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.



Smith & Wesson Liner Lock Knife, Combo Edge SWMP5LS | MAGIC Assisted Opening Automatic M & P

1 min read

Smith & Wesson Linerlock Knife, ComboThe biggest attraction of the Smith & Wesson SWMP5LS Liner lock knife isn’t the upgraded design. What makes this five-inch (folded length) beast popular is the MAGIC Assisted Opening system. Currently, it’s one of the closest substitutes for an automatic opening knife that civilians are allowed to own.

Possibly a company could build any decent knife around that selling point and find a market — without the MAGIC system, this unusually styled knife might be more of a curiosity. But release the slide lock and push the knife blade forward with the thumb stud at the base of the blade, and the MAGIC spring-loaded opener swings the blade forward to lock securely in place. To close, release the knife’s liner lock and press the blade back into the handle, locking the action with the slide. If it does that well, it doesn’t need to be pretty.

With the rest of the knife, the company went a bit wild. The extremely sculpted blade features an upswept point, false upper edge, and a wicked combo-serrated cutting edge. The knife’s handle still has the pistol grip look of its predecessor, but the machined aluminum frame with rubberized inserts shows fewer of the blocky edges that made the old model less than comfortable in use. Rounded contours in the handle of the SWMP5LS allow a solid grip and powerful control without all the unfriendly corners.

The 3-1/2-inch tactical black blade of 4034 high carbon stainless steel does have enough plain edge up front for normal uses and rips easily through cord or seat belt harnesses with the serrated portion. The folding clip M&P could be a good emergency knife for drivers — a glass breaker hilt for pressure-smashing car windows is part of the deal.

Find this Smith & Wesson Liner Lock Knife:

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.



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