History Channel....Forged in Fire

I watched it with my wife last night. She made fun of it the whole time. It will interest some people and draw some people to the craft. I just hoped that the show wouldn't be so cheesy. That's modern day tv I guess.
 
There is only so much info and things you can do in the allotted time frame and their Cook Off format. I'm glad those makers got some exposer and that Forging/Knifemaking will get a bump out of it.

I can't remember the commentators name but he's a former serviceman, I think called a PJ-Jumper? One that stabilizes battlefield injuries at the battlefield and stays with them as they copter them in a med evac?

He's been in a few Pawn Star shows as a military historian etc on the history channel.. I really didn't get the bit about how all of these Bowie knives needed serrations? Huh?

Expect more requests for serrations!:biggrin: I'm happy for the guys that made the show!
 
One of the guys who does product evaluation for me is going to be featured on the show in July. He's not really able to talk about much until after the episode airs for obvious reasons. After its all over I'll see if I can get him to come on the board and chat a little bit about the experience.

Andy Dear
Axis Outdoor Products
www.bladebond.com
 
Am I the only one here who has ever witnessed an ABS Bladesmith's Challenge were bladesmiths have 2 hours to produce a finished knife?

Yes we don't work like that regularly because that pace normally would result with us dropping our quality and getting to the point that our health and livelihood would suffer.

In general I believe the exposure of the show to the industry will have more positive than negative effects. I already have had 3 inquiries about the show from prospects. AND yes all three asked about punching steel. Which I explained the process to. One wants a knife that can perform that way. It's no different than a knife that can pass any other pre setup test. Would you normally make one like that, No. Can you make it, Yes with the disclaimer that it has been made to the customers request spec.

Besides it TV, it not the web or YouTube where we all know everything there is the truth! :5:
 
I tried to google it up also ??? only some vague references . I used to watch it all the time ( I REALY AM GETTING OLD ). A show like that would go over big today. Judging by the response, Not sure if FIF show will make it or not ? I do wish them luck though. Bubba


C Craft said:
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!
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C Craft
I found it http://www.anvilfire.com/bookrev/in....htm&titleName=Forge and Anvil by Alan Rogers when they got rid of show , they made it into dvd's

It was a good show . I had the name wrong , it is forge and anvil instead of hammer and anvil ...... I am getting old.......


This link will take you to all episodes of the PBS series of blacksmithing. "FORGE"

http://video.pbs.org/video/2365104352/

Other videos " Crafts in America"

http://video.pbs.org/program/craft-in-america/

It will require you to login to watch on PBS
 
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Thanks bubb-san I will have to look at that one, looks like a good show. It was broadcast on Georgia public TV, according to the link. That may be why I don't remember it!
 
I believe the original show had a different Mod. It used to be on Channel 9 in St Louis. They forge a lot of different things . That's what made it interesting . When making knives and swords you have got to be skilled in some form of jewelry making processes . half the work I do on my swords is casting, forging parts, patina work , file work . I used to watch the original show in the late 70s and 80s...... PBS does a good job on Documentaries and "how to projects) and programs ..... Bubba
 
"I was seriously hoping for something more educational, with more substance.....and a little less drama"

I was also very disappointed, I was hoping more would have been covered in the actual forging/making the knife instead of hearing the panelist remarks throughout the air time. I think the making of the katana should have been the sole focus of the show or at least the entire show around the forging of the knife blades, contestants should have been given more time, WAY MORE TIME, create a true work of art like I know they probably could have with more time, I was really hoping to learn something, but as it is not really a whole lot....
 
We want the craft to be shown in the best manner possible. TV rarely, if ever, shows anything in the best possible manner.
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Tracy is absolutely correct. Just to clear the air, While I stick to my guns on wanting our craft to be displayed/portrayed in the best light possible, and being sorely dissapointed that this particular program fails miserably at doing that, I also commend those who are a part of the show. I consider J. Neilson a friend, and I've spoken with nearly all of those who were on the first episode, and I suspect many of the upcoming contestants will be those whom I know personally. I suppose as I get older, I get more set in my ways, and anything that doesn't "shine a light" on the craft I love, tends to ruffle my feathers. :)
 
Back in the early to mid 80's, Georgia PBS had a series called "How to make a Knife". It was aired on Saturdays for about six weeks. It consisted of a very famous knife maker named Jim Small instructing the host on how to make a full tanged hunting knife by the stock removal method. This show was my inspiration, and for the last 30 or so years I am still making knives part time and still fascinated with what can be created by even the simple materials available. I too remember "Forge and Anvil" and I enjoyed and learned a great deal about the forging process, although I have never made a knife by this process. I had the privilege to meet Jim Small at one of Georgia Knifemakers Guild meetings, and thanked him for his contribution to knifemaking and for the inspiration he has been to me. I see CSI detectives and lab personnel do full spread DNA test in a matter of hours on TV, so why not forge and finished a knife in three. Non-reality television and I hope not many are disillusioned by whats presented.
 
