Hartsfield?

Kohai999 said:
Bob Lum and Phill Hartsfield both sold their first knives around 1976, so the "1st" thing may be arguable....and for putting Hartsfield in the same sentence as Randall, Loveless and Moran, I may smack you with my damascus crowbar the next time I see you.;)

You might as well mention Steve Corkum and Jefferson Spivey in the same sentence as well...jeez:eek:
Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
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Hi Steve,

Hope I've earned enough respect from you that you don't throw me a beating < at least don't use a crowbar :D > when we meet up, but I also think Phil was one of the pioneers of the "Americanized" Japanese style blades. It must have been 15+ years since I first contacted him. Even then his prices were more than a teenager making close to minimum wage could afford, but his style was definitely his own. If I'm not mistaken even the old time smiths realized the functional differences in using flat or convex grinds depending on whether they were striking "hard" or "soft" targets.

I do agree that you're looking at a step up in "class" when dealing with a top notch Nihonto, there seems to be much more finesse and thought to detail. The closest I own is an American made blade, polished and mounted by an American, so I don't have much experience to speak of. In my mind the closest I can equate it to is a Prius. Due to demand the price and wait has risen, but it still wouldn't approach a BMW in fit/performance. It'll get you where you need to go though, even if the fancy metallic paint is not an option... :D
 
Jose Reyes said:
Hi Steve,

Hope I've earned enough respect from you that you don't throw me a beating < at least don't use a crowbar :D > when we meet up, but I also think Phil was one of the pioneers of the "Americanized" Japanese style blades. It must have been 15+ years since I first contacted him. Even then his prices were more than a teenager making close to minimum wage could afford, but his style was definitely his own. If I'm not mistaken even the old time smiths realized the functional differences in using flat or convex grinds depending on whether they were striking "hard" or "soft" targets.
Click to expand...

Jose, you have certainly earned my respect, and so has Bill Siegle for that matter(the way he can tune up Busse knives is nothing short of spectacular)...was seriously joking with him, it was a reference to some time we spent together at the OKCA earlier this year.

Phill certainly deserves credit as ONE of the pioneers of the Americanized Tanto, though it chaps my ass when he is referred to as THE Pioneer of this style....it is just too opaque an issue to make that claim.

I have NEVER careed for chisel grinds, don't care if it is Masamune, Hartsfield, Emerson, Martin or Fogg doing them....unless it is on a chisel. I don't even like my Kiradashi with chisel grinds.

This Hartsfield discussion comes up, time and time again.....Lycosa, TJL, Joe Paranee, Win Heger....some of these guys I know and respect...it is a matter of opinion...if you like the work, and feel it is worth the $$, more power to you! I personally may question your sanity or taste in knives, but it doesn't mean that I think any less of you as a person for liking them...that is what makes a horse race.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Jose Reyes said:
Hi Steve,

Hope I've earned enough respect from you that you don't throw me a beating < at least don't use a crowbar :D > when we meet up, but I also think Phil was one of the pioneers of the "Americanized" Japanese style blades. It must have been 15+ years since I first contacted him. Even then his prices were more than a teenager making close to minimum wage could afford, but his style was definitely his own. If I'm not mistaken even the old time smiths realized the functional differences in using flat or convex grinds depending on whether they were striking "hard" or "soft" targets.

I do agree that you're looking at a step up in "class" when dealing with a top notch Nihonto, there seems to be much more finesse and thought to detail. The closest I own is an American made blade, polished and mounted by an American, so I don't have much experience to speak of. In my mind the closest I can equate it to is a Prius. Due to demand the price and wait has risen, but it still wouldn't approach a BMW in fit/performance. It'll get you where you need to go though, even if the fancy metallic paint is not an option... :D
Click to expand...

Oh man, please don't compare Phill's sword to a Toyota Prius either. The performance is there, but in a muscle car sort of way compared to the BMW.
 
TJL said:
Oh man, please don't compare Phill's sword to a Toyota Prius either. The performance is there, but in a muscle car sort of way compared to the BMW.
Click to expand...

you're correct, partially. I would compare it more to a KIA. bwwwwwwwwhahahahahahahaahhahahha
 
Sorry, Steve, I wasn't aware of the backround history you guys were talking about. I do agree about the chisel grind though, I just don't care for it either. Almost bought a nice aikuchi blade from Phil at one of the NY shows about 5 years ago but all he had available was the chisel grind.

No offense meant either using the Prius as a comparison, it's a "hot" car ATM. Think of the performance in MPG terms instead of acceleration... :)
 
Get to know, understand, the chisel grind, the kata-shinogi, and you will come to love it.
 
lets not forget also that Phill IS the pioneer of resin impregnated Japanese style handles. As well as making A-2 such a popular steel. As far as popularizing or making one type of style main stream. Well i think he has. Lum was doing it as well but he was also making other types of blades. Phil did/does as well but the chisel grind and japanes type blade are Phil's bread and butter. So i would put him in with Randall, Lovless etc. I would also go so far as to say if it werent for Phil we wouldnt see these types of knives be as popular as they are today.
 
The function, is what brought me to Phill's blades. The form, then grew on me, more and more. I had some nice blades by well known makers that could not cut like Phill's and they scratched easily. Hartsfield's blades filled my need, in a Big way. It's sad now, to see him so cranky.
 
Kohai999 said:
Jose, you have certainly earned my respect, and so has Bill Siegle for that matter(the way he can tune up Busse knives is nothing short of spectacular)...was seriously joking with him, it was a reference to some time we spent together at the OKCA earlier this year.

Phill certainly deserves credit as ONE of the pioneers of the Americanized Tanto, though it chaps my ass when he is referred to as THE Pioneer of this style....it is just too opaque an issue to make that claim.

I have NEVER careed for chisel grinds, don't care if it is Masamune, Hartsfield, Emerson, Martin or Fogg doing them....unless it is on a chisel. I don't even like my Kiradashi with chisel grinds.

This Hartsfield discussion comes up, time and time again.....Lycosa, TJL, Joe Paranee, Win Heger....some of these guys I know and respect...it is a matter of opinion...if you like the work, and feel it is worth the $$, more power to you! I personally may question your sanity or taste in knives, but it doesn't mean that I think any less of you as a person for liking them...that is what makes a horse race.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
Click to expand...
Sometimes I question my own sanity with the prices I have to pay for Phill's blades, but somehow, they just speak to me. To me, they are worth it because I respect the man as well as the blade.
While I still feel the chisel grind is as sharp as it gets, I do agree that they are hard to control and tend to deviate in a cut way more than a double grind. For swords, and tamashigiri, they are downright dangerous. Fine for cutting a fellow's head off, but with mats, bamboo or limbs, they are unpredictable. With Steve's experience and emphasis on cutting, I understand exactly why he feels the way he does about chisel grinds. For my everyday use as a work knife, I really like them. I can have pinpoint accuracy with a thicker stock knife. That is saying something! Oh, and chisel grinds are great for piercing thick metals.
 
I had a great time talking to Phill at Solvang and saw the same quiet guy. I will say that I'm getting crankier as I age, though.

Hey, Kevin, long time since we've met and shared a beer!

Win
 
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