Is it worth watching?
Is it like a cooking show with knives?
Is it worth watching?
Is it like a cooking show with knives?
For me it was simultaneously very interesting and amazingly dumb. The "watch a bunch of guys hammer out knives before your very eyes" aspect was cool.
But every heat had a "shank a ballistic dummy with the knives" round followed by catchphrase "IT WILL KIIIIILLLLLLL". I might be turning into a cantankerous old fart, but for me it got old real fast. EVERY. SINGLE. ROUND. EVERY. SINGLE. KNIFE.
I kind of liked the war hammers.....you could tenderize the crap out of a chicken breast with one of those!
Guys sorry to say but after my one viewing it looks like a pretty lame show. If it had less showbiz and more technical focus it would be interesting but, as is I can't stand the hype from the announcers.
I guess I need to stick to the Science Channel or something.
I know a smith who was invited to be involved with this show last season. He declined. The whole concept belittles the art and craft inherent in what bladesmiths do, and most of the smiths I know who DID accept have been flooded with orders...only, the potential customers FREAK when they're given the price.
"But, I saw you make a knife in three hours!!"
Even the smith I mentioned above who declined (for that specific reason), fends off 10 or more potential 'customers' like that a week.
"But I saw Rich Greenwood of Pokabu-Forge make a knife in three hours!!"
Bleh!
No thanks.
A number of years ago I spent a week in a knife fighting class put on by Gunsite. The late Phil Hartsfield had a cutting demonstration with his knives that was really impressive. After the demonstration most of the people in the room rushed up to get his catalog only to take one look at this prices and throw the flier back down on the table! The general public still thinks anything over maybe $50 for a knife is astronomical.
I finally caught the show that Mareko was on and well I'm going to say it, "he got hosed". I have no idea how he didn't win. I think I'm finished watching this unless it's by accident.
The third show in the second season simply made the conditions the makers had to work under too hard. I doubt very few ABS mastersmiths could have done any better. A properly heat treated sword with a blade over 40-inches long is just something none but a handful of specialist would had any experience with. Same for that open hand cranked coal fired forge. The Romans told of fighting barbarians that had to stop and straighten their bent sword blades with their feet so last night was not without historical context.
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