Phill Hartsfield

Phill Hartsfield (August 16,1931 – May 20, 2010) was a Southern California sword and knifemaker based in Garden Grove who is noted for popularizing the chisel ground blade in the western world.

After six months of working for a repair shop, Hartsfield opened his own repairshop at the age of 22 while making knives part-time.

[4] This strength protected the life of a Special Forces advisor in El Salvador when a Hartsfield knife stopped a 7.62×51mm NATO rifle bullet fired by a guerrilla.

After a four-hour surgery and months in recovery, Hartsfield designed his machine and sold them from his shop to other knifemakers.

[2][4][5][6] Hartsfield died on May 20, 2010, at his home in Newport Beach, California, after a lengthy battle with brain cancer.