I was also contacted about participating in the show, and turned it down like Ed. I just figured it would be more drama/BS and more of an embarrassment than anything else. I haven't even bothered watching it. Too bad they aren't interested in doing a serious educational documentary or series about bladesmithing...
 
There is no doubt that this show was not the best it could have been to promote making a knife. One thing is for sure the guy who won is happy to get the ten grand to do with as he pleases.
It brings a little light on the craft, even if it is a very dim light. People will watch and they will call and some will get orders out of it. One thing is for sure the more people see about hand made knives and forging of knives the better it is for the industry. I still meet people in our shop that says they did not know people earned a living making knives. So if this show brings a little light that will mean it will bring a few customers to you guys that forge. Don't gripe, get out and heat up some steel and get to work.
Just think someone may buy a bunch of equipment that they will sell of to you guys shortly that they done' need now. Might help someone out that needs something in their shop.
 
We don't have cable but the next night we got to watch it. I liked it but can tell the promoters wanted some action. I've never in my life made a knife in 3 hours and if I did it wouldnt look any better than those bowies. The fact they were told to use water as a quenchant should have clued us in that the promoters want broken blades and drama. I've watched some of the trailers and saw allot of fire and sparks flying around. Somebody is going to get hurt soon, more drama sells.
I doubt anybody would be interested in watching a smith fitting a guard or drilling for bolster pins.
The katanas were really cool. I like the one that won and the contestant definitely deserved the cash prize.
I think J Nielson is a good addition, its fun to know somebody on the show. I've heard of some of the contestants but don't know them personally. JD Smith is coming on soon and our own David Roader too.
 
Peter Martin will also be on the show.

The show is done but I'm still going to cheer for those guys I know.
 
I enjoy the show and find it interesting to watch. I don't think the time constraints are too unreasonable, as I'm sure any master blade smith could forge out a completely functional knife with handle & guard within 6 hours without any sweat. I attended the intro to blade smithing class last year where I started learning to forge, and the instructor was a beast. He could forge a tip by hand in one heat, and forge out a complete 10" blade over a lunch break. There we also learned to heat treat and temper by torch. Waaay faster than using an oven. The only thing that would be tough to do would be to get in all the normalize cycles in the show's time constraint, but in the end it is suppose to be a challenge. I've managed to make a 4" knife from a file during my last forging demo within 1 hour, this included forging, one normalize cycle, rough grinding the bevel, heat treat and normalize with torch, then sharpen. Sure it didn't look pretty, but it cut paper nicely and it didn't shatter or crack when I accidentally dropped it onto the concrete floor.

With this I would have some confidence level of being able to make a 9" blade (given access to a power hammer of course) within 3 hours, and then another 3 hours to do a handle, even being some what of a novice. I would go with a Brut De Forge design, full tang integral guard, as this type of design is meant to be unfinished and relatively quick to make. Given the types of steel objects to use on tonight's show, the file rasp would have been my first pick hands down. The mystery weapon would get me though, as I still have many tools and equipment I need to acquire for my shop. I would have been at a lost on how to start making a chakram. I still find the show fun to watch, even if most of the drama is pre-scripted. I enjoy the overall concept of the show and it encourages me to look at ways to improve the time it takes me to make a functional blade. Of course, there's always going to be tedious time consuming steps to make it look pretty, but its fun from time to time to challenge yourself and see how quickly you can make a basic functional knife. Even more fun to do some destructive testing to see how good of job you really did.
 
There are a few, maybe more than a few, guys that flat don't like the format and think it should show more technique and a lot less focus on the weapons emphasis and less time pressure. I'd prefer that myself but that wasn't how it was designed. I'd rather watch this than a cook off show. I have to admit I watch just about all the reality shows that build something or dig it out of the ground and very little else on TV. I was aware of the format prior to it airing so I knew what was coming. Most weren't and were surprised at how the craft was portrayed in an entertainment format and not a documentary or how to format. It's not perfect but it's the best knife making show on TV

I like it and think it will bring more people into the craft and at the same time increase awareness there are knife makers out there earning a living making knives. The more people that know about custom knife making, the more custom knives get bought.
 
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