In its humble beginnings, it was about watching people do crazy things for money. So the gun aspect was put aside in favor of the bladed weapons approach the show has found so successful. Retrieved August 2,

The set, referred to as "The Forge," is stocked with a wide range of metalworking equipment, including propane forges, coal forges, grinders, power hammers and hydraulic presses. Once they arrive, they have five days to forge it. So let's not get too judgmental. When Tim Healy, head of programming and development at the History Channel and the creator of Forged in Fire , was first spinning up the idea for reality series, he just imagined a show where people created "weapons" from scratch. This series is hosted by Bill Goldberg and co-hosted by Tu Lam, a martial arts expert and retired member of the Green Berets. Mad Jack Churchill 's Scottish backsword. Will and Doug both came on as judges with absolutely no experience in the blade making department. Everyone who wants a chance at earning the big prize must undergo a background check, a Skype interview, and a telephone interview. Pay attention though, because that's not actually what he says.

The specific idea to have the contestants create bladed weapons came later. Oksy, so Healy had his concept. While reality shows work hard to hide a lot of the boring details from the viewer and thank goodness it obviously takes a lot of skill to get cast on any show focused on a craft like bladesmithing. The final challenge always involves a classic weapon. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. JD Smith is another example. If a sword isn't sharp, it won't kill on the battlefield. A few months later, FBN pulled out of the deal.

Competence is sexy, especially when it involves something exotic like hand-crafting bladed weapons. Chad Bozeman [e]. In a typical episode, the four smiths are presented with a starting material that they must use in the first round to forge a blade in a style of their choosing. Archived from the original on June 1, Often, we'll even see contestants helping each other out when faced with particularly difficult challenges. But still, the producers must've been a little concerned about this lack of knowledge. Namespaces Article Talk. If one weapon suffers catastrophic failure, defined as damage that renders it unsafe or ineffective for further testing, its maker is immediately disqualified.

Of course, this probably would have limited the show's ability to come up with radical challenges. He's never explicitly stated any of this in the show, though. And that's also true for Forged in Fire. Deadline Hollywood. And also the fire. They must attach a handle, choosing from a range of provided materials, and incorporate any additional special features stated by Willis. At least, that's what Doug Marcaida believes. Abbott would replace Neilson in some episodes during the fifth and sixth seasons. Don't try this at home. After applying to be on the show and sitting for multiple interviews via phone and video, he had to actually forge a blade to the producers' specifications and submit photos of the finished product.

Public details about the project are sketchy. Here's another example of the cast drawing them in. If a sword isn't sharp, it won't kill on the battlefield. Chad Bozeman [e]. Once time expires, the judges evaluate the blades based on Willis' criteria and inspect their workmanship, quality, and design, then deliberate privately before announcing their decision. As anyone who's ever interacted with a year-old kid knows, connecting with them can be challenging. JW Randall. Neilson during the show's third season.

But the show's focus on blades and their ability to cut through ballistic dummies and cuts of beef often filmed in cinematic slow motion has had some police and parents' groups in an uproar since its debut. Season two premiered on February 16, and increased to 10 episodes. Only one member of each pair was allowed to work at any time, trading off every 30 minutes in the first two rounds, and every day in the third. Gomes' public defender said "this is just a terrible, unfortunate accident, but it's not a crime. Subscribe to our mailing list. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. While the contestants are provided plenty of water and encouraged to drink it and to take breaks , the show has had several cases of heat exhaustion , and there's been at least one episode season four's " The Katzbalger " where a contestant collapsed, suffering chest pains and heading to the hospital instead of completing the challenge. S Border Patrol agent.

Knives the size of the ones which are crafted on the show would not be allowed outside of the studio. And it's not like the judges don't recognize it. Instead weird recipes for cakes, participants would have to use weird recipes for knives. Of course, this probably would have limited the show's ability to come up with radical challenges. There are only four female Master Bladesmiths in the country, after all. Gene "Giddyup" Hodges Master Sergeant. Imagine the former contestants walking around town carrying a giant sword! Often, we'll even see contestants helping each other out when faced with particularly difficult challenges. Here's the untold truth of Forged in Fire , some of which is really going to surprise you.

Therefore, they have to be considered props. American television series. Indian Two-handed sword. A fan of the show tried his hand at blade-making and ended up nearly burning down the whole neighborhood! So the gun aspect was put aside in favor of the bladed weapons approach the show has found so successful. Producers didn't feel as if that topic brought enough zest, so they spun it into what we see on television today. Even though we know everything we see is a dummy or fake, the show can get pretty gory. Neilson appeared alongside Knight for the Season 4 premiere; Neilson resumed his seat in the eighth episode.

