(To be fair, it did appear that in E1 and for some in E2 they were able to use 'standard bars' - but did they know if those came pre-annealed? It was never stated this was so. This is especially a problem since most contestants are working with 'salvaged' materials - which are sure to have unknown (undesirable?) qualities as they start. Near as I can tell from the video, *none* of the twelve so far has been seen to pre-anneal their starting material. Coil springs, especially 'old school' types like the ones shown, are in fact a *middle* carbon steel, most typically a 1045 (so roughly.
Primarily here in E3, when 'rail car spring' was described as 'high carbon tool steel'. (more on this under 'methods').ī) Incorrect description of carbon content in 'found object' source materials. Yet the process looked for is quenching from high temperature - which is *hardening*. This comes up continually, when contestants are being told they need to submit a 'working weapon' which needs to be 'tempered'. (A mechanical hammer using for forging is NOT a 'trip hammer' - certainly not the small mechanical hammer used!, etc, etc. The commentary / narration is even worse. Generally I find the language used by the 'experts' vague and often incorrect. Everything is paced and created for drama - including almost anything people are seen to be stating. This is hardly an even playing field there! Episode three was the most dramatic example of this, one individual was fully equipped with a power hammer and a lot of specialized tooling - the other was working with a forge made from a cast iron pot with a hair drier.įorget actually *learning* anything about actual bladesmithing. (Exactly what test is used changes every episode.) The final pair then go to their home workshops and have five days to complete a version of a historic weapon type. The next goes when the 'finished' knives are subjected to the functional tests mentioned above. First goes after three hours, when the rough forged to first polish and heat treating (?) is checked. Two individuals of the four are eliminated during the in studio segment (total 6 hours available) making a 'blade of their own design'.
Most of the footage is of the 'function' tests - one picked for 'hacking', one picked for 'slicing'. Stress is placed on bad working process, especially if mistakes or flares of anger are involved. There is more time allotted to polishing, especially if there are sparks involved. In these programs the amount of time when actual forging is seen is extremely limited. I was assisted here by my friend Neil Peterson, who ended up having to provide me several different file versions before I had one I could view on my 'not newest and greatest' computer.) (A note on the links : History Channel has decided that to view any of these clips, they want you to have virtually the latest version of Flashplayer to have them play correctly. The remaining three then have an additional three hours to potentially correct forging errors, finish polish, and apply a handle from provided materials. One individual is eliminated at this spot. Sometimes they start with a fixed material not shown until they start, sometimes they can select from several types.Īt this point the rough blade blanks are examined for required size, checked to see if there are major flaws. I should preface this by stating that I think 'reality TV' is nothing like real life - and is basically stupid.Ĭontestants are given 3 hours to forge a bar into a blade profile, which then is supposed to be 'tempered' (as I will elaborate on, this is in fact quench hardening only). Forged in Fire might have been the result? (The exact name or theme was never described by the way.) Then it turned out they did not want a copy of my actual CV - but wanted me to send an 'audition tape'! I knew this was not something I really wanted to be involved with.
#Forged in fire cutting deeper professional
I have been getting a large number of general 'have you seen it and what to you think' comments.ģ) I had been contacted about a year ago by a production team putting together a new program for the History Chanel, which was described as 'seeking professional blacksmiths'. Needless to say, I was wondering where that particular brand of misconception was suddenly coming from.Ģ)There has been a general buzz about this. Kind of 'can I come make a sword in two days' things. I have started watching these mainly for a number of reasons:ġ) I am getting a rush of requests for 'beginner to bladesmith' courses. "Each week, the best blade makers go head to head…" So - I started watching ' Forged in Fire'
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