Forged in Fire , March 1 episode

Fred.Rowe said:
I believe you may have it with that idea. I've never seen Parks 50 go up in flames like that. :eek:
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Here are the credits for Salem's episode, five people working on pyro.

Besides the opening sequence, who knows what else they do ?

Forged%20in%20Fire%20credits_zpsa3uhph8t.jpg
 
Ken H> said:
Just being there using a coal fired forge you're doing good. I'm waiting for it to be listed "on Demand" so can watch it. I'm just amazed how well the knifemakers have done in front of all the camera and lights there. It's TOTALLY different than working at home in your own shop. BIG DIFFERENCE.

Well done to all of ya'll - I think the March episode might be listed so I can watch tomorrow (Friday).

Ken H>
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That coal was some nasty stuff. There were fans, but the room filled up pretty quick so we were all sucking in a lot of smoke. I wore myself out turning that damn handle like an idiot trying to get my fire to come back. The tongs I had were the best pair for the round stock they gave us, and honestly once the competition started it didnt even cross my mind to take time to run over and look to see if there was anything else over there as I had blinders on keeping my coal going and trying to hammer that bastard flat.
 
12345678910 said:
Here are the credits for Salem's episode, five people working on pyro.

Besides the opening sequence, who knows what else they do ?

Forged%20in%20Fire%20credits_zpsa3uhph8t.jpg
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How about anything to do with FIRE!

You honestly think they are not going to have people who are in charge of dealing with fire and all fire related equipment?
 
Ken H> said:
Just being there using a coal fired forge you're doing good. I'm waiting for it to be listed "on Demand" so can watch it. I'm just amazed how well the knifemakers have done in front of all the camera and lights there. It's TOTALLY different than working at home in your own shop. BIG DIFFERENCE.

Well done to all of ya'll - I think the March episode might be listed so I can watch tomorrow (Friday).

Ken H>
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Hey Ken, it's been On Demand since yesterday, because that's when I watched it. I just doubled checked right now and thought you should know you have been waiting in vain.. :p Now go watch it man! I'm actually re-watching Salem's episode as we speak, or rather, as I type! :thumbup: :cool:



I also enjoy watching them multiple times. I really like the show regardless, (except for when they don't show the smiths last names :grumpy: lol ) but of course some episodes will be "better" than others, as is true with every show on TV, and it all comes down to personal opinion as well.


~Paul
My YT Channel Lsubslimed
... (It's been quite a while since I've posted any new vids)
 
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The only ones that can sympathize are the ones on the show, don't sweat it man, I took a poundin last season, called everything from a retard to a trained actor. Shits different under those lights, you handled yourself REALLY well. Respect!

Eblackmore said:
Thats because it was a lump of crap. I burned my steel, shit happens. Once it cooked, I shrugged and made the most of it. We all had a good laugh about it. Gotta admit, Im kinda dissapointed in some of you guys and your attitude. All of the contestants are people who love doing what they do and put their reps on the line to go on the show and then get treated like crap if things in a very unpredictable and stressful environment rattle them or things just dont go according to plan. That kind of things expected from the masses on the youtube videos, but a bit surprising to find on forums full of people who have a common love for this kind of thing. Most of us love chatting about our experience on the show, but not so much when the first thing they run into is people talking crap. Sorry if the episode didnt live up to your expectations, but all 4 of us put everything we had into it.
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Thanks Paul - I didn't check all day yesterday (CRS), I was busy working with milling machine. Just checked and I'm watching this morning. Those folks who normally work with coal did have an advantage with the manual forge for sure. BOY - did they have to spin that fast!! I don't remember the forge Dad had needing anywhere near that fast.

Earl, I just finished round 1, and I really felt the hose falling off where you couldn't see it was equip malfunction from show's fault. For all the problems you had, your shape wasn't "that" bad. As you and others have said, working under camera and lights is a whole new thing that most of us and NOT equip'd to handle.

