Forged in Fire

[Raider Bill]

@phishfarmer 

http://www.history.com/shows/forged-in-fire

Anyone been watching this show?

They start with 4 blade-smiths and give them 4 hours to forge and heat treat a particular knife. Never know what the material is going to be. I've seen ball bearings, sledge hammer heads, scraps etc.

1 is voted off by a panel of Judges then the other 3 move on till another is voted off leaving 2.

These 2 have 5 days in their own shop to make a specific weapon again from supplied raw material.

Winner get's $10K

Me knowing nothing about smithing think its interesting to watch.

[Jeff]

Ive watched it. I like it.  I also like cupcake wars. :D ;)

[Magicman]

I have not seen it.  Thanks for the heads up. 

[gspren]

   I've watched it a few times and I like it more than I expected. One time they used sections of old chainsaw chains.

[Bruno of NH]

I like the show very cool .
Jim/Bruno

[Gadrock]

I am a blacksmith.  And yes I have forged quite a few blades. But I do not wish to present myself as  "Sour Grapes" so I will leave a few bits of what i observed before stopped watching.

From the beginning I wanted to see quality bladesmiths...but i did not.

Apparently what I saw was scripted, similar to Axe Men.

Blades can be constructed from just about anything, and can be a quality instrument for cutting. For the audience I did not see where  there was ever an expalnation of the differing qualities of differing metals. I stopped watching.

The program may have regained quality after I became dismayed at the first few shows. If I had to judge it would be on the "erase" mode in the recorder.

NOW for a  little of the good stuff. Ball bearings are generally made of 4150 steel or better is the 52100 stuff. You can google those number and become quickly lost but they are generally good hardenable material. And yes there are many more simple things such as a file or a rasp which is generally considerred  1095 high carbon steel or better. A simple great metal is a spring...considered to be 5160 steel. There is a dependable steel for may good uses.

I commend those that watch and learn from these type programs. Certainly I wished there were more on sawmilling and frame building.

And please excuse my lack of appreciation of the tv program.

David G


carry on

[elk42]

x2

[Texas Ranger]

3X

[Raider Bill]

I wonder if the show was geared toward those that know all or those of us that enjoy seeing even a smidgin of how knives are smithed.

[isawlogs]

  You had me worried when I read the title of this thread... You and fires are always scarryyyyyy...... 

  I want to watch the program ..  :P

[Magicman]

I would watch it for the same reason that I have watched Axe Men, Greatest Catch, & Louisiana Alligators.  Although there is much dramatization, there are some basic skills used that are totally beyond my limited circle of knowledge.  It's entertaining which I cannot say for most of the network programs.

[gspren]

   As I stated earlier I like the show just need to remember that the drama is scripted. I know a bit about metals and they do show enough to convince me that they also know what they are doing, just adding some drama for the camera.

[maple flats]

I also watch and like the show. I like seeing the transformation from a piece of steel into a show piece. It amazes me how quickly they can turn a ball bearing (or 2 etc.) into a very good blade in generally 3 hrs. , then they give the remaining 3 another 3 hrs to craft a handle (and they are allowed time during that 3 hrs to address anything they need to from their first session.

[Brucer]

Many years ago National Geographic made a video on the "living treasures of Japan". One segment deals with the making of a traditional Japanese sword. It's a fascinating process.

[Left Coast Chris]

I liked it.  Most of the contestants appeared to have character and I enjoyed watching their techniques.   If naked and afraid can be nominated for an emmy, the field is wide open 

[Raider Bill]

If naked and afraid can be nominated for an emmy,

You have got to be kidding!

[DanG]

Apparently you can double the ratings of any show by putting "naked" in the title.  : :D
They could do a show called "Naked Forging" but it would morph into "Dancing With the Sparks."

This show is aimed at folks who know little about smithing but want to feel that they are learning, but there are some lessons in there.  The biggest thing I have learned is what happens when you rush your work.  Most of the knives produced are defective just for that reason.

[gspren]

  It helps make you understand the cost of a quality hand made knife.

[loggah]

I havent watched the show,but i have dabbled in"crude" blacksmithing over the years and it is an "ART"A good friend of mine that is a artistic blacksmith has made me a throwing tommyhawk by laminating wrought iron around a hardend steel insert,and also a knife out of a chain saw chain,the handle still looks like a rusty chain and by forging the chain together it gives the blade a damascus looking finish.



  

 

[Bruno of NH]

That's a cool knife .
Jim/Bruno

[Magicman]

This knife that was custom made for me by John Neeman (Janus) is the last item that he personally forged under the "John Neeman" label before he adopted the "Autine" label.  It is forged from D2 steel and my initials are etched on the other side.


 
It has carved on 4 Pig Roast hogs.   



 
He also forged this Carpenter's Axe for me.


 
And he sent me this personally autographed DVD detailing his blacksmithing skills.

