Is there anything wrong with Gil Hibben knives... like this amazing Bowie!!!

Knifeclerk said:
Yeah, his fantasy pieces utilize some crap steel. Big deal. They are made to look pretty. If he put out a line of earings in 420J2, would you complain that they aren't 440C or 154 CM?
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This is the thing for me. Pieces as completely impratical as the Hibben fantasy ones don't need anything better than 420. In fact, I think it'd be a waste of good knife steel for something that's only gonna hang on a wall or sit in a cabinet.
 
Just as a heads-up for everyone, Gil Hibben has been making blades for over FORTY-FIVE years now. While his current custom production consists mainly of fantasy pieces (which bring the big bucks almost solely because they're 'Hibben') the first half of his career is filled with very capable, useable, designs. Moreover his apprentices and students have made great contributions to knifemaking. I suggest that knifenuts everywhere start collecting and studying older knife magazines and collecting old books on custom knifemaking. Knowledge is power.
-Mark
 
I have the Chen Bell Bowie and it is a beauty. it is, however, not a camp knife sort of Bowie in that it is very light and very clearly intended as a fighting knife. it is single edged and without a clip, looking more like a dirk than a traditional Bowie. The others whom I know to have bought the Chen historical Bowies like them as well.
 
The thing about the Chen items is that they are sold through CASI and you must be very careful to buy only the Chen items from his Hanwei Forge, as the rest is junk.
 
Ah, heck, just quick pissing around and get a SZABOWIE! That might put a little hair on your chest!
From www.szaboinc.com :
Steel: Choice
Overall Length: 17"
Blade Length: 12"
Blade Thickness: 1/4"
Weight: Heavy
newszabowie.jpg
 
I'm a little sick of people trashing Gil Hibben because of his licensing some of his designs to United Cutlery. The stuff United sells have no comparison to his handmade knives which are outstanding quality. Gil has been making knives for 50 years. I have worked with him in his shop and I have seen firsthand the skill, craftmanship, and dedication he puts into every piece he makes.

Of course he is widely recognized for his fantasy pieces because many were groundbreaking designs that opened up a whole new dimension for collectors. The fanstasy pieces obviously aren't meant to be carried and used, they are art. But again, you can't compare his handmade fantasy knives to the United stuff.

A lot, if not most, of Gil's custom orders are for hunting and fighting knives. Real functional pieces ordered by sportmen and martial artists who know and appreciate owning the best. His fighting knives earned quite a reputation by many Vietnam era soldiers who carried and used them on the battlefields.

It irritates the hell of me when I hear people discredit him and say that he "sold out" to United. I would like to see how many of the knifemakers here, especially back in the 1980s, wouldn't have wet their pants over Sly Stallone personally asking them to collaborate with him to design a knife for Rambo III. Then, I'm sure they would have said "no" when United wanted to license a copy of that knife for world-wide distribution, especially when nothing like it had ever been done before. I'm sure they would have snubbed their noses at the royalty checks from the 250,000 of those knives that have sold, and still sell. And then I'm sure they would have refused to "sell out" when United came back and said based on the success of the Rambo knife, they wanted to create a whole line of licensed products, which of course evolved into a 15-year run of those "crappy" fantasy knives and dozens of other hunters, folders, throwing and fighting knives.

True, the United stuff is not great quality and Gil has little or no control over their manufacturing process. He sold them the designs, not the materials or manufacturing process. It is decent stuff for Taiwan manufacturing at a low price and obviously there has been a big market for it for many years. For many, paying $300-$400 for custom knives is simply out of reach but they can pay $75-$100 for neat looking collectable or a functional hunter.

But for handmade customs, I will stack Gil's work up against anyones, any day. Sure, his custom pieces are expensive. Prices are what the market will bear. I'm also sure many of the knifemakers and collectors who bash Gil would get his prices if they could.
 
Lets see some proof that his custom knives are as great as you say. Take one out for a day in the woods and take some pics. Then i'll believe he didn't sell out.....:rolleyes:
 
RedEdge, his blades were more-than-well known as great fighters and hunters long before anybody knew what the hell an 'art knife' was.
-Mark
 
And i'm just simply asking for first hand experience. I'm not saying they weren't good, i just wanna see proof.
 
Well if you want to see, come down to the big city and meet Mr. Hibben.
The next show is in November.....plenty of time to prepare.
You could even buy a knife from him and try it out yourself :D
 
Gil will be at the Blade Show in Atlanta June 16-18 and will have several of his customs for sale there.

I own 4 of Gil's customs but I bought them as collectables and intend to keep them in mint condition but I have absolutely no doubt that they would hold up under any reasonable use. I have seen and handled several of his knives and axes that he has thrown for years. I have heard from and read about people who have used his knives for years in the field and said they were excellent preformers.

I have spent many hours watching the man work. Few people have the experience and knowledge that he has. He uses good steel and the man does know steel. He hand grinds every piece freehand. He heat treats and tempers every piece, even his art knives that he knows will never be used. He finish grinds and put the edge on by hand. He takes no shortcuts on any knife he makes.

