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.
Myerchin’s patented double-lock system allows this unusual and practical folding rigging knife to be used with both blade and marlinspike locked in full open position. A number of other features of this heavy eight-ounce folder were designed with the sailor in mind but serve well for anyone who works regularly with rope and heavy straps.
For cold days and heavy weather, the B300’s lanyard clip will certainly be handy. Tie the knife to your belt and if it slips from your numb fingers, you’ll still have it. Although it does look large and cumbersome, if you’ve tied a few knots when you were so cold you couldn’t move your thumbs, you’ll see this over-sized folder as a good thing. The long eye of the drop point blade is easy to find in the dark and doesn’t require much finesse to grab. This fine edged blade doesn’t have the coarse cutting power of the Myerchin serrated knives, but the 440C high carbon stainless steel holds an edge well. Keep it razor sharp, and it’s enough. One reason Myerchin chose this particular steel and this blade type is that it’s easy to maintain even if you work around corrosive saltwater.
Heavy polished stainless steel end bolsters give the knife extra strength, which it certainly needs to stand up to the twisting and levering of a marlinspike working a stubborn knot loose. The knife’s grip of riveted black micarta laid over stainless steel liners won’t be affected by either weather or chemicals. Shape of the grip keeps the knife in hand and includes a forward finger choil, plus jimping on the spine of the knife blade to provide a firm seat for the thumb.
The Myerchin B300 folding rigging knife comes with a cordura nylon belt pouch. The flap of the sheath seals the knife in its holster with Velcro and keeps the knife in place in any position. This serial-numbered knife carries a limited lifetime warranty.
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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Myerchin’s patented double-lock system allows this unusual and practical folding rigging knife to be used with both blade and marlinspike locked in full open position. A number of other features of this heavy eight-ounce folder were designed with the sailor in mind but serve well for anyone who works regularly with rope and heavy straps.
