Spartan Blades - Meet Your Maker: Bill Harsey
Bill Harsey was born in western Oregon in 1955. He grew up there in a traditional Oregon logging family and spent his early years hunting and fishing in the Oregon Cascade Mountains. It was here that Bill learned the importance of hard work, and the value of a great knife. Bill put himself through college working in the logging industry. After obtaining a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Oregon in 1979, Bill went on to open his own shop as a knifemaker.
In the years that followed, Bill worked to hone his craft as a designer and producer of the finest handmade and custom knives. As time went on, Bill began to collaborate with a variety of knife companies in designing various custom knives for production. One of his most notable collaborations has been with Colonel Rex Applegate, designing Gerber’s Applegate-Fairbairn line of knives which would go on to receive the International Blade Show’s “American Made Knife of the Year” award.
In addition to his work with Colonel Applegate, Bill has collaborated with Chris Reeve Knives to produce the Yarborough, a combat knife named after Lt. Gen. William P. Yarborough, the so-called father of the modern U.S. Special Forces. Today, the Yarborough is presented to all graduates of the United States Army Special Forces Qualification Course. The honor of receiving a Yarborough knife is akin in terms of status and ceremony to the donning of the green beret.
A Harsey design is rugged built with intent, it’s a knife that you can take out on your next outdoor adventure with you. It’s a knife that is designed to work with the user and be durable and hold up to any abuse that you can dish out. Be sure to check out his Spartan designs - the Harsey Difensa, the Harsey-Clandestina, the Harsey Dagger, and for those who love folders - the SHF (Spartan Harsey Folder).