No knife is indestructible and there is aways a trade-off using stainless instead of high carbon steel (although he does use damascus and other steels when requested). So yes, the stainless knives will eventually need to be sharpened after extensive use as would any stainless regardless of who made them but I would still put his knives up against anyones using comparable metal.

Many of his knives that he made 20 or 30 years ago in Utah or Alaska are still being traded and sold at knife shows and on Ebay. Some are mint, some are used, but they all are still highly valued by people who know his work.

I will say one more thing about my friend Gil. He is not only a master knifemaker, he is one of the most friendly and genuine people that I have ever met. He is willing to share his knowledge and experience with anyone who has an interest in knives. He welcomes visitors to his shop so if want to see a master at work, make a trip to LaGrange, KY and see for yourself.
 
Gil Hibben's Alaska Pro Hunter and Deer Hunter are very good knives. I also really like his Elmer Keith style knives. My preference is for non-stainless carbon steel, but that's me.

There is obviously a market for his fantasy knives. His handmade fantasy knives cost many thousands of dollars, and he sells all he can make. I like many of the fantasy knives I have seen, but find Gil's to be too far out there for my tastes.

There are many makers that would not have gotten into bed with United Cutlery, but the fact that Gil did does not make him a bad knifemaker, or a bad person. He was given the opportunity to take advantage of his talents, and he went for it. A wise business decision that has probably added greatly to his and his families standard of life. I certainly don't look down on him for making the choices he did.
 
For the record, Mike Turber who started BladeForums.Com collects Gil Hibben knives, both custom and United Cutlery production fantasy knives.
Mike knows Gil and is quite proud of his collection.

I knew Gil Hibben's name way before any other knifemaker. It has been my pleasure to meet Gil and shake his hand. Gil Hibben is in The Blade Knifemaker Hall of Fame. I've met the man and handled his knives, including the Bowie mentioned above. There is no doubt about it, it is one hell of a knife and I would be proud to own one. With that said I must admit it's not on my To Buy List. There have been Hibben hunters that I thought were outstanding and very reasonable in price. I'd be proud to have one of his knives in my collection.
 
I'm sure many collectors admire and respect Gil's work. I didn't mean to go off on a rant but I have read a few posts here bashing Gil because of his association with United and it gets under my skin that he sometimes doesn't get the respect he deserves as a knifemaker. I know some people don't care for fantasy or art knives but many do like them including me. I have about 40 Hibben pieces including all of the United Fantansy knives and a few others from United. I also have 4 (soon to be 5) of his custom pieces, three of which he made specifically for me.
I know from talking with Gil that he hasn't always been happy with the quality of United pieces but as I said, he has little control over that and United's quality is not what it was 10 or 15 years ago.
Gil and Linda Hibben are very close friends and two of the nicest people I could ever hope to meet. Over the last 3 years, Gil has been teaching me to make knives and I have been doing photography and video for him. In fact, I designed the anniversay logo that is etched on his 50th anniversary knife and did the photos for him.
 
Gil Hibben is old school. Sure the fantasy stuff licensed by United is not my thing, but his custom stuff is top notch.

That said, if I was going to spend up around $1800 on a Bowie I would be calling Mr. Bagwell.
 
polish avenger said:
Just as a heads-up for everyone, Gil Hibben has been making blades for over FORTY-FIVE years now. While his current custom production consists mainly of fantasy pieces (which bring the big bucks almost solely because they're 'Hibben') the first half of his career is filled with very capable, useable, designs. Moreover his apprentices and students have made great contributions to knifemaking. I suggest that knifenuts everywhere start collecting and studying older knife magazines and collecting old books on custom knifemaking. Knowledge is power.
-Mark
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A-men brother! Gill is a-ok in my book. People don't understand that it was people like Gill Hibben and Tom Enos who pionereed the use of 440c stainless back in the late 60's. You could only get it in round stock back then. They had to have the steel forged flat and blanchard ground to make knives out of it. Gill's custom knives are sweet!, Flawless workmanship, perfect grinds and great designs. If you want to see some really nice factory versions of his working knife designs check out the alaskan hunting knives UC makes. The Man understands design. These knives look awesome, The blade shapes merge perfectly with the handles. To my eye they look like the perfect hunting knives. (unfortunately UC makes them out of 420 steel)

I just gotta add I ALWAYAS liked the bowie he made for Rambo III. It always seemd to me like a real combat bowie made for knife fighting. There was no flash or fantasy to the design. Just what a large bowie should be, a large blade and a solid handle safe guard.
 
Ebbtide said:
Well if you want to see, come down to the big city and meet Mr. Hibben.
The next show is in November.....plenty of time to prepare.
You could even buy a knife from him and try it out yourself :D
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I think I met him at that show in 2003. He is a very nice guy, I recall him not havving much left on his table by the time I got there. Maybe 2 or 3 knives left.
 
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