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Forged in Fire

Not really hunting related, but since there is at least one knifemaker, or should we say bladesmith, on this site that seems to get pretty good reviews, I thought maybe others might like a new show I have been watching called Forged In Fire (History channel, Mondays). Thought it is pretty cool how they make them and looks like a fun hobby (like I need another one)!
 
I've seen it a couple of times. I was hoping for more "how to" than over dramatized competition.

I'm not much of a blacksmith, I haven't fired up the forge in a few years, but there is something ethereal or perhaps even spiritual about the way the fire dances in the forge, the sound of the air hissing through the coal pile, the smell of the coal smoke, making steel bend to your will, blacksmithing is indeed an ancient skill that helped shape the world. A King's quest was carried out with swords forged by a blacksmith's hands, then those same hands forged the swords into plows to turn the land under.

The shop the show is filmed in has several three burner gas forges. A one burner gas forge roars like a jet engine on take off and I can't imagine the sound all those forges make. It would be deafening. There was an antique trip hammer, a hydraulic press/hammer and I think there was a modern compressed air hammer (which I coveted mightily). The belt grinders were unreal and the walls were lined with extra belts. There weren't many tongs though.

If you recall a couple of the blade makers had trouble with their blades cracking. I have to wonder of that isn't from the powerful forge heating up the steel too fast. Same as if you cool steel too fast.

I had to laugh when a couple of smiths broke the handle off their billets. Too hot just to reach down and pick the billet up but you have to stop yourself from doing it (yes. I've burnt my fingers). They forge welded a stack made of 7 pieces of steel and folded it once but I think they called it 21 layers. I don't know how they came up with 21, it would be 7, 14, 28, 56 etc etc. One of the blades had a nice pattern to the steel, but as far as I know to get a pattern you need to use at least two different kinds of steel to see the pattern. A billet made all of the same steel, no matter how many times it was folded, should all look the same unless the smith allowed slag to form between the layers which weakens the steel dramatically.

Anyway, I've only seen two episodes and I plan on watching them all, even if it is over dramatized. There are tons of you tube videos on blacksmithing. Check out Centaur Forge for blacksmithing equipment. Pricey stuff but you get what you pay for. I made my first forge from an old truck brake drum with a small bathroom exhaust fan for air. My second forge I got from Shovelbuck. I have used it some but not enough. I've got just under 23 months until I retire then it is steel beating time!
 
I have a good friend in Cimarron Nm. that is a Bladesmith and Silversmith that if I ever have a chance to go down and hang with for a period of time I will do it.
He also has a company that builds period correct Blacksmith shops for movie sets. He set the one up in 3:10 to Yuma starring Russell Crow.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Steve-Rick-Custom-Knives-Jewelry/480974998616141

I also liked to the show done on Jeese James when he traveled to Israel to train with Uri Hofi.
http://www.amazon.com/Jesse-James-Blacksmith/dp/B0099JL4X0
 
I've seen it a couple of times. I was hoping for more "how to" than over dramatized competition.

They forge welded a stack made of 7 pieces of steel and folded it once but I think they called it 21 layers. I don't know how they came up with 21, it would be 7, 14, 28, 56 etc etc.

Check out Centaur Forge for blacksmithing equipment. Pricey stuff but you get what you pay for. I made my first forge from an old truck brake drum with a small bathroom exhaust fan for air. My second forge I got from Shovelbuck. I have used it some but not enough. I've got just under 23 months until I retire then it is steel beating time!

Yeah, I would agree about the dramatization, probably overly done too. But it's a competition show I guess and that's what they think the viewers want. I saw the episode with the forge welding. I was thinking they started with 6 pieces and required 12 layers, but one guy went extra and did 21 by using 5 pieces together, folded to make 10, and then folded again with the 6th piece in the middle to get 20 + 1 = 21. At least that's how I think he explained what he was going to do. Yeah, I don't think I'll be entering the forging hobby for a while with the cost and lack of time, but it does look pretty fun and satisfying.
 
I saw the episode with the forge welding. I was thinking they started with 6 pieces and required 12 layers, but one guy went extra and did 21 by using 5 pieces together, folded to make 10, and then folded again with the 6th piece in the middle to get 20 + 1 = 21.

Watched a rerun last night and that is how he did it.

There was another rerun last night. The home forge of one of the finalists was amazing. He had nothing more than a cast iron skillet with a hole in the bottom for air. It wasn't wide enough so he cut a hole in an old satellite dish and propped it all up on a folding chair and I think a stump. I can't remember what he was using as an anvil but it wasn't your ordinary anvil. He won the contest. It just reinforces for me that it isn't the tools, it's the guy doing the work.
 
Saw that one too. I was impressed with his ingenuity on his forge.
Also, I like how the FD didn't shut him down! I was thinking it would take a lot more than that set up to be able to do it, but I guess as long as you can get the metal hot, that's the important thing. I suppose some of the other setups might be more efficient in heating faster.

Last night's was pretty cool with the Crusader swords at the end. I'm learning little bits of terminology from the show as well. I also like that each week they change materials and specs on the weapons they have to make.
 
Also, I like how the FD didn't shut him down!

Last night's was pretty cool with the Crusader swords at the end. I'm learning little bits of terminology from the show as well. I also like that each week they change materials and specs on the weapons they have to make.

When they showed the FD my first thought was which producer dialed 911? I thought they did it as a stunt.

I liked both finalists and the swords they made. For those of you who didn't see the show the final test was cutting though a stack of cow femurs. One sword didn't cut through any of the bones the other cut right through one and part way through another, but bent sideways just a little bit.

I think if I was surrounded by a hoard of angry Saracens I'd rather have a sword that may bend while hacking them to pieces but wouldn't break. The judges who have forgotten more about blacksmithing and sword play than I'll ever know saw it the other way. Both swords were great pieces of craftsmanship.

I think part of the problem with the loser's sword was his short forge. Half of his sword would hang out of the forge and bend when it was hot. I'd like to see more details than they showed on how he straightened it but I have to guess that's why it bent in the test.
 
Thanks to this post I stayed up way too late watching the show last night n some reruns. I like it. There is the dramatization, but what those guys can do in that amount of time is amazing.
 
It does have the "suck factor", in that it will suck you in to watch it! I thought last night was cool with making the Damascus to make the blades from.

Btw...you're welcome bigbuckhunter88!
 
Good show last night. I had never heard of making damascus that way. I wonder what kind of pattern you'd get if you took the billet, twisted it, rolled it and folded it a few times.

Anybody know if they plan on brining back the winners for an ultimate champion?

I'm also liking the hydraulic press over the trip hammer. Not as fast but much quieter.
 
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