Ken H>
 
There is no criticism for any smith thats been on the show or plans on going. My hat is off to all of you win or lose.

Its the focus of the show that disturbs me. Instead of scripting the show so as to allow all the smiths to put their skills on display, it has become a "gotcha event. The hose should not have come off the blower, putting one smith in a position where he could not win. Faulty set up and not his error.

There are few smiths on this site or any other that could have built a 50 inch Claymore, heat treated correctly in 5 days, even if they'd had all the equipment needed to pull it off.
It was almost a guarantee of failure before they ever got started. It may be that this is all that will sell on todays programming. Maybe there is no place on American television for a show that is meant to highlight skills as opposed to putting contestants in line to fail.
Blade smithing is such a deeply felt, almost spiritual experience, working at the forge and creating a singular piece of art and for me, I'd like for it to be portrayed in that manner.

We live in a remote area, with very little interruption so I can have this purist attitude. Some may say thats not reality; but here on this ridge top in S/E Ohio, its my reality.


Regards, Fred
 
Fred,

It is part of the genre of contest/challenge tv shows. There are many of them for cooking such as hells kitchen, chopped and cut throat kitchen.

It is not about showcasing the smiths, it is about putting them in a tough situation with the pressure on and sees who rises to the top.
 
Though it does not depict the real life process of knifemaking I do enjoy the show. I have two friends that even purchased a knife from me due to this show, so at the very least it brings awareness, and reduces some of the negative stigma knifemaking brings to the table. I congratulate all who have been on the show for simply having the balls to do it. "Those in the arena" ya know? One question I do have though is when do you guys temper your your first round blades? They never seem to show that.
 
AVigil said:
Fred,

It is part of the genre of contest/challenge tv shows. There are many of them for cooking such as hells kitchen, chopped and cut throat kitchen.

It is not about showcasing the smiths, it is about putting them in a tough situation with the pressure on and sees who rises to the top.
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Yes, sadly you are correct. Competition is a great thing. I enjoy competition; I spent 16 years in the martial arts, 12 of those doing the tournament circuit, you find out in a hurry that your not the baddest guy around :)

Blade smithing is just a very different mind set for me. I understand the reality of what it is but its, satisfying to dream; it fuels my delusion.

Have a good one, Fred
 
I think for some Smiths it is more about producing a functional tool than a piece of "art". The art being more about the process. I for one appreciate the form follows function aspect. A highly functional piece may be artful, but not required.

In general, I see way too much focus these days on " that's cool" aspect and not enough in finished performance of the works and accepting a "good enough" attitude related to finished perforce of the tool. The geometry of the profile for example. I believe this was shown in the Khopesh episode. Yes, winning blade was beautiful, but on both winning blades I believe primary attention was focused on design performance of the tool. This is what really sank in for me watching Salem work.

I suppose everybody sees things through there own eyes, and I accept that. Forging with focus on art form is great too. And I think this is part of what the show attempts to illustrate, the end goal being performance.

I think this season they are doing a better job by giving contestants more information related to the tests the blades will be expected to pass to help more clearly identify (kind of a little handicap equalizer).

I think it's awesome this thread is going, and we have opportunity to hear from the contestants perspectives what was going on for them mentally & physically, as I missed finding threads during season-1.
 
AVigil said:
...it is about putting them in a tough situation with the pressure on and sees who FAILS DRAMATICALLY.
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Fixed it for ya! ;)

Sad part is this is not really joke with TV but the norm. I would never base my opinion of a smith on what a TV show shows me. I would not worry too much about the opinion of people that do.

I still enjoy the show (and thank God for the fast forward button), especially seeing the home shops. Hats off to all the participants.
 
Eblackmore said:
I told Doug if he put it in a tube sock it would Keel.
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That's funny, good to be able to laugh about. Reminds me of "jack-mack in a sock"... Pay it no mind, just like I mentioned before I knew you boys were way out of your wheelhouse with what they gave you to work with. I don't mean that in a bad way either..
 
