handle design, and added the mysterious hollow grind of the modern santoku.
What actually makes this nicely styled chef’s knife out-perform many heavier and more expensive forged chef’s knives is that the steel in the blade is thinner, and there’s no abrupt bevel on the cutting edge. Many chef’s knives are still ground with a 25-degree edge bevel, and much of the cutting force goes into actually driving that wedge through the work. The taper ground edge of this chef’s knife is just as strong, but the shoulder of the bevel blends smoothly into the blade. That cuts resistance drastically.
The multiple hollows of a granton grind — what Henckels calls the hollow edge — break up the contact between the knife surface and the food being cut. Hollows fill with lubricating juices as the knife works, whether the recipe involves meat or vegetables or fruit, and the separating effect increases. Less friction means easier and more accurate work.
With ice-hardened high carbon stainless steel in the blade and the full tang handle — laser cut from one stainless steel blank — this Henckels Chef’s knife is strong enough for the standard chef’s knife kitchen chores. That would be nearly everything, since this old pattern was built to be the major force in the kitchen. The hollow grind only makes it better.
Another option for a reasonably priced and efficient chef’s knife would be the Victorinox Forschner Chef’s Knife, still one of the industry’s best buys.
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...
Combine two of the best knife blades for the modern kitchen and you might get this knife — the Henckels Twin Signature 8-inch Hollow Edge Chef Knife. Henckels kept the classic European Chef’s knife blade shape and the riveted slab handle design, and added the mysterious hollow grind of the modern santoku.
