History Channel....Forged in Fire

EdCaffreyMS

EdCaffreyMS

"The Montana Bladesmith"
Anybody else watch "Forged in Fire" on the History channel last night? I was contacted to do the show, but turned it down....and now I'm glad I did turn it down. While its nice to see other makers I know getting some TV time, I found myself shaking my head through most of the show. 6 hours to produce a usable knife? Come on, that is just totally unrealistic. :rolleyes:

I have to wonder how many knifemakers are now going to have to deal with perspective clients asking..... "Can I punch one of your blade through a steel drum?"..... "Will it split a bullet?" Not to mention "What do you mean its going to be XXXXX until my knife is done.....they did it in 6 hours on TV!"

Maybe I'm being overly critical, and while its nice to see our industry getting some "public" time, I was seriously hoping for something more educational, with more substance.....and a little less drama.

On the "up" side, I bet Matt Parkinson gets some "katana" orders! :)
 
I'm afraid of the influx of newbies from the current 'young' generation to our aspiring knife makers pool and all the instant gratification mindset and questions that they'll bring with them as a result of the show.
 
I enjoyed it, there were several parts that I was thinking "What!" They only really got to show there talent when they had 5 days.

Come on Ed....party pooper we want to see you get after it!

I bet there will be a surge in new makers but once they realize it's not as easy as it looks it will probably settle down.

They were epoxying handles and grinding the material off with glue still ozying out.
 
I agree with what you say ... I was also contacted to make a Katana . It was all set up , interview done . But , I got sick .... Maybe it was my lucky day . I was not Impressed at all . It reminds me of "top Gun" show !!

I thought the show was a showcase of talent , not a Race . You cannot make a decent blade when under pressure . I like the old show on PBS " Hammer & Anvil " remember that . They would actually make things and show you how they did it . The MC of the show Forged in Fire show was kind of a strange dude ? another expert... It takes a month even from the worlds best Japanese smiths to make a good sword . That is with help from apprentices . The show would be much better if it were not a foot race . They should re- Format the show and have a specialized maker do his thing , whether it be sword , pocket knife , or whatever .A new blade each week . The Show was not a learning process....... What do you think ??
Bubba
 
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Bubba I see what you are saying. I don't care for the host at all, he has had some other shows and I just don't care for him.
They have to make something that will appeal to a broader audience, as I would love to have a 1 hour show about how to's of knifemaking it would only appeal to a small audience instead of millions of viewers.
Plus it was the first show, maybe it will get into a grove.
The only thing I don't like is that it looks like it is only going to be geared towards "weapon" type knives and not what most people actually use EDC, Hunters, and Chefs knives.
 
I'm afraid of the influx of newbies from the current 'young' generation to our aspiring knife makers pool and all the instant gratification mindset and questions that they'll bring with them as a result of the show.
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Thats something I hadn't given much thought to, but it is a likely outcome. The most frustrating will be that "instant gratification" mindset.

The Show was not a learning process....... What do you think ??
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I think you're right on the money with that comment! It is/was all about the drama. I'm just disappointed that the show gives a totally incorrect concept to the general public about custom knives and knifemaking.
 
Well I don't got any initials behind my name like ABS Apprentice Smith, or MS or anything for that matter! I still consider myself a newb and a part timer. Couldn't sleep last night and I caught the final episode on TV last night at about 2:00 AM! After watching it I decided this was the perfect place for time slot. I commend the participants but the show flat ..................................(OK Mama always said if you can't say anything nice..........) So will leave that there.

It is shows like this that set back what ever they are trying to represent a 100 years. No not true cause even back then they had more sense than the direction producers took this misfit of a show.

Oh, yes it will create interests in knife making, which if they follow the little bit of knowledge the show imparted, most will fail and the immediate gratification crowd are going to be full of demands for a while to say the least! Well I want one that will puncture a .............. and I want it in five minutes. What................you want that much for a knife!!!:ban:

I had this on my mind when I tuned into the forum this morning and in a effort to say something nice about the show, I will say this. I was not impressed at all.That is in now way a comment on any of the participants. they had to deal with the constraints set up by the producers. I was glad to see the knife making community represented on TV but, not this way! I think I only saw one reference to the science side of making a knife. Admit it or not, understand it fully or not their is a scientific side to knife making. Sooooooooooo, next time I am flipping thru the channels I will pass by this one, and yes the host I found very annoying! That is as close as I can get to Mama's Rule, without stepping over the line! LOL
My take on the show is you outta here!:s11798:

EDIT:
My comments are in no way, a comment on any of the participants. They had to deal with the constraints set up by the producers. I was glad to see the knife making community represented on TV but, not in this way! I truly understand TV means ratings mean grammatical license, and even some pictorial licence, in an effort to make it interesting! Producers of these kind of shows could truly do a better job and still not make it boring as watching paint drying. They just have to get someone who is truly in the craft to help them decide, what it is people want to see on both sides of the coin. Then decide what airs and what doesn't!! Producer know what makes ratings but don't often know how to include the other side!

