I met Bill Jordan at the 1981 Bianchi Cup. Perhaps he was also at Second Chance, 1980, but I remember him from the Bianchi Cup because I got to talk to him for several minutes. He was a big man, very friendly, and much fun to talk to.
I did not know he cut away his trigger guards, but if he did, maybe he wrote about it and gave Phil the idea. It's always possible.
Cal