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.


Wusthof Meat Carving Knife, Solingen Chrome Steel | Full Tang Gourmet 8 Inch

1 min read

Wusthof Meat Carving Knife, SolingenThe eight-inch Gourmet Carving Knife from Wusthof of Solingen, Germany, slices even large cuts of meat and poultry with precision. Laser-cut steel offers both economy and consistent value in this very modern series from a trusted German company.

What used to be considered stamped and cheap has become one of the better ways to make a knife today, as laser-cutting of high quality steel blanks makes stress-free, unaltered steel the foundation of a good knife blade. Pressure cutting often distorted and weakened the steel stock of stamped knives, building unseen flaws into the product, and reheating and forging sometimes altered the composition of the steel alloy.

The laser-cut chrome molybdenum vanadium stainless steel used in the Wusthof Gourmet series has been cut and ground without changing the original characteristics of the alloy. Owners get knives with the same qualities engineers designed. The build itself is simple with full tangs and triple-riveted black composite handle slabs. The handle material extends slightly over the base of the blade to form a simple bolster, giving the knife extra strength.

Wusthof Gourmet knives are flat ground from thinner stock than the company’s forged knives, making these good knives lighter and more flexible than the older patterns. The stain-free steel resists rust and corrosion, but the level of nickel has been reduced to provide a more durable cutting edge. Sharpen the knife with an ordinary honing steel as needed. Wash the Gourmet Carving Knife by hand in mild detergent, not in a dishwasher. Leaving food to dry on the blade or cleaning with acidic solutions could mar the blade.

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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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