[loggah]

Lynn,Those are some nice! Don

[Magicman]

Blacksmithing and Bladesmithing are fascinating skills.  I love watching the artistry as objects are formed.

[sandhills]

And to think I was proud of myself to make a couple tire irons out of sucker rod  :D.  Those are really nice guys!

[Gadrock]

Well the proof is in the pudding! The way they get persons to participate is from some other association. I got my invitation the other day. This receipt shows anattraction from blacksmith organizaions, etc. for a few years I had been the president over the Mississippi Forge Council so I am suspecting that to be the way I got my invitation.

So what is wrong with an invitation? I am not qualified to be on that show. Therre ae many smiths that ARE qualified and could possibly make a better casting than what I saw earlier.

What I am getting to is I would like to see quality bladesmiths on this program. That would show the integrity of the program.

Maybe we should start a section on quality forged or created cutting tools. How about it?

david Gaddis

carry on

[Left Coast Chris]

David,   

It would be great to see you on the show.    No need to be the best at something to participate.   You have earned a spot to show your skills.   Life is short, we hope you reconsider.

[MattJ]

I think the contestants have gotten better over time.  I was interested in it as I took an intro to blacksmithing class with Peter Ross through Roy Underhill's school and I've been considering getting into it as yet another hobby (i.e. to pile up more unfinished projects!).

The thing that struck me is that I am an utlra-newbie and only took intro classes but I saw a lot of the contestants at the beginning violating the simple rules Peter laid out for us day one.  For example they were mashing steel that had cooled way too much in hydraulic presses and trip hammers and cracking the blades all over the place.  Seems to me a mistake that a master wouldn't make. 

The last few shows though had some really great designs that were fun to watch.  I liked watching the one grandfather in his 70's forging.  Worked at a great deliberate pace and made a beautiful knife. 

Matt

[Gadrock]

so tonight I open up my email and lo and behold I received my second invitation to ....well show that I am not totally good enough to do this stuff.

Do I forge weld? yeah   Do I make blades? yeah   Do I care about doing this on tv? Not in the least!

But it is a great experience to watch a good smith at his craft. To watch Bobby Rico or Paul LaBatard...oe even theperfectionist David Messer....you would drool. Yet they could do stuff that would amaze and satisfy your soul. I am referring to nice craftsmen, and we all appreciate the values in each others work. For that I greatly appreciate be welcomed as a craftsman and friend.

The state of Arkansas has more bladesmiths than one could imagine. It seems they live two on each block. There is one of the best bladesmith schools there too.

Peter Ross is a highly reputed blacksmith , instructor, artist, and demonstrator. we tried to get him to come down to Mississippi and his response was ...well it needs to be a bit cooler. I consider it our loss. He sure would be a great demonstrator.

Hopefully I may be able to show some of my craft. Maybe someday my sawmilling will equal my blacksmithing.

david Gaddis


carry on

[Jeff]

David, you should accept. we've seen your work. You may not want to be on tv, but hundreds of your Forestry Forum brethren would LOVE to see you on it.

[pineywoods]

Sawyers and loggers NEED blacksmiths. I have a couple of log grabs that were given to me, probably because they didn't work very well. I took them to my hobby blacksmith brother. He did some magic (re-bent and hardened the tips) now they grab and hold like a logrite cant hook.   ;D I would love to see a general smithing topic on this forum, hint, hint.

[Jeff]

The alternative methods board would be a good place to post such things. I don't think the subject would warrant a dedicated board at this time. It can be hard to find a given board now due to convolution. :D

[beenthere]

Seems we already have a "general smithing" topic in this thread. What more do we need?  ;)  8)

[Paul_H]

The Alternative board would be a good fit

[sandhills]

Personally I wouldn't care to be on tv either, but I would love to see some of your work.  I love the general woodworking board and seeing what everyone accomplishes, it always amazes me at the talent all the folks here have and how they use it.  Umm I can drive a tractor  :D :D :D.

[Raider Bill]

Maybe it is, maybe it isn't but..

Being a city boy I'm pretty impressed with anyone that can take a unknown chunk of steel, forge a knife out of it, in someone else's shop, with equipment that you never used before and do it in 4 hours.

I watch Survivor too. ;)

[Holmes]

  I just saw this thread. Bill I read the title and thought it was about bulldozers.

[Magicman]

 

 
Here is the skillet that member Gadrock forged.


 
And here is a steak flipper being forged for us: Sawdust and Splinters

[Jeff]

http://youtu.be/4x0f2b_0kn0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OCoS81G2CY

[JB Griffin]

I have watched all of um and I agree to a point with Gadrock it seems to be scripted, but after talking with my friend Ray Kirk who was on the last show the drama is somewhat real and the way it is edited. Season 2 should be better if they learned something of what the viewers really want to see.

The first 2-3 shows were disappointing for sure but they started getting better, showing more of the heat treatment and sorta explaining it a little.

