Thoughts on Forged in fire

AVigil said:
The show was entertaining.

If a person is clueless on how they edit a show and what you are seeing is not necessarily a linear time line, and how many things are cut out they will be confused.

Sit back and relax and enjoy it because it is about knives and making these guys jump through hoops :)

In cooking competitions I have seen world class chefs mess up on making rice, eggs or meat. It is not they do not have the skill it is the pressure of the competition that makes everything go to hell.

Hey maybe watching the show is actually a good test on seeing who is wound to tight to enjoy a little show on knife making? :D
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I feel like on the cooking competitions, they go out of their way to.explain how hard it is, how much pressure there is etc. I don't get that feeling on this show. Like they expect a great knife in 6 hours.
 
After I was able to actually watch the show, I deleted my previous post- nothing to say but these guys were giving it their best, and I felt like each challenge was one I'd experienced, too.
Good fun, good publicity. Thanks for stepping up, guys.
 
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Chad I just watched your episode. Wow, that was tough but you guys sure hustled to get it done

Like it, very cool
 
hardingknives said:
only 32 guys out of the knife world opted to try, 50/50 chance look foolish or a pro
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Amen brother. I cant watch your episode till tomorrow to see what all the fuss was about, but from someone who did the show as well I can tell you it wasn't easy. Knifemakers want a documentary style show like PBS's secrets of the Viking sword. The public wants flames, sparks, bread, and circuses. Trying to balance the two is a hard thing to do. What I was told it was going to be and what it actually was, were two complete different things. I didn't think the first episode was bad. Of course I know what's going on behind the scenes so that gives me, more of an appreciation for what the contestants are going through.
 
Scurvy092 said:
I feel like on the cooking competitions, they go out of their way to.explain how hard it is, how much pressure there is etc. I don't get that feeling on this show. Like they expect a great knife in 6 hours.
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Couldn't agree more.
This is the biggest shortcoming in the show I see. How hard would it be when introducing the competitors, to show a few examples of their work while they make mention of just how long it takes to produce quality custom work? The makers could say something like "I typically spend xx hours forging and finishing a quality blade" Might cost 1 minute to the show, and would help explain why what these guys come up with in 3 hours looks so amateur.

I have never tried to make a knife of any kind, and think I still probably know more than 95% of the population about it just from being an enthusiast. Even understanding what little I think I do, I was surprised at just how rough the '6 hour' knives were.

I know it's all about the pressure and what not, but the tattoo artists and chefs are given a far larger % of the time they would usually spend on their craft to compete in.
Don't you think?
 
I held off on reading this since I wasn't able to watch the first episode until last night. I'm kind of surprised some of you guys are knocking the show, I thought they did a pretty good job. I don't believe there was any intention of showing how heat treat is done or when a serrated edge is useful. No more than explaining how to make a roux or cook a turkey on Chopped. I think the goal was to put professionals under the gun by making them implement something that may not be common, add the pressure of a time limit and competition and see who pulls of the best piece, a la Chopped or Iron Chef.

If this show did low to average for a cable audience it was close to or over a million people or more on premier night. That is nothing but good for our craft. Also I highly doubt anyone but the biggest schmuck thinks that is what a custom knife looks like, no more than someone watching Chopped thinks fine dinning is comprised of canned chicken and microwaved souffle :D

Hats off to those that competed, it takes balls to put it on the line on TV. Looking forward to the next episode!
 
Augus

Agreed!

It was fun to watch and more entertaining then hearing people who did not go on the show bagging on it.

The time and requirements really put the pressure on and seeing them fight back is interesting
 
FLymon said:
when introducing the competitors, show a few examples of their work while they mention how long it takes to produce quality custom work?

The makers could say something like "I typically spend xx hours forging and finishing a quality blade" Might cost 1 minute to the show, and would help explain why what these guys come up with in 3 hours looks so amateur.

I have never tried to make a knife of any kind, and think I still probably know more than 95% of the population about it just from being an enthusiast. Even understanding what little I think I do, I was surprised at just how rough the '6 hour' knives were.
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I agree
At least with cooking people are familiar with it.



I just watched Episode 2

Rail spikes, Files, crowbars, bearings, rollerchain.



Just what's needed to fuel more beginners misled assumptions.
Then they have to eyeball temps in a bright light studio and get hell for edge chipping.



