FIF like or not thread

Well said Mark. Not to beat a dead horse, but all the things you say about learning from the show are true. As said before most people don't use it as a learning experience, nor will they take the time to ask the right questions to learn how to make knives the right way. My rebar processing employee is a huge fan of the show. I have offered to give him proper steel, and show him how too heat treat out of a forge. He won't listen he's using 4140 and lawnmower blades. I tried to leave him out of the conversation but I can't because these are things that non-FIF contestants have to deal with. I can come up with 15 or 20 more stories that are similar.


I will say again that I like the show, and loved your episode.
 
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I really wish they would film 1 episode to explain the proper way to make a knife. Use the show to educate the non knife making public on the reason they use unknown steels, test the way that they do and that a quality knife can't be made in 6 hours.

I think an episode like this would do a huge service to the knife makers and the general public watching the show.
 
GeneK said:
I really wish they would film 1 episode to explain the proper way to make a knife. Use the show to educate the non knife making public on the reason they use unknown steels, test the way that they do and that a quality knife can't be made in 6 hours.

I think an episode like this would do a huge service to the knife makers and the general public watching the show.
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Great idea. Maybe an episode where they follow makers as they make a signature knife without time constraints. The maker can talk steel, geometry, etc.

I think it would give the viewers a much deeper appreciate for what these guys are pulling off in six hours.
 
GeneK said:
I really wish they would film 1 episode to explain the proper way to make a knife. Use the show to educate the non knife making public on the reason they use unknown steels, test the way that they do and that a quality knife can't be made in 6 hours.

I think an episode like this would do a huge service to the knife makers and the general public watching the show.
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I cant see that ever happening! That would be like shooting themselves in the foot.
 
springer82 said:
I cant see that ever happening! That would be like shooting themselves in the foot.
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I'm sure we won't see it happen, but I don't see a downside to it for viewers or the show itself. I would guess that most who watch the show are genuinely interested in knives or knife making and would benefit from knowing how to properly make a knife. Or at least have a better idea of what it takes to make one.

Like John said, I think they would appreciate more what contestants are able to do in the time allotted on the show.
 
GeneK said:
I'm sure we won't see it happen, but I don't see a downside to it for viewers or the show itself. I would guess that most who watch the show are genuinely interested in knives or knife making and would benefit from knowing how to properly make a knife. Or at least have a better idea of what it takes to make one.

Like John said, I think they would appreciate more what contestants are able to do in the time allotted on the show.
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See how many names you can get off the forum. Ask them to show how it really works! Nothing ventured nothing gained!!
 
John Wilson said:
Great idea. Maybe an episode where they follow makers as they make a signature knife without time constraints. The maker can talk steel, geometry, etc.

I think it would give the viewers a much deeper appreciate for what these guys are pulling off in six hours.
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That would be GREAT but, that is what you would call a "DOCUMENTARY" it's not the kind of thing the average TV viewer wants to watch. The makers of FIF create the drama to make the show more entertaining to the average viewer. Everyone of that type show has the same kind of Drama to create interest. If you ever watched "COUNTING CARS" the owner buys a 5K car and they toil over BS deadlines and cost constraints like if they miss the deadline the shop is gonna go broke. They always hit the deadline and make money. Just like FiF there gonna throw in roadblocks to create drama. Someone's gonna win and 3 are gonna lose in the end. Most of the 5 day weapons are usually pretty decent.
 
Hey Kev, sorry to not get back to you right away it's been crazy busy around here. Thanks for the nice words. They keep everything with just a few exceptions. Starting on season four they started to let the runner up keep the weapon from the finally. Also, there's been a couple of new developments. Don't ask me how I know. It's cool and exciting but you didn't hear it from me.
 
opaul said:
All good points Kuraki!
I watch Walter Sorrels you tube videos and he talks about his experience on FIF and how positive it was, especially the comradery part which you also mentioned.

Another aspect of the show which I really look forward to are the home shop takes. I've seen state of the art purpose built buildings all the way to prefab metal buildings. In like, the tools and equipment range from bare bones to extreme.

All in all, I think the show has been on the positive side.
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Agree totally, I love seeing their personal shops, a side they don't empathize enough IMHO!
 
I wanted to forge ever since I was kid. My grandfather had a small shop behind the barn. He passed when I was but a kid. But I never lost the fascination for the hot steel and smacking it with a hammer. Well 50 odd years later FIF rekindled that spark. So I kinda like it.

I can't imagine the heat with those 4 triple burners cranked up!
 
I suspect that forged in fire has caused a number of people to try to make knives. Of course the flooding of the market with new makers has been a problem for years. The question is has it inspired more people to BUY knives? If so, has it caused people to be willing to buy knives at a reasonable price considering the effort that goes into them? I suspect that the answer to both of those questions is no, particularly the second one. So what are we left with? A marketplace where you can only get 60 to 70% of what you could get for the same knife in say 1993 assuming you can get anything at all? Doesn’t sound all that good to me.
 
jmforge said:
I suspect that forged in fire has caused a number of people to try to make knives. Of course the flooding of the market with new makers has been a problem for years. The question is has it inspired more people to BUY knives? If so, has it caused people to be willing to buy knives at a reasonable price considering the effort that goes into them? I suspect that the answer to both of those questions is no, particularly the second one. So what are we left with? A marketplace where you can only get 60 to 70% of what you could get for the same knife in say 1993 assuming you can get anything at all? Doesn’t sound all that good to me.
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I don't see it that way at all. The Blade show last year broke all records for attendance, 11,000 attendees in one week end. That is all from the show. Most people I know are selling knives, not at a discount. It may be that your particular market has been saturated either by your knives or by others. You may need to broaden your market or do something different to set yourself apart from your competition.
 
Mark Knapp said:
I don't see it that way at all. The Blade show last year broke all records for attendance, 11,000 attendees in one week end. That is all from the show. Most people I know are selling knives, not at a discount. It may be that your particular market has been saturated either by your knives or by others. You may need to broaden your market or do something different to set yourself apart from your competition.
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11,000 attendees sounds good until you dig down into the numbers. That is what? 13 or so attendees for every table or booth holder? For most makers, Blade has always been a social gathering f and a supply run.
 
jmforge said:
11,000 attendees sounds good until you dig down into the numbers. That is what? 13 or so attendees for every table or booth holder? For most makers, Blade has always been a social gathering f and a supply run.
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Each of those attendees don't pick just one table and visit it, they walk the whole floor, some of them make two or three trips around the floor.

There is more interest in knives and knife making now due to the show than there ever was. Before the show started, interest in hand made knives was dwindling. All the knife shows were seeing lower attendance and fewer vendors. Knife making groups were showing less membership. And, knife makers were selling fewer knives as a group.

Since the show started, that has all changed. Everything is up. "A rising tide lifts all boats." Most of the knife makers I know are doing better now than they were a few years ago. The ones that aren't doing better are still making the same knives they made a few years ago.

The knife world changes and we have to change with it, develop new designs, explore new materials and techniques. Buyers are always looking for something they've never seen before.

Back to your previous post "So what are we left with? A marketplace where you can only get 60 to 70% of what you could get for the same knife in say 1993 assuming you can get anything at all?" Everybody I know is selling their knives for more than they were in 1993, way more. But the question is, are you still making the same knife you were in 1993?
 
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