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.



Wenger Rangergrip Multitool w/ Combo Edge Blade | Swiss Army Knife for Outdoorsman 178 16313

1 min read

Wenger Rangergrip Multitool w/ ComboWenger used important features of the Alinghi yachtsman’s knife in this large folder designed for the modern woodsman. Advanced ergonomic body details include rubberized inserts for better grip and comfort. It’s a great design if you expect to use a knife for hours instead of minutes.

The non-slip grip of the Rangergrip 178 stays in the hand by shape as well as by texture. That becomes more important on cold days when fingers numb and handle materials harden. The large thumb loop built into the 3.9-inch-long main blade allows one-handed operation with simple thumb pressure. Oil the pivots lightly on occasion to keep the action smooth. The knife blade locks into open position and may be safely used for piercing work as well as for carving and slicing. Half the edge is plain for fine cutting, and the other half is a smoothly cutting serrated edge designed for quick parting of cords and straps.

The toolkit may be limited compared to bulkier multi-tools, but the several good stainless steel blades offered by the Ranger are well designed and very practical. Teeth on the high carbon stainless steel saw blade — 4.2 inches long — set slightly to either side of the blade and cut a kerf wider than the steel. Unlike some blades with saw teeth but no set, this one won’t bind. The flat screwdriver blade also locks in place, and the knife carries the important standard options of bottle and can opener, Phillips screwdriver, awl, and reamer. With fewer blades, the knife shows better balance and less weight. At 5.1 inches long, the Rangergrip only weighs 5.6 ounces.

This large knife carries better on the belt than in the pocket. A nylon belt pouch is available separately.

See the Victorinox Forester for Victorinox’s version of the Swiss Army outdoorsman’s multi-tool.

Find this Wenger Rangergrip:

Find this multitool on eBay:

[phpbay]Wenger Ranger, 2[/phpbay]

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.



Adventure Medical Kits Pocket Survival Pack | Cody Lundin…

Designed by Doug Ritter of “Equipped to Survive,” the Adventure Medical Kits Pocket Survival Pak earned positive reviews from survival instructor Cody Lundin and...
JT Hats
1 min read

Buck X-Tract Multi-tool, One Handed | Lockback Combo Edge…

Multi-purpose gear for hikers, backpackers, and other outdoorsmen gets better every year. If you make the Buck 731 X-Tract LED Multi-Tool part of your...
JT Hats
1 min read

Leatherman Super Tool 300 New | Stainless Steel Locking…

Leatherman’s back with an even stronger version of the original Leatherman Super Tool. The Super Tool 300 Multi-tool offers the strongest pair of multi-tool...
Sharon
1 min read