Gil
Hibben
Custom Knifemaker |
Gil
Hibben lives and works in LaGrange, Kentucky. He is an extraordinary man
who has been able to build his life around an object and a profession
he truly loves - knives. To call Gil a knife maker is almost an injustice
because it does not recognize his many other talents. He is also a martial
arts instructor in Kempo Karate, an accomplished singer and musician,
a professional Alaskan hunting guide and, most importantly, the most sincere
and generally nice person you could ever hope to meet. Gil and his family
are the kind of people who, as the saying goes, never meet a stranger.
They are always fun to be around and it doesn't take much prompting for
Gil to deliver a song or to break out the "Rhythm Bones" to
entertain his guests.
Gil
grew up in Wyoming, the son of a depression-era "dollar-a-day"
cowboy. He began making knives part-time after his discharge from the
Navy in 1956. He sold his first bowie knife for $45 and that sparked his
long and famous career as a professional knifemaker.
While
living in Seattle, WA after his Navy discharge, Gil worked as a machinist
for Boeing Aircraft and learned a lot about metals and their properties.
In 1964, while living in Salt Lake City, Utah, Gil started making knives
full time. This was also the year Gil started making knives from the relatively
new 440C steel. Although it is the industry standard now, Gil believes
he was the first custom knifemaker to use 440C.
Gil's long and illustrious career as a custom knifemaker has
earned him fame and the respect of collectors around the world. Appreciation
of his craftsmanship have taken him to Elvis Presley's home and to the
White House where one of knives was entered into the presidential archives.
Gil's handmade custom knives often sell for several thousand dollars and
are prized possessions of collectors. It is quite admirable to see someone
who has been able to spend the majority of his life doing what he truly
loves to do.
Gil
is still making knives in LaGrange, Kentucky and his brother, Darryl,
a renowned knifemaker in his own right, lives, and makes knives, nearby.
|
