Can you test negative for HSV-1 and still have always had really bad cold sores?

Can you test negative for HSV-1 and still have always had really bad cold sores? Boyfriend has really bad cold sores on mouth at times and always has but is negative for HSV-1. I thought they were caused by it? Is this accurate? I haven’t seen his results but just what he said. If so how is he negative? I thought cold sores were oral herpes. He is negative for HSV-2 also he said (I just got diagnosed as positive and was negative before him so I’ve been confused. I thought I got it from him).