I whole heartedly disagree with Gadrock about the quality of the smiths last show had two ABS (American Bladesmith Society) Master Smiths and one Journeyman Smith on it and the other guy didn't have a snowball's chance in you know where.

[maple flats]

I enjoy watching it. However I think the biggest issue is the time they allow the smiths to produce in. Most shows start with 2 segments of 3 hrs. where the smith makes a blade, they are always rushed (at least 1 gave 4 hrs). I think the results would be better if the first segment at least gave them 5 hrs to forge the blade. Segment 2 the 3 remaining smiths address any issues in their blade and then attach a handle and put the finishing touches on the knife. That usually seems to be enough but I've little doubt another hour would produce some truly beautiful knives. Then the 5 days at their home forge might do better with 7 or 8 days. Editing could still keep the show to the hour they are now doing.
At any rate, I've never done any blacksmithing but before I discovered this show I had recently thought I'd like to try. I bought a coal forge, Hand crank blower, 165# anvil and a post vise. This year I'll be building a shop for blacksmithing. I also bought some hardwood lump charcoal and some soft coal. At this point my interest is not to make blades but I'll eventually try a few most likely. My thought is if TSHTF I may need that skill, given the world situation now.

[Ljohnsaw]

Fantastic video links.  Great, there goes another whole segment of my life watching YouTube! :D 

I, too, want to be able to do a little forging.  I made myself a anvil from some 120# rail with added mass and have a semi brake drum I will turn into a forge.  Just need to get (or make?) a hand crank blower.  Wish I was closer to Kbeitz so I could go "shopping"   The plan is to make big hinges for my cabin doors.

[Farmerjw]

  Just need to get (or make?) a hand crank blower.

Many people pipe in a hair dryer.

[Ljohnsaw]

I know, but too stinkin' loud!  I'm planning on no power available, 12vdc at best.  What would be cool is a foot powered one, like bellows or maybe a old peddle sewing machine.

[maple flats]

If you want a bellows blower, there are plans online to build them, I found them when I was looking for a blower and was going to make a forge using a brake drum or a large brake rotor. I got lucky and found a nice vintage cast iron Champion #400 blower in good condition at a fair price. I had been casually looking for a forge for maybe 2 years when I saw an ad in our local Pennysaver. I called and went to look. It turned out the guy had just gotten into it 3-4 years earlier. When he did, he started going all over 3-4 states looking for forges and related equipment. He had acquired 4-5 coal forges made 2 different size gas forges, he had 2 power hammers, about 10 or so post vises, maybe 100+ hammers of all descriptions a bunch of assorted tongs and about 20 or more anvils. However they were not all for sale. I bought what he offered for sale in the adv. plus I also talked him into a 165# Vulcan anvil in like new condition that he didn't really want to sell.

[maple flats]

Now my next move I think is to build a blacksmith shop. I'm thinking something in the 16-20' wide and 20-24 long. I plan to make it simple, just a basic pole type structure with 10' to bottom of the truss cords, likely stone dust floor, packed, anvil mounted to a "stump" made from a log buried below frost line and plenty sturdy. My Coal forge has no hood, so I'll make a hood and then run the stack up thru the steel roof. Might likely be sided with board hemlock and no batten. A couple of windows and I will wire it from the main panel at the sugarhouse, which is 200A, might run 60A 240 direct burial to the shop. Will have LED lighting which is bright.

[Al_Smith]

Well my name is Smith and yes I came  from a long linage of metal workers .I know basic blacksmithing and although I've made knives I've never forged one .

As for the show,like any reality thing it's obviously scripted .----BTW a power hacksaw blade makes a dandy knife .

[maple flats]

My blacksmith shop is one step closer. This fall I bought a 14' x 28' storage shed (mostly for maple needs), and I had a door for a future blacksmith shop put in the back, 14' wall. I'll be adding a lean-to roof along the 28' west wall which will add 8' width, then  I'll build a 12'-16' x 22' (original 14' + 8' added on west side) blacksmith shop on the back.
Back to Forged in Fire, I recently saw an episode where a woman was the winner over 3 men. On that episode they had to start by making their hammer and then forge the knife in the same 3 hrs. A lot of the issue is time pressure, I'd much rather the time allowed was longer so the smiths could have enough time to do a more complete job. Many times the blade is just being quenched in the last 3-4 minutes in round 1. Too much rush-rush for my liking.

[starmac]

Years ago I knew an old timer that still made a living blacksmithing, he was in his 80's iirc and his bread and butter was, at the time building teeth and cutting edges for construction equipment. The thing I remember the most about himwas his massive right arm, would have made popeye jealous.

I know a guy in New Mexico that makes a living, or did just a few years ago doing old time blacksmithing. He was a genuine artist and had found a niche in the high end housing market, People would contract him to do a whole house, door hinges, cabinet hinges and handles, toilet paper racks, everything youcan imagine and then some more. he also had a furniture factory going that incorporated his blacksmithing, building new furniture that looked like it was an antique. He had quite the business going and was making a name for high end work.