FortyFiver

Dang, it took me a long time to read this whole thread! I'm a huge fan of the show and it's what's got me interested in Bladesmithing. I have to admit, with all the studying I've been doing in this forum and others, it's a lot harder than I thought it would be. The show makes it look a lot easier, when you consider you don't have to do it in 3 or 4 hours at home. It's been too busy with the holidays and graduations to have time to get my forge built, but I have a lot of the parts now and should actually start hammering soon. One thing that was mentioned about the show, and I noticed it too, was the great caliber of people who are Blacksmiths. They all have great personalities and gamesmanship, and don't whine like little babies in defeat. One of the winners, David Mooneyham from Oklahoma City, even invited me to come buy his house and he'll teach me a couple things. I live 90 miles from him. He bought a real nice Anvil and Power Hammer with his winnings to go in the garage of his. They even on occasion helped the competition, and where have you ever seen that? If any of you that like the show are on Facebook, they have a Forged in Fire Group that you can join that is fun to read as you can learn some interesting things about the show and contestants there. A lot of the questions you all had, were answered there. One thing I didn't see mentioned is that Judge Dave, the cool guy with the mustache and the glasses, makes all of the weapons that is to be used in the home challenge. The Judges and a lot of the winners are meeting at the Blade Convention or whatever it's called this weekend in Atlanta. I will also be meeting Ray, who was a fan favorite and won on his second go-around because he is like the head of our Regional ABANA Club called Saltfork Craftsmen. There is a gap in the show right now because of the holidays in it will start back up June 6 and there are like 30 or 40 episodes scheduled! I'm tired and can't remember which number; I'm on my first night shift, and I work 12 hours. Jason (the Yeah Man) has been teaching Will (The Special Forces guy, who you might have seen on a couple of Gun Shows. One show, he competes with the machine gun of the week against another xxxxxx) and Doug ( The It Will Keel Guy) how to Forge. It's funny, in the FB Group, Doug has this Morning Coffee with Doug segment in the morning where he gives his words of wisdom or whatever. He is another xxxxxx that teaches Special Forces and Federal Agents hand-to-hand combat. Jason has been teaching him Forging and I guess Doug has been teaching him Kali Martial Arts, so they put the two together and are coming out with their own Fighting Knife design at the show this weekend. Jason and Neil (I can never remember his name, but really like him), like the other judges are on the set the whole time, so when the contestants are at lunch or somewhere not in the forge (I'm not sure where the contestants are), they start making knives in the forge because they have orders to fill. You see people falling-out all the time because as you guys know, forges are hot, but turn off all the Air Conditioning and the Fans because they are too noisy for the filming. Then, you have those forges blasting heat right next to each other. I would try to get the one on the end, lol. No way could I be on that show no matter how much experience I get, and I have mad respect for anybody that goes on it because I hate people watching me work and they literally have the cameras in your face and they follow you around like a hound dog. They claim the interview process is very extensive and can last a week or two, but we have members here who can attest to that. Everyone wanted to know how the guy got on that said he never did a canister Damascus knive because it sounded like he stated that on the show, but he said he didn't make one well, but apparently, you don't qualify for the show of you haven't. Like the show or not, it has done a lot of good for the hobby or profession of Bladesmithing at least, or working with steel. A Blacksmithing show would be cool where they show some artistic design and see who can duplicate it or something? There are already people in that group that are wanting to start doing all these changes already cause they are bored with it, and I hope not. Like, they want a kids episode, or a all women episode, or fantasy knives episode. A lot of people are like me and want to keep it like it is and let anybody who is qualified compete. There are a lot of people who are tired of African knives, and I can understand that. Everyone has their own taste and preferences though. Thanks to all of you that contribute to this forum and this subject so newbies like me can learn. My hat is off to all of you.

LMAO!!!!! I may be reading this a year later, but, that is the funniest xxxx thing I've seen in a long time, LOL!!!!!!

LMAO! You're not always grumpy, you are funny too! J/K on the grumpy comment, lol

Thanks Frosty, I haven't been here but a couple of days, but, you already have my respect as I have been reading much of what you've written. I will probably tug on your coat-tails once I learn enough to half-way ask a decent question, but, I'm a long ways from there yet, lol.

Hello, I will be joining OkAbana in the morning. I'm hoping you guys are still around, so holler if you are. I would really like to learn what I can from people in my area instead of learning bad habits on my own. I am as new as you can get. I am just now gathering parts to make my first forge and have no tools yet, but, when I get my mind on a mission, I will get it all going. I hope you meet you guys and everyone else I can.