King Charlemagne's " Joyeuse ". Lee Crawford Operations Specialist , 2nd Class. And while the series might seem like an open book, there's actually a lot going on under the surface. Views Read Edit View history. The third challenge involves the contestants going home to craft a historical weapon. Reality Competition. Unlike reality cooking or design shows, where part of the fun is attempting to replicate what you just watched, Forged in Fire isn't the sort of show where you can jump off your couch, excited about fire and blades and wielding a two-pound hammer like Thor. For the first round, the three smiths each bring one weapon to the Forge, in a style of their choosing and created at their home forges, and submit them for testing.

Pay attention to his introduction. By his own admission, "they didn't hire me for my comic timing. Even if daddy is an expert, that still seems like a bad idea. Sure, we all love drama, and watching a bunch of people scheme and plot and riff on some version of "I'm not here to make friends" like they invented the phrase is fun and all, but shows that pit smart, talented people against each other in a test of skill? Someone has to make sure the challenges are doable. The series is hosted by Wil Willis, with a three-judge panel consisting of J. The third challenge involves the contestants going home to craft a historical weapon. Guillermo Mendoza. For their part, the judges don't seem worried about inspiring the youths to violence.

Download as PDF Printable version. It's a strong one, actually. Forged in Fire is produced by Outpost Entertainment. Tizona of El Cid. After applying to be on the show and sitting for multiple interviews via phone and video, he had to actually forge a blade to the producers' specifications and submit photos of the finished product. Willis is a former Army Ranger with a ton of experience using weapons of all sorts, and Marcaida is an edged weapon expert, knife designer, and martial artist. He has over 20 years' experience in making knives and edged weapons. Namespaces Article Talk.

Forged in Fire: Knife or Death spin-off series. The judges J. King Charlemagne's " Joyeuse ". The sixth season premiered on February 6, This is a move aimed directly at the show's younger audience. Boar Sword. They may be nice, but they aren't perfect. And it's not like the judges don't recognize it. There are only four female Master Bladesmiths in the country, after all. Fans of the show know Wil's parting words well: " Surrender your weapon.

We're not gonna lie, the fire has a lot to do with how great this show is. The idea eventually evolved towards bladed weapons specifically, but Healy stuck with his initial inspiration, structuring the format like a cooking show with new competitors every episode. After applying to be on the show and sitting for multiple interviews via phone and video, he had to actually forge a blade to the producers' specifications and submit photos of the finished product. In the second season, only two women braved the forge. Any time weapons are involved, things can get a little complicated. The last two competitors are sent home. Fans of the show know Wil's parting words well: " Surrender your weapon. History original programming.

Simply add your email here and click subscribe. For example, many experienced bladesmiths like Darrell Markewitz have complained that while the show loves a fiery "quench" when the hot metal is plunged into water or oil to rapidly cool it, hardening the metal , it never shows the metal being tempered, which is a slower, less showy process designed to increase the durability of the metal after hardening. This series is hosted by Bill Goldberg and co-hosted by Tu Lam, a martial arts expert and retired member of the Green Berets. Army Officer's Sword. Reality TV has certainly come a long way. Producers and show-runners have been sketch at best about their responses to this. Here's another example of the cast drawing them in. JW Randall. Rick Johnson Lance Corporal.

However, the three "losing" smiths get nothing, aside from a trip to New York City and being on television, of course. We've now discussed the shows roots at length. Nowadays, whatever your niche is, you can pretty much find an reality show dedicated to it. He liked it so much that he decided to forge a sword in his own backyard. Dave Frotton Sergeant Major. Unfortunately, that isn't always the case. If one weapon suffers catastrophic failure, defined as damage that renders it unsafe or ineffective for further testing, its maker is immediately disqualified. A ton of meat products get used to highlight the sharpness of forged blades on the show's spin-off Forged in Fire: Knife or Death. Michal Sielicki.

After applying to be on the show and sitting for multiple interviews via phone and video, he had to actually forge a blade to the producers' specifications and submit photos of the finished product. The fifth season premiered on March 7, Forging fine dining utensils can make for a pretty solid customer base. Lee Crawford Operations Specialist , 2nd Class. Not only is the subject fascinating, it's also educational both in terms of how these things are actually made and the history of some of the weapons they create. Instead weird recipes for cakes, participants would have to use weird recipes for knives. What the fans don't know, is that it's not just for show. Healy also felt that cooking and cutlery just weren't quite right for the History Channel's demographic. The best reality television focuses on talent.

These always involve having to make a blade out of something impossible in a few hours. He has over 20 years' experience in making knives and edged weapons. It's a show about swords and knives. Producers and show-runners have been sketch at best about their responses to this. There are only four female Master Bladesmiths in the country, after all. During the challenges, he often makes snarky remarks about the contestants' methods. Matt Berry S5, Ep 14 Arming sword. Even though we know everything we see is a dummy or fake, the show can get pretty gory. Considering how carefully the contestants are screened for the show, it underscores just how challenging and difficult the blades created for the show actually are.

