Forged in Fire Season 4

[Dennis Mitchell]

James,

Congratulations on the win! It was neat to see you and Rashelle on the air!

[Alan Longmire]

I liked that answer, James.  It reminded me of the old joke: a knifemaker won the lottery.  When asked what he'd do with the money, he said " Well, I reckon I'll keep making knives until the money's all gone."  

[James Helm]

Thank you!

Alan - You're more right than you may realize. 

This is the last of my FiF stuff. It's dominated my week, but now I need to get back to working on Blade Show inventory.

A washed-out look at the push knives I did for the first challenge. They can actually be seen better in the reflections.

The katzbalger in its hideous glory:

My second take on the guard. Didn't like how the first one fit, so abandoned it before I finished out the quillions.

And my second take on the handle since I ground through the side into the channel for the tang on the last day. So many things had to be done several times on this that I named it "der doppleschwert".  The pommel was forged from a piece of pipe with the end cap oxy/acetylene welded on. The TeroTuf of the handle fits down into the pommel and the flared tube rivet goes through pommel, TeroTuf, and tang.

And finally, a YouTube video featuring myself and fellow FiF champion Tobin Nieto (season 2, episode 8, Cutlass) reflecting on the show, our experiences with it, and answering common questions and criticisms. It's as long as an episode of FiF, but I think it's both entertaining and informative.

 

 

[Charles dP]

Congrats James. This aired in the U.K. 2 days ago and I just finished watching it. Well done.

[steven smith]

I hope that katzbalger is built as tough as your bush swords and that someday it gets to scratch at some mesquite or oak!

congrats on the win! 

[Bob Hewitt]

2 hours ago, Charles du Preez said:

Congrats James. This aired in the U.K. 2 days ago and I just finished watching it. Well done.

+1 to that. Good episode, very well done!

[steven smith]

I watched the video you put up, then it is a tough sword! It would be fine at my side should I ever come to face a wooden golem or the like! 

Your bush swords and giant knives have shown me that big blades still have a chance to live in these days!

who would want to use an axe or a saw to cut wood? A big knife slips through space and time as it severs the limb of its target, then it stops frozen in air as the limb of the target floats to the ground. There is magic to stop time with a blade, to create and to destroy, that flash of the blade is an eternity!

In those few utterly perfect cuts I have chanced to make against wood I am awestruck, I have to look at the wood to see how it has moved to allow the blade passage through such a solid object, to try and understand how a convex edge can make a flat perfect cut. There is so much to be learned through the blade. 

 

It brings me into a new life to see that magic is real and to see it wielded by the campions of this day, I am a bit touched by your victory because your blades have always inspired me. Sure the axe and the saw have their place but the blade is in my heart! I may not have ever taken my miniature swords so seriously if I had never known that all blades can and should cut. And my big knives I know must cut!

So again, congratulations on your victory, and thank you for the possibilities you have shown me, you are one of my big inspirations.

 

(you said we were all weirdos so this seems appropriate!)

 

[Charles dP]

Also just watched the video you put up. Excuse the noobness but could you please tell me about that power hammer you are leaning on or at least what it's called so I can get more info? Thanks.