Eblackmore said:
I told Doug if he put it in a tube sock it would Keel.
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LOL,

No one here is dissing the Smith's or there efforts, win, lose or draw. Just a few comments on the fire balls and how show is put together.

I watch the show when time allows and wish the best for all of the participants! It has helped raise awareness of Custom knife making.

I had a family mention it to me yesterday afternoon as I was doing some sharpening at their home. The kids liked the show and the young boy liked the fireballs.:)
 
Eblackmore said:
I told Doug if he put it in a tube sock it would Keel.
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That's the funniest thing I have heard today.

I don't think people were bashing you guys (at least I hope not) I think it was more geared towards the producers or whoever that put you all in a tough position almost setting you all up for failler with that challenge.
 
I'd like to chime in here. This is my first post on the forum. In fact, I just signed up today, so thanks for allowing to be part of your forum. Let me first say that I am a gun guy. I own a Retail Store and I am also a competitive shooter. I turned my passion into a successful business and I am also a bit compulsive. Like most gun guys, I have quite a few knives and enjoy collecting them, although I have never considered myself very knowledgeable when it comes to blades. I have a close friend that actually sells knives, another that owns a well respected company that produces knives, and a couple friends that are accomplished bladesmiths. I believe I even had the pleasure once of going to dinner with the owner of this forum. So why the long intro and what does it have to do with the show? Well, I have been around knives a long time and despite some close associations, I was never drawn into what I call the knife culture. So I sat down a few weeks back and watched the first show of last years season. That was all it took. Much to my wife's dismay, I am hooked. She knows how obsessive I can be when I latch onto something. I watched the rest of the entire first season the following night. I couldn't wait for the second season to start. I love this show. I was a bit disappointed in this last episode, but it made me realize just how hard this bladesmithing thing is. In addition to watching the show, I have spent several hours watching Youtube videos from a variety of bladesmiths and I am really enjoying learning as much as I can. I am going to start my first knife project within the next couple of weeks, making a knife from a file. I am looking forward to my first crack at this hobby.

While I certainly understand how the more experienced bladesmith may view this show, especially this last episode, I just wanted to share with you how much I have enjoyed it as an "outsider". Despite many years of association with the knife industry, it took a low budget reality show to get me hooked. I also have enjoyed reading comments on this forum from past participants of the show. The support offered to each other is to be commended. Thanks for sharing your expertise on this forum. I look forward to taking a stab at this new hobby (pun intended) and learning as much as I can from this forum.
 
I also know of at least one guy who was inspired to start making knives for himself at least, based on seeing the show.
It honestly hadn't occurred to him before that smithing knives was something done in this day and age.

I think the positives that arise from such a show outweigh the negatives.
 
I finished watching rest of this episode - one thing to add. It really seems they should have examined the smith's background, and chose smiths who were experienced in working with a charcoal forge when the plan is to use a coal forge.

Telling someone that's never used a coal forge, "Hey, guess what - you're going to be using a coal fired forge and complete against smiths who are expert with coal fired forge". So much difference in use of a hand blower with a coal forge and a gas fired forge it's almost like a different ball game.... Having a basketball player compete against a football player in a game of football? Is that a decent analogy?
 
Ken H> said:
I finished watching rest of this episode - one thing to add. It really seems they should have examined the smith's background, and chose smiths who were experienced in working with a charcoal forge when the plan is to use a coal forge.

Telling someone that's never used a coal forge, "Hey, guess what - you're going to be using a coal fired forge and complete against smiths who are expert with coal fired forge". So much difference in use of a hand blower with a coal forge and a gas fired forge it's almost like a different ball game.... Having a basketball player compete against a football player in a game of football? Is that a decent analogy?
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In the cooking competitions they run into this all the time. There are people who never make pastry and that is the challenge, or never made sushi. Some of the cooks have others have not. That is part of the luck of the draw.
 
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