Thread: Forging Competition

Glen, move this if you think it should be elsewhere.

Just saw on TV: History Channel, June 25th, "Forged in Fire". Not really to do with razors, but first episode is titled "Katana". Should be interesting for the non forging members to get some idea of what goes into working with metal.

It will be interesting to see if it's real or schlock (sp?). Right off the bat, if Howard Clark isn't there, they aren't the best swordsmiths in America. Period.

The History Channel is, as my good friend Ric of Viking Sword fame says often, "selling the sizzle not the steak." There is very little information about who the contestants are, but I know a few who have refused to participate. The teaser says the final challenge for the katana is to cut a bullet. That's already been done on TV.

But, the episodes are already in the can, so to speak, by now. The editors will have had their way with the content and the video and the results have been of mixed quality in the past. Let us hope that it won't be too embarrassing to watch and be entertained.

Oh no, it real.

In subsequent episodes, they get orders they have to fill in a short time line, to keep the business from failing, while suffering equipment failure, in a tornado and earthquake, and fight off hungry mountain lions and wolves, in the nude.

They are allowed a small piece of leather if they can tan a mountain lion hide, killed with a knife they made.

But it’s all real, it’s TV, has to be real.

Originally Posted by Euclid440

Oh no, it real.

In subsequent episodes, they get orders they have to fill in a short time line, to keep the business from failing, while suffering equipment failure, in a tornado and earthquake, and fight off hungry mountain lions and wolves, in the nude.

They are allowed a small piece of leather if they can tan a mountain lion hide, killed with a knife they made.

But it’s all real, it’s TV, has to be real.

I love videos about Cattanners.

Every animal has enough brains to tan its own hide.

And, I know a sword smith who forges with only a leather apron, ala Vulcan.

Hope it ties, in the back…

Oh, I get it… Sword Smith…

I made it about 5 minutes into the show when they did the "big reveal" and told the smiths what they had to make for the first project. When they said "9-11 inch blade with serrations" I switched over to Caddyshack on Netflix.

I DVR'd it & watched it last night after work. Really nothing about knife/sword making there, just the same old format that's truly worn thin for me like ink masters & a clothe making show my wife likes to watch for some reason. I was quite disappointed.

Forged in Fire = yawn.

I've had the joy, several years ago, to watch a Japanese master forge a bit of metal first hand right around the corner of where I live. A neighbor had studied under him in Japan and the Sensei came here to help with the finishing touches and inaugurate the forge that my neighbor had built.

I'll watch a few more episodes of F in F just out of curiosity. It might help dull me enough to get a good night's sleep.