Forged In Fire

Cajun Kamikaze said:
I completely disagree with that. Very similar processes, components, same tools to create etc. etc. etc... Sword is a big blade, knife is a small blade. That's about all there is to it in logic.
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That's like saying gator wrangling is the same as catfish grabbing.
 
The one thing I understand even before watching the show is that a bladesmith should push themselves out of there comfort zone and that would be making a sword in my case
 
The main task put forth in the show is to make edged weapons of history, so it's no surprise that the final round will have a lot of swords. It's also likely to include spear heads, battle-axes, and other edged implements that have different requirements than a knife made to be a great cutting tool.

Step 1: Make a large weaponly knife in your style.
Step 2: If your blade takes you to the final round, you're gonna be making something crazy!

I certainly didn't see that chakram coming.
 
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I'm with Don, I'll keep watching. But the second episode was kind of disappointing.

They need more power hammer action. :)

Dave from diller
 
A buddy of mine I served with at RIVRON pointed this show out to me....not for the content but because of the host. Whiskey Whiskey (Wil Willis) was our combatives and TCCC instructor when we first stood up the Riverine Squadrons in 2007!

still haven't watched the show yet....
 
It is a silly show, from the persective of actual knifemaking. But I do enjoy it, mostly for (1) the creativity of people under pressure, and (2) the difference between work that emphasizes aesthetics vs the work that emphasizes performance. The chakram was a good example of all that - a silly item unrelated to normal knifemaking concerns because no one needs it, and neither of those guys seems to have even thought of making one before, but then they both address this totally new (to them) concept with totally different approaches and we get to see and think about the results. I'm entertained.
 
Buffalohump said:
We used to get good documentaries, now we get 'reality TV'. Pure crap. The only thing on TV worth a damn is HBO and BBC documentaries. And House. :D
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Uh . . . "House" is only on TV in syndication ("reruns"). If you count reruns, there are several good TV shows.

There are still plenty of good documentaries. NatGeo. PBS. Science Channel. Even a few on the various History channels.

Don Hanson III said:
It's entertainment. Is what it is... I'll keep watching.
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Exactly.

When "Mad Men" first started airing on AMC and was popular, I read several angry articles by folks who had worked in the advertising industry, claiming that "Mad Men" was not realistic and did not reflect the realities of that business, etc.

Hello?!? Did these folks think that "Perry Mason" or "Ally McBeal" were realistic and reflected the realities of law firms? Or that "ER" was realistic and reflected the realities of a hospital ER? Or "CSI" was a realistic portrayal of a crime lab? Or . . .

Funny how folks do not seem to either recognize this or care about it until it is THEIR industry/business/hobby/etc.

Same with this show.

It IS just entertainment. That is all.

As far as that goes . . . I think the show is OK, but I would probably enjoy it more if I knew less about knives. And I imagine that is who the show is really geared towards - not the tiny fraction of folks who frequent Blade Forums.
 
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I think the show is cool, I am certainly no expert, the 3 hour thing is goofy, but they did give them 5 days in their own shops to make a katana. Then they broke out the guns! What is there not to love?
 
I like watching it because that J Neilson guy is so darn pretty. :D
I to was approached last year to appear on the show but declined because I just don't have time. I wanted to, but after seeing the first 2 shows I'm glad I did. I too find it entertaining. Its interesting how some of these guys approach the forging process plus with a power hammer sitting there, their not taking advantage of it, which would allow them to forge their blades out in a lot less time. I'd also like to see their heat treating process, I don't understand all the cracked blades, if all they have is water for a quenchent maybe they someone should try quenching plates. Just a throught. I'll Keep watching.

Bill
 
So far I've felt a little sorry for the judges. Judging cracked blades against poor blade geometry or catastrophic failures and trying to find a winner can't be easy.
 
That is one of the funniest things I've ever read here, Gary. :D :thumbup:

Doug
 
Gary Mulkey said:
So far I've felt a little sorry for the judges. Judging cracked blades against poor blade geometry or catastrophic failures and trying to find a winner can't be easy.
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I agree, how can you judge a cracked blade? J Nielson wouldnt stab it into the steel barrel. I don't blame him. This show is very entertaining!
 
That oil was cold. The studio was about 60 degrees. Not cold. When the forges were running though it was pretty darn toasty. I heated my oil up. Granted they edited a huge portion out but I didn't see anyone warm the oil up.
 
Is it possible to tell if any of them are mastersmiths given only
3 hours to forge a knife?...Especially in a place they are not
familiar with?.....Most likely given the instructions just before
they are to forge said knife?....

I thought the one guys knife was lookin good until he realized
he had made it 3 inches too short.....
I thought Chris(i think was his name?) deserved the win with his
effort to make that circle(can't remember the name?)chakram??

I thought he done really well with what he had to use making
that circle....I was glad to see him win.....

Im just a collector,wanna be maker....I'll not judge any of them
for their efforts as I've never attempted to forge anything....

I'll be watching the show,I have the series on DVR.....
JD.....not the mastersmith everyone is speaking of...bummer...;)
 
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Ahhh, yess, but...the key question...did they use a hollow point bullet, or a solid metal jacket? Would this even matter? Who was the genius who calibrated the shot? How many swords were ruined in dry runs? Where are the swords from the show now? We know the show kept the blades. Why, what plans are being hatched in regard to the two surviving swords? There is great mystery here:D

They should hire me to write their pre-show publicity, huh?:)
 
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