Again I am not bashing any of the participants of the show, (just the host)! I guess a deep voice and a not so ugly mug will get you a job on TV. However I found him kind of annoying! Truly though I know his way of narrating the show was greatly influenced by the script and the producers. Even though I don't know him I am sure he is someone's friend. So In and effort to keep any intention of bashing some one out of the conversation I have also gone back and edited my original comment on him!!

I truly believe their is room to accommodate both side of the room by presenting a much better side of the makers, as well as making it entertaining TV! They keep reaching for that fantasy item, when they set up parameters for these kind of shows that are not realistic or contain something a good blade maker would never do!

I do hope the show has a slot next time around but hope they can produce a show that is both informative and entertaining. Maybe I am old school but shows like the New Yankee Workshop done it for years and stayed on the air. Sometimes you would see ole Norm have a poo-paw that got out on their air but mostly it was a good show! It was informative with out stretching the truth, in other words real close to be what was REAL Workmanship, and was still entertaining, and it kept sponsors for years!! I have to credit that to the producer as well as I would imagine to Norm who wanted his work portrayed as real as possible. Even when the show could not hold prime TV ratings and was relegated to public broadcast stations it held ratings for a while before it was finally cancelled!!
 
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I watched it with my dad and my wife. My wife was disgusted. My dad doesn't really have any clue what goes into making a knife and he mostly just talked over the whole thing anyway. I think they could really improve the first 3-hour section by stopping it in the middle for HT. Let these guys do a proper heat treating including thermal cycling and tempering and then start the clock back up. That would make a huge difference in the quality of the knives.

Bob
 
Did anyone else catch the grain size of the blade that had it's tip snap off? No wonder it went with just a light tink on the vice. The grain was HUGE HUGE HUGE....even thru the TV and across the room...the grain was massive.

Instead of dictating 4" of serrations (really? serrations?), they indeed should have given these guys time to do proper normalizing and cycling.
 
This show is most likely the only format that is ever going to show knife making as a craft. There may be a documentary from time to time on knife or sword making but nothing a weekly series showing how to. There isn't enough money or ratings (which equals money) in a pure "how to" or "watch a master craftsman make a knife" type show and that drives TV.

The producers had to drive some drama into it or it would have been like watching paint dry for 99% of the viewers.

The judges and host clearly respect the craft and the participants. I was pleased to see that. The contestants are not portrayed to be extreme personalities when they easily could have been. In fact, I thought the contestants were portrayed as skilled and humble craftsman.

If the show didn't turn out like you thought it would, you must have missed the pre-show trailers, announcements and discussions. It was always promoted as a cook off elimination format to promote general interest. No one cooks at home (or in a restaurant) like they do on a cooking elimination show and no one makes a knife like they would on an elimination contest. I've talked to a couple of the contestants and they appreciated how well they were treated and how the show is being set up.

This could have turned into a real clown show like Ink Master or Hell's Kitchen and it didn't. It still could but generally once a format is put in place it is followed until the season conclusion. If the show gets renewed it will no doubt ramp up constraints and pressure points to make it even more general audience appealing. As it is now, I think 100% of the women that might have watched it won't watch it again which will hurt the ratings. This is real man cave content and probably needs some more made up drama to be renewed.

I don't think it hurts the craft by portraying knife making as an instant process. If someone new jumps into knife making thinking that, reality will hit home in the first 30 minutes. I know I can't do a tattoo in 30 minutes by watching 30 minutes of Ink Master but I still watch it. Ink Master/Hell's Kitchen and the rest are contrived situations but they are entertaining to some because you get to see people interact and react to situations and others around them. Personally, I'd like to see more of the people side of it come out and less hard core hammering and grinding. I'd like to see some contestants go all the way to the end but how many smithy's can you set up? This is real fringe interest TV. Everyone cooks, how many people have even any interest in making a knife?

It's not surprising there are strong opinions on the show as it is very personal for many of us. We want the craft to be shown in the best manner possible. TV rarely, if ever, shows anything in the best possible manner.

Everyone is going to have their own opinion on it what the show is; what it could be and discussion on that is encouraged. Everyone likes to be heard, especially on topics that matter to them. I have friends on the show, new and old. I bet several of you do also. If the discussion turns personal and bashes someone directly on the show or gets disrespectful here towards another member, I will delete their post. If the thread turns negative I will lock it.
 
I enjoyed it- I'm just glad to have some kind of knifemaking show on primetime TV. The condensed timeframe of 3hrs, though resulted in some ugly knives, was fair to all 4. Had to laugh when the big guy who was bragging about all the knives he made broke the tip off when he banged it on the vice. And when Matt kept dropping his work in the water bucket- I could relate. I liked the cutting tests, especially the kill test with the ballistic dummies- they took some chances of grossing people out here. Yeah, the bullet test was a little off the wall but it was interesting- kind of suprised the edges weren't damaged more.
 
