Thoughts on Forged in fire

^^^^^ Too bad, Sam. I know you're friends with Mace and figured you would have a better opinion, especially since he won.

OK, I know what the show said, but don't you think Jason got kicked last night because he turned in a lawnmower blade instead of the ball bearing blade he was working on? When everyone else had 52100 and he chose to stick with the low carbon mystery steel, it didn't make sense. Ray and Murray were both excellent under the pressure. They did a good job of showing the camaraderie between them. I had a friend over last night and he didn't understand why everyone was being nice to each other on a competition.

I hope we get a second season, and that they get rid of "It can keeel!"
 
Some of those guy's from the show are on this forum it would be interesting to get their take on how things
go on behind the scenes .my brother in law was on house hunters. totally fake. gripe about that,get excited about this.
that makes wonder how much is just for effect. but I do enjoy the show my wife say's it's cupcake wars for men same premise.
 
As much as I like Murray's work he sure is a Hypocrite. I recall him sitting around and not utilizing all of his time to work on his blade then turns around and calls out his opponent for doing the same. SMH
 
This latest episode is one of my favorite so far. I don't really understand why so many appear to be so snobbish against it?
Of course this is coming from someone with absolutely no idea what goes into making custom knives of any type but, I guess I'm the type of viewer this show is geared for?
 
Last night was a good episode. I was very glad Mace won. Murray had a lovely blade, but his Japanese style soft core blade wasn't the right choice for the tests.
I don't think the lawn mower blade was any problem with Jason's blade. It was the barely completed blade and his poor use of time.

I remember working with Mace teaching at a hammer-in in NC about 7-10 years ago. He takes his time and makes every blow count. He forges to a near finished state. He is a really nice fellow, and deserved to win.

I have listened to the comments from those who were on the show, and talked with people from other competition shows, and they all say basically the same thing - they are directed to do and say certain things, and they are bound by a very strict contract not to discuss a lot of how the show was filmed and edited. I don't think that the main part of the competition is affected by this, but it greatly affects what and how we see it on the TV. One person who was on chopped said that he made a positive comment about his competitor in the "off stage" comment filming. They stopped him and told him to trash talk the person. I am glad that FIF has very little of that. It has it in lighthearted comments somewhat like, "They better watch their butts, 'cause I'm gonna' whip 'em.", but not, "I can't believe how bad his knife looks, I won hands down."
 
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I have only watched a few episodes and enjoy watching the work being done. Its not really geared for viewers with a lot of forging experience or maybe, it would be more enjoyable for people who have little forging time in. The cracks, not stress fractures, by smiths with this amount of experience is a little troubling. Maybe the stress of being in front of the camera. I do my best work when the shop is empty and its just me and the anvil.
If the show promotes knife forging in a positive manner, its a good thing. We should all get behind Forged in Fire for no other reason than this.

Fred
 
Good show last night... Glad to see Mace win!

The "lawn mower" blade looked more like a small bush-hog blade. If that was the case, the steel was fine. Jason screwed up trying to make two blades.
 
I think it was a good episode. Murray made one of the nicer if not the nicest "first round knife" Ive seen all season. His Kris bent but that's because of the style of construction, The soft core(in a blade that long) was just not designed to smash bamboo..Had it not bent Id say he would have won. Mace made a nice Kris too but heavier and thicker which was better suited to what they were doing with it.
 
I think last night was possibly the best episode so far, glad to see it come down to, two fine Smiths. Both had beautiful swords but the sword that Murray made was a just a tad softer and not meant to chop. I also believe they explained things in layman's' term so it was easier for the average person to understand.
 
I generally like the show and the episodes seem to be getting more entertaining. I truly figured they would inject negative drama and or show certain smiths in a negative light to increase the drama factor. A smith not being in control in how they were portrayed in post production seemed to me to be a huge risk, I personally would not have taken it. I have not seen that at all and the entire show seems to be reasonable and respectful, that seems rare for a reality show.
 
I will be interested in when season 2 is going to be filmed. One thing for sure is that the first round blades ( as well as the challenge blades) will be a lot sturdier.
 
I have really enjoyed the show. If the final project is a sword, A bladesmith that makes swords is going to have a huge advantage over one who's shop is not equipted to heat treat a sword. I don't think Murray's shop had the sword heat treatment set up that Mace's shop had.
Both Murray and Mace made beautiful final projects.
 
I hope that when I'm 70 I can make a beautiful knife with time to spare.
That man was an inspiration!
 
Tom Lewis said:
A bladesmith that makes swords is going to have a huge advantage over one who's shop is not equipted to heat treat a sword. I don't think Murray's shop had the sword heat treatment set up that Mace's shop had.
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I have noticed that as well. Its came in to play several times this season already..NOTE: To any smiths who get on next season, invest in some tall salt pots:p
 
Great episode.

The contestants in this last episode actually were more "experts" then the experts on the show.

As for the cutting of the bamboo, there is a reason it is cut with a machete and not a kris sword.

Mace and Murray did a great job as well as the others.

Much respect for them stepping up and taking the challenge.
 
Kentucky said:
I have noticed that as well. Its came in to play several times this season already..NOTE: To any smiths who get on next season, invest in some tall salt pots:p
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And some good hot gloves as well. I don't like seeing hands wrapped in surgical gauze on some one that earns their living with those hands.
 
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