Harding ?
You poor bastard
 
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If you want to see what a show without music, hype or even commentary looks like:

[video=youtube;kPpmj8RoAyY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPpmj8RoAyY[/video]

CHeers rody
 
FLymon said:
Couldn't agree more.
This is the biggest shortcoming in the show I see. How hard would it be when introducing the competitors, to show a few examples of their work while they make mention of just how long it takes to produce quality custom work? The makers could say something like "I typically spend xx hours forging and finishing a quality blade" Might cost 1 minute to the show, and would help explain why what these guys come up with in 3 hours looks so amateur.
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Totally!! It would be so much better and more informative if they did that!!!
 
12345678910 said:
I agree
At least with cooking people are familiar with it.



I just watched Episode 2

Rail spikes, Files, crowbars, bearings, rollerchain.



Just what's needed to fuel more beginners misled assumptions.
Then they have to eyeball temps in a bright light studio and get hell for edge chipping.



Harding ?
You poor bastard
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Ha, ha, I know right
 
Remember the old saying "haste makes waste". You can take 2 master bladesmiths and give them the same material, same time frame, and same equiptment and one may come out with a complete failure of a knife and the other the opposite. I think the show is more about performing under pressure than say skill level. How many accomplished bladesmiths are routinely required to complete a blade in 3 hours while working against 3 others for not only prize money but also hoping not to look like a newbie. Just my thoughts on the show. I find it entertaining but at the same time lacking.

Jay
 
I think it's cool! I am no expert, I am not a collector, I am a knife user. I have a Pro-tech, some Kershaws, Buck, Gerber, Henkles, Wustorf, and Myabi, all of which I painstaking sharpen myself on V type rods and various bench stones. I think the show is cool, but kind of degrading to the art. The 3 hour thing is just kinda goofy but fun to watch. To the show's credit they did give them 5 days to go back to their own shops and make a katana, That seems very doable for a good quality blade. The guys sure as hell did not give away any of their secrets. Has anyone ever heard of these guys? One guy said he worked for a 'large US knife company' and made 6000 knifes, too bad he was the first to go. The katana testing was great, they broke out the guns and the blades did split bullets, what's not to love?

I thought people here on bladeforums would totally laugh the show off because I was a gun show last weekend and there was this guy that made some very beautiful damascus looking affordable heavy blades, and I said you should be on forged in fire, he replied 'what have I ever done to you?'!
 
Augus7us said:
If this show did low to average for a cable audience it was close to or over a million people or more on premier night. That is nothing but good for our craft. Also I highly doubt anyone but the biggest schmuck thinks that is what a custom knife looks like, no more than someone watching Chopped thinks fine dinning is comprised of canned chicken and microwaved souffle :D
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Wow, I think you're in for a shock. I know of several people that went and bought Mr Distiller or Mile-Hi stills after watching moonshiners. The vast majority produce the equivalent of canned chicken and microwaved souffle, or worse, and they think it is awesome. It's only those that spent their due reading on the message boards that produce a decent product. Likewise, the vast majority of people are going to think that what we're seeing on TV is representative of custom knives and will try to replicate such.
 
Atlas Knife Company said:
Likewise, the vast majority of people are going to think that what we're seeing on TV is representative of custom knives and will try to replicate such.
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That logic just does not apply to "the vast majority of people". We have biker build offs, Car build offs, house remodeling build offs etc. People know it is a TV show and the same people who believe that is representative of custom knives are the same that believe they can become a chef watching Hells Kitchen.

Those people are in the minority and most people just watch the show to be entertained and not as a quick study of a craft.
 
As an novice jumping in, I would have to say I was a bit disappointed. I understand the entertainment factor they need to achieve for ratings and such. After all it is "the History Channel" but it was pure entertainment in my opinion. There was nothing really noteworthy about bladesmithing other than you can take a lawn mower blade and in less than hour make something that resembled a unwieldy tomahawk. Just my humble opinion:D
 
Dopic1 said:
As an novice jumping in, I would have to say I was a bit disappointed. I understand the entertainment factor they need to achieve for ratings and such. After all it is "the History Channel" but it was pure entertainment in my opinion. There was nothing really noteworthy about bladesmithing other than you can take a lawn mower blade and in less than hour make something that resembled a unwieldy tomahawk. Just my humble opinion:D
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I'm kinda sore at the guy for wasting three pieces of stag like that.
 
A bit much with the artsy "stupid camera tricks" but Mr. Bush is a very talented fellow.
Rody said:
If you want to see what a show without music, hype or even commentary looks like:

[video=youtube;kPpmj8RoAyY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPpmj8RoAyY[/video]

CHeers rody
Click to expand...
 
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