Healy came up with the idea when his 14 year old daughter introduced him to cooking shows. The final challenge always involves a classic weapon. It's important to remember that the contestants we see on Forged in Fire are true professionals in their craft. Season two premiered on February 16, and increased to 10 episodes. Celtic anthropomorphic sword. Reality Competition. Perry Johnson Army: Combat Medic [e]. Related Topics Lists. He has over 20 years' experience in making knives and edged weapons. Dehnart actually spoke with a spokesperson for the show, who clarified that while the winning weapon is kept on display on their Winners Wall, everyone else gets their weapon back "as a symbol of [the show's] gratitude and out of respect for the amount of work put into the weapon.

Healy also felt that cooking and cutlery just weren't quite right for the History Channel's demographic. There's also an option for one that says " it will cut. Jerry Cripe [e]. The sixth season premiered on February 6, If one weapon suffers catastrophic failure, defined as damage that renders it unsafe or ineffective for further testing, its maker is immediately disqualified. The specific idea to have the contestants create bladed weapons came later. Neilson, Dave Baker, and Doug Marcaida were in the "hot seat" as fans asked them questions about the show, their personal lives, and bladesmithing techniques. Tizona of El Cid.

They claim there are many other places to see this craft in action, and the show only hints at the art of blade-making. But it's important to remember that this is a TV show, after all, and the contestants are working under artificial time and material constraints and striving to create a weapon they're probably unfamiliar with, all on an incredibly hot set that's crowded with equipment and other smiths plus a TV crew. They know how to handle sharp objects and blazing fires so that no one gets hurt, and no property gets damaged. JW Randall. Forged in Fire is an American competition series that airs on the History channel, and is produced by Outpost Entertainment, a Leftfield Entertainment company. Foot Artillery Sword. Lee Crawford Operations Specialist , 2nd Class. Julien Maniglier.

It is actually against the law for the contestants to leave with the weapons that they fashion. During a period when he was recovering from an injury and could not test weapons himself, Marcaida had his younger brother, R. Healy says that the inspiration for Forged in Fire came from his and other developers' love of food competition shows such as Chopped and Iron Chef. Michal Sielicki. Help Learn to edit Community portal Recent changes Upload file. In the city of Cohoes, New York near Albany, a man, inspired by the series, tried to forge a piece of metal over a fire in a barrel near his home. Sure, they were at the top of their game in regards to their own area of expertise, but not in weapon crafting. Dave Frotton Sergeant Major.

While reality shows work hard to hide a lot of the boring details from the viewer and thank goodness it obviously takes a lot of skill to get cast on any show focused on a craft like bladesmithing. At least, that's what Doug Marcaida believes. Oksy, so Healy had his concept. For this episode, the forging time in the first round was extended to three and a half hours. The New York Times. Sometimes, they're presented with a pile of scrap metal and instructed to make a knife out of it. JW Randall. If one weapon suffers catastrophic failure, defined as damage that renders it unsafe or ineffective for further testing, its maker is immediately disqualified.

While the knives on the show serve many purposes, Marcaida's line of weaponry serves just one. Considering how carefully the contestants are screened for the show, it underscores just how challenging and difficult the blades created for the show actually are. Unfortunately, that isn't always the case. It's a fact that the producers are very aware of. On other occasions, they'll have to forgo electricity. The judges may, at their discretion, choose not to subject a weapon to a particular test if it is sufficiently cracked or flawed. Archived from the original on June 1, Matt Berry S5, Ep 14 Arming sword. Judge J. By his own admission, "they didn't hire me for my comic timing.

His original catchphrase was to declare of a worthy weapon: "It will kill. David Baker , a Hollywood prop maker who has appeared on the Spike TV series Deadliest Warrior , [3] is an authority on weapons history [1] and an expert on replicating period-accurate weapons for both museums and films. The show floor has blood on it on a regular basis. Gomes' public defender said "this is just a terrible, unfortunate accident, but it's not a crime. The specific idea to have the contestants create bladed weapons came later. According to The New York Times , the fire got out of control, and the winds did the rest, spreading the fire to Gomes' home and then nearby apartment buildings, eventually driving nearly 30 people from their homes. Neilson was brought onto Forged in Fire for one reason, and one reason only. When Tim Healy, head of programming and development at the History Channel and the creator of Forged in Fire , was first spinning up the idea for reality series, he just imagined a show where people created "weapons" from scratch. In , the two made an agreement.

Boa - zande sword. Neilson was brought onto Forged in Fire for one reason, and one reason only. So the network took that concept and merged it with Healy's knife idea. The show isn't pushing to bring females on just for the sake of it, though, making some wonder just how fair and progressive the series is. Each episode sees four contestants - usually male - compete in the age old art of bladesmithing. Unstable knife-wielding contestants would undoubtedly prove to be unsafe. The final challenge always involves a classic weapon. A few months later, FBN pulled out of the deal.