Well Darn - I wanted to see it also, but forgot! Oh well - sounds like Orange County Choppers program. I remember when it first opened, I was really looking forward to it - I built a few choppers back in early 70's and wanted to watch to see how they did it. I'm not sure I made it all the way thru - too much contrived drama..... OR - so I felt the constant arguments between Sr and Jr were contrived. BUT - they did finally break up and have lawsuits against each other. Like those cooking shows - I'd enjoy them MUCH more if it was a pure "how to".

I'll still try to see at least a couple of the "Forged in Fire" programs.

Ken H>
 
C Craft said:
Well I don't got any initials behind my name like ABS Apprentice Smith, or MS or anything for that matter! I still consider myself a newb and a part timer. Couldn't sleep last night and I caught the final episode on TV last night at about 2:00 AM! After watching it I decided this was the perfect place for time slot. I commend the participants but the show flat ..................................(OK Mama always said if you can't say anything nice..........) So will leave that there.

It is shows like this that set back what ever they are trying to represent a 100 years. No not true cause even back then they had more sense than the direction producers took this misfit of a show.

Oh, yes it will create interests in knife making, which if they follow the little bit of knowledge the show imparted, most will fail and the immediate gratification crowd are going to be full of demands for a while to say the least! Well I want one that will puncture a .............. and I want it in five minutes. What................you want that much for a knife!!!:ban:

I had this on my mind when I tuned into the forum this morning and in a effort to say something nice about the show, I will say this. I was not impressed at all.That is in now way a comment on any of the participants. they had to deal with the constraints set up by the producers. I was glad to see the knife making community represented on TV but, not this way! I think I only saw one reference to the science side of making a knife. Admit it or not, understand it fully or not their is a scientific side to knife making. Sooooooooooo, next time I am flipping thru the channels I will pass by this one, and yes the host I found very annoying! That is as close as I can get to Mama's Rule, without stepping over the line! LOL
My take on the show is you outta here!:s11798:

EDIT:
My comments are in no way, a comment on any of the participants. They had to deal with the constraints set up by the producers. I was glad to see the knife making community represented on TV but, not in this way! I truly understand TV means ratings mean grammatical license, and even some pictorial licence, in an effort to make it interesting! Producers of these kind of shows could truly do a better job and still not make it boring as watching paint drying. They just have to get someone who is truly in the craft to help them decide, what it is people want to see on both sides of the coin. Then decide what airs and what doesn't!! Producer know what makes ratings but don't often know how to include the other side!

Again I am not bashing any of the participants of the show, (just the host)! I guess a deep voice and a not so ugly mug will get you a job on TV. However I found him kind of annoying! Truly though I know his way of narrating the show was greatly influenced by the script and the producers. Even though I don't know him I am sure he is someone's friend. So In and effort to keep any intention of bashing some one out of the conversation I have also gone back and edited my original comment on him!!

I truly believe their is room to accommodate both side of the room by presenting a much better side of the makers, as well as making it entertaining TV! They keep reaching for that fantasy item, when they set up parameters for these kind of shows that are not realistic or contain something a good blade maker would never do!

I do hope the show has a slot next time around but hope they can produce a show that is both informative and entertaining. Maybe I am old school but shows like the New Yankee Workshop done it for years and stayed on the air. Sometimes you would see ole Norm have a poo-paw that got out on their air but mostly it was a good show! It was informative with out stretching the truth, in other words real close to be what was REAL Workmanship, and was still entertaining, and it kept sponsors for years!! I have to credit that to the producer as well as I would imagine to Norm who wanted his work portrayed as real as possible. Even when the show could not hold prime TV ratings and was relegated to public broadcast stations it held ratings for a while before it was finally cancelled!!
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I did like the new Yankee workshop !! do you guys remember hammer and anvil ?? or am I getting old . Bubba
 
bubba-san not saying you are getting old but, that is one that doesn't ring a bell. I googled hammer and anvil and what pops up is Batman, not the old TV show but the some reference to a much newer Batman! Or a reference to this and I don't think even you date back that far! LOL

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hammer_and_anvil


Of course back in the day we only had three TV channels and they were all B&W, so I may have missed the show! My kids thought I was telling them some kind of a wild tale when I mentioned that the first time! So I really blew smoke up their skirts with, I also use to pack a car in the summer and go to the drive in movie. Oh, i am getting old!
 
samuraistuart said:
Did anyone else catch the grain size of the blade that had it's tip snap off? No wonder it went with just a light tink on the vice. The grain was HUGE HUGE HUGE....even thru the TV and across the room...the grain was massive.

Instead of dictating 4" of serrations (really? serrations?), they indeed should have given these guys time to do proper normalizing and cycling.
Click to expand...

Even I saw that coming when he started tapping on the anvil. J Neilson even commented about overheating the tip as he was forging.

Chris
 
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