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.



Timberline Combat Pen by Greg Lightfoot | Tactical Aluminum Gray 700 LCP

1 min read

Timberline Combat Pen by Greg Lightfoot Only a few years ago, the idea of a lightweight combat pen would have seemed silly to most people. With today’s restrictions on the use of simple items like nail polish and fingernail clippers, as well as items actually intended for self defense (like many knives), the combat pen now generates quite a bit of interest.

You don’t need to be employed as a secret agent to appreciate the potential of this rugged version by Greg Lightfoot, a well-known custom knife designer. Manufactured by Timberline, the 700 Lightfoot LCP Combat Pen competes for top-of-the-line in self defense pens. Six inches long and a half inch in diameter, the 700 is a fairly heavy pen in normal terms, weighing 2.2 ounces including the cap and stainless steel pocket clip. Most of that weight is fluted aircraft-quality aluminum, built to poke holes in tender places. The self defense concept is simple and effective.

As a writing instrument, it’s probably more pen than you’d use comfortably, but it does write and accepts a standard ball point cartridge. The writing point isn’t meant to be the striking end of the pen, but either end works in a pinch. The rugged Lightfoot LCP Combat Pen shouldn’t wear out or break no matter how it’s used, but losing it is a real possibility. Heavy enough to sag forward in the pocket of a shirt, it may be too much tool for casual wear. Even with the hard anodized charcoal gray finish, this aluminum self defense stick could be more obvious than the manufacturer claims. Wearing it in the pants pocket like a pocket clip folding knife might work out better. Where knives no longer go, it’s a handy pen to have around.

Find this Timberline Combat Pen:

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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