[Malankazooie]

I hear ya. The testing is probably the best part about the show. Although I do love me some expert smithing when it is on display (ex. episode with Daniel Casey). Not like that doofy guy who won this most recent episode. Did you see how he took a utility knife to strip down the handle of the first weapon challenge?

If they did incorporate more testing, it might be too much and really not a "forging" show at that point. They could probably add a little bit more testing though.

[Malankazooie]

Back last night after taking a break last week (History ch. had a "car week" last week it seems). Anyway, cool final weapon in this one. Once again J. Neilson went all agro with the knives forged in the first challenge. He took it to those bike frames like they looked at his daughter the wrong way. Then with final weapon testing, we got Doug Marcaida thrusting and slashing on pig carcasses. Cool stuff. Then alas, David Baker's testing quickly ends when "catastrophic weapon failure" occurs.

[acesn8s]

Briar King, on 19 July 2018 - 10:46 PM, said:

The number of snapped final weapons this season is crazy high compared to the others.

I wonder if they are running out of new, quality smiths?

[Nicodimas]

acesn8s, on 20 July 2018 - 01:56 PM, said:

Briar King, on 19 July 2018 - 10:46 PM, said:

The number of snapped final weapons this season is crazy high compared to the others.

I wonder if they are running out of new, quality smiths?

Well some of it has to do with the behind the scenes stuff.

Some smiths can’t afford to be flown out for a week, where they lose money on sales. Small business owners and lots of people are part time with main jobs too.

+ at forge ins its always on and Smith’s tease the show relentlessly.

This post has been edited by Nicodimas: 20 July 2018 - 10:06 PM

[acesn8s]

Such dumb looking knives.

[Malankazooie]

Agree about the friction folder knives. Some of the ones this go around looked like they were little more then fillet blades (there was hardly anything to them).

The final challenge was pretty cool though. We finally got to see David Baker's skill. I liked how he expertly flicked those smallswords to slice open those sand bags.

[Malankazooie]

Well, we got to see Doug decimate a big horn sheep carcass in the finale, but that didn't make up for how horrible this episode was.

Two catastrophic weapon failures in the opening challenge. The one guy barely met the requirement of creating a blade that integrated the two metals. He friggin' drilled a hole in his blade and then shoved a pin in there he cut from the steel nut.

And then the metal head looking dude that advanced to the last challenge pretty much gave up and didn't even turn in a blade that met the requirements - just gave up on the requirement to use molten brass to create the human likeness on the weapon (Celtic Anthropomorphic Short Sword).

The molten brass foundry work was kind of fun though. Reminded me of the end of T2 when Ahhnold sunk into the molten metal and gave that bawling little booger eater the thumbs up.

New phrase for when they fuck up: "Dump that piece of shit you call a weapon into the trash and get the fuck out of my forge immediately, or Doug is going to replace you with one of our gel ballistic dummies in the next challenge."

[acesn8s]

I wonder if Doug hadn't been injured recently, would he have tried to use the sword.

That was a disappointing episode.

My wife is starting to get into the show. A home forge may be a possibility in the future.

[Malankazooie]

I thought about the home forge myself. My neighbors would hate me if I did. Though I was wondering, do you have to get some kind of special permit or license to do it? I mean having that set up would probably violate some building code, right? Slow Ben probably knows.

[Malankazooie]

In the opening challenge one dude missed three requirements to advance. Granted it was a difficult challenge for sure (coal forge, outside in the sun, San Mai). But damn, dude started over two times. With 45 min. left, I knew there was no way he was going to get even close to having a blade to take into the next round.

The next three make it to the testing, but one dude's blade barely even scratches the ham. I think it's the first time I've heard Doug say: "it will not cut."

Final weapon was cool, but once again we get a "catastrophic weapon failure" on the first, kill (or 'keel' as Doug would say) test. Still, it was cool watching Doug swing the swords at hanging sheep carcasses.

Fun Fact - this most recent episode was #23 of the current season.

[acesn8s]

Loved the hilt on the one sword, too bad it broke.

I do love the look of Damascus steel blades.

[Malankazooie]

Both those swords were worthy of being put on display. Sucks that the one broke on the first test. I would have liked to see how they held up under the strength test and the "will it still cut" test. Of course, after J. Neilson got done with them for the strength test, they probably wouldn't be worthy of display anymore. I get the feeling he works out any of his pent up anger and internal stresses during the show and those tests he does.*kapow! *kapow *kapow *cling *plink "We have a problem, your blade suffered a catastrophic failure."

[Malankazooie]

Any one else LOL when Doug said:

Quote

This one is for butter and this one is for jam. Now make them to kill a vampire, a zombie and a mummy.

Uh, a 'mummy' Doug?

Last weapon they chose for the final two contestants was bad ass. Guy who's pommel couldn't hold up to J.'s ice brutality (damn you J., dial back the agro on these tests man), his sword way out performed the other contesntan's on the kill test (hanging boar carcasses).

Some fun info: Another new episode next week, then Forged in Fire comes back Sept. 12 on a new night (Wednesdays instead of Tuesdays).

[acesn8s]

I liked that they had to make 3 railroad spike knives is the beginning. It was really cool, and nice to see everyone's take on the theme.

[Malankazooie]

acesn8s, on 24 August 2018 - 11:42 PM, said:

I liked that they had to make 3 railroad spike knives is the beginning. It was really cool, and nice to see everyone's take on the theme.

Except for the one guy who cut off the heads, after the challenge had been explained to them.

[Malankazooie]

Dammit J. !

Did you have to abuse that first one like that. Then Wil says to the second guy: "Your Sengese must withstand nine strikes on the shield to win Forged in Fire, are you ready?". Then J. with the first strike - *whomp! *cling! *plinkplink

Dude's weapon way outperformed the winner's too on the kill test. The thing stabbed into that ram's carcass like room temperature butter.

[Malankazooie]

Damn, there was a new episode last night. I thought the one last week was the last one on Tuesday nights, then a week break and next week returns on Wednesdays. Anyway, glad habit had me flip to it.

Did you guys see beard boy pour hot sauce on his banana? What a weirdo. Beard boy won though.

In the final weapon challenge Doug brought out the assassin shadow dancer in himself and whirled and twirled as he brought those bad ass spears to bear on those ballistic dummies. The coup de grâce was when Doug was done and was explaining how well the weapon performed and one of the heads of the ballistic dummies fell to the floor.

[champ]

I've got a couple of eps to catch up on but man I love how medieval J. Neilson goes when testing the blades. You can see he has an inner delight in trying to destroy the blades.

[Malankazooie]

champ, on 05 September 2018 - 03:44 PM, said:

I've got a couple of eps to catch up on but man I love how medieval J. Neilson goes when testing the blades. You can see he has an inner delight in trying to destroy the blades.

Yeah man. he messes with the contestants to; he'll say, "are you ready", and if the guy says, "not really" (or something along those lines), J. will respond "I'm gonna do it anyway."

In last night's episode he left bits of a knife embedded in the metal band that holds a whiskey barrel together.

[acesn8s]

You know some poor production assistant had to run down to the local grocery store to get bananas for the judges during that episode.

I want to see Doug destroy more gel dummies with various spears now.