Gil Hibben lives and works in LaGrange, Kentucky (ironically, Kentucky is where the novel First Blood took place), although he grew up in Wyoming. Gil's brother, Darryl also lives nearby, also making knives. Gil is also a martial arts instructor in Kempo Karate, an accomplished musician, a professional Alaskan hunting guide. After his discharge from the navy in 1956, he began making knives part time and sold his first Bowie knife for $45. While living in Seattle, Washington, 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, and became the first custom knifemaker to use the relatively new 440C steel. After living in Alaska and designing tactical knives for Bro