Forged In Fire

I too, have enjoyed all the episodes to some degree. I really love edge weapons and the history of them. I'm truly impressed with the abilities shown by all the Bladesmiths under very restrictive conditions. I hope "Forge in Fire" receives a renewal for a second season, because, as with most "reality shows" tweaks will necessary to build upon their audience numbers..... additional backstories of each the Bladesmiths (i.e. a moment to show some of their best blades), would be very helpful. Thanks to all these craftsman for their efforts to entertain and educate.
 
Fun show to watch. I am not a knife maker, but it often looks like some contestants are as unskilled as I am and have no business swinging a hammer or messing with fire. That "college professor" that claimed he taught bladesmithing in Mass. or Jersey, he was ridiculous. Didn't even know enough to follow basic instructions and couldn't remember which forge he was working at. The drama makes the show for me. Unbelievable!
 
That "college professor" that claimed he taught bladesmithing in Mass. or Jersey, he was ridiculous. Didn't even know enough to follow basic instructions and couldn't remember which forge he was working at.
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He teaches at Massachusetts College of Art and has been an ABS Mastersmith for over 17 years. He makes some of the nicest Damascus blades that I have seen. Like most "Reality TV" this show is scripted to provide the action that the director wants to see.

I watched 10 minutes of the first show and after they said that cracked blades could be repaired by grinding, I knew that the show was BS. I haven't watched the show since then.
 
As far as reality shows go this is one of the better ones produced as it is easier to follow than most of these chopped up hollywood productions . It portrays the challenges and frustrations of the knife shop as well as artistic talent of the makers. I'm not sure of the accuracy of the testing techniques, but its television entertainment.
 
kindasharp said:
Fun show to watch. I am not a knife maker, but it often looks like some contestants are as unskilled as I am and have no business swinging a hammer or messing with fire. That "college professor" that claimed he taught bladesmithing in Mass. or Jersey, he was ridiculous. Didn't even know enough to follow basic instructions and couldn't remember which forge he was working at. The drama makes the show for me. Unbelievable!
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J.D. Smith is in the absolute upper ranks of knifemakers in the United States.....he's over 65 years old and does things his own way, but I assure you......he has mad skillz.....and to call him "ridiculous" shows your absolute lack of knowledge of American custom knife history.....you should change your handle from "kindasharp" to "kindadumbass".

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
kindasharp said:
Fun show to watch. I am not a knife maker, but it often looks like some contestants are as unskilled as I am and have no business swinging a hammer or messing with fire. That "college professor" that claimed he taught bladesmithing in Mass. or Jersey, he was ridiculous. Didn't even know enough to follow basic instructions and couldn't remember which forge he was working at. The drama makes the show for me. Unbelievable!
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After quotes like this about JD on the show, I'm kind of wondering what kind of lasting damage to very good smiths will come out of Forged in Fire? JD and another smith I think very highly of both got cut in the first round, are those that don't really know their work going to dismiss them as second rate in the future because of the TV show? JD, for one, has to be ranked as one of the top art knife makers in the country.
 
Here's a nice piece by the 'college professor'

SmithJD_15-1.jpg
 
This show has had contestants that I admire, some I had never heard of. I can honestly say that I have no illusions to the show showing the true capacity of skills of the smiths. I do hope that all the smiths have no ill affects from the bad publicity given by folks that don't know better. I have talked to guys that know little about bladesmithing and they have been very excited by the show and are impressed with the skill shown on the show. I expect there will be both good and bad results, as there have been reviews.

Chris
 
Forged in Fire, has lots of good info and viewing and lots of BS, as I have said in some of our more local knife making and Bladesmithing groups, before any of these makers are criticized or worse, laughed at, get into small groups of your maker friends and do a blind drawing of kind of blade and what to forge it out of and do not open the note you drew until 8:00 on Saturday morning, give yourself the same time restrictions as they have and work your blade, have the group together again and check each others work, then in the next three hour segment make you final adjustments and handle it to your choice as on the program, then all of us get together and test them and see what happens. Remember not all are under the pressure of people watching, judging you, camera's all around and people talking while you are trying to think and work, sound like fun?
 
I am really enjoying the shows, I think the show has "evolved" since the first and continues to get better. I'm thinking some are too critical, maybe I'm not critical enough, true the show has some short comings, but all and all I can handle that. I just enjoy seeing others forge grind, etc. Of all the "reality Shows" I think it is the most entertaining hour on TV. With my limited experience blade smithing I think the contestants do very well considering the environment they are placed in. Every piece of equipment has its idiosyncrasies, and not what maybe they are accustomed to, the studio lights make it difficult to judge the color of the steel, easily over heated. And most makers do not have a film crew in their shops. Not to mention the time constraints! I know every time I go to the forge my forging does not work out as planned, it does not come together. As a matter of fact sometimes my steel looks like it was salvaged from an industrial accident site! I just walk away, can't do that on the show.

I guess what I am trying to say is these contestants are out of their environments and try to do their best work, not easy! I am impressed by each one of them for doing the show and putting their reps on the line. Yeah there is drama, that's TV! I think it is the most entertaining hour on TV and will continue to watch.

In the end I think it will be good for custom knife making.

I give the contestants, and the show a break, benefit of the doubt if you will. If you do not like it don't watch, if you are on the fence, see if the show continues to "evolve". Just my 2 cents.

Steve
---------
Member, W.F. Moran Jr. Museum & Foundation
ABS AP
 
Again they top themselves. Fantastic episode. The show is just SOOOO MUCH better when everyone knows what they are doing, having some fun and everyone turns in a quality piece which makes the judges have to pick the best instead of the least worst.


My old boss just e-mailed me this:

'I have three lawnmower blades for experimentation'

HAhaha
 
I just watched this show for the first time. Was excited to discover it. Short first impression ,

Thoughts
1. knife makers reputations and body of work is ignored and/or marginalized.
2. Why would any established knife maker think this is a good step for their reputation or career- especially any ABS mastersmith?
3. Too bad for the three losers. It presents the impression that somehow they are inferior knife makers and not equally exceptionally talented at their craft.

This has all the predictible elements of a tattoo contests, or cooking shows. Another regurgitation.. Still, fun to watch.
 
2knife said:
I just watched this show for the first time. Was excited to discover it. Short first impression ,

Thoughts
1. knife makers reputations and body of work is ignored and/or marginalized.
2. Why would any established knife maker think this is a good step for their reputation or career- especially any ABS mastersmith?
3. Too bad for the three losers. It presents the impression that somehow they are inferior knife makers and not equally exceptionally talented at their craft.

This has all the predictible elements of a tattoo contests, or cooking shows. Another regurgitation.. Still, fun to watch.
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It's been said many times that they should let the makers show pieces representative of their normal work.

That being said, I doubt Murray Carter and Ray Kirk are going to be hard up for customers after being on the show.
 
Again, hats off to the fellows, I was surprised to see Murray Carter and Ray Kirk on the show, I sat back to back with Murray Carter at his first Blade show, bought one of his kitchen knives a couple of years later and still use it and it is super! Have known Ray for years starting at some of Jim Batson's hammer in's in Madison, Alabama, all around good guy's, they both are well respected blade smiths and I think they did a good job on the show.
 
I really enjoy the show but like my son and I both agree , it really doesn't show the true skill of these craftsman. Remember it is edited for ratings as all of these shows are. It bothers me that most people that watch the show go away thinking the skill level is as low as portrayed.
 
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