FIF Beat the Judges

[shane45]

I know that FIF isnt a big fav here but I raise my right hand and admit that I like the show. Now the new Beat The Judges, I thought was very good. I particularly liked the episode with Burt Foster. I think it was the best FIF episode to date.

[Conner Michaux]

I enjoy Beat the judges quite a bit, they have so much more time to make what ever it is they need to make and you really get to see their techniques and the ways they deal with various issues and challenges. 

[billyO]

I checked out S1Ep2 on Youtube:

and am wondering, is this was the way it was originally aired? 

If so, I think it was so poorly edited and confusing that I stopped watching about 1/2 way through.

Edited June 27, 2020 by billyO

[Gerhard Gerber]

I like it as well, they have plenty champions they can recycle and this improves the level of competition.

 

My ambition of taking part in an international edition is dead, won't be able to make anything inside those time limits.

 

@billyO I doubt you'd find a proper copy on youtube......and if you do it won't be up for long.  

[Daniel W]

I always thought there should be a weight parameter included in the final challenge.  There's enough data on historical blades to produce something more . . . accurate that what I used to see on the show.  I haven't watched it in many years now. 

 

My hats off to anyone that has done the show, I'd never attempt it.

 

[Gerhard Gerber]

Not sure where but I think it was a youtube video by a participant that gave some insight about the behind the scenes stuff, including wardrobe, which I found kinda funny.

They have to make a viable TV show at the end of the day, which obviously comes with challenges.

My biggest gripe for the first seasons was tempering was never shown or even mentioned, I'm sure they didn't hear me complain so I guess a lot of people remarked on that.

In later seasons they mentioned each time the blades had been tempered, and even better with the new show that step is included.

 

My hair stands up when I get the impression that a contestant is building a persona that would make them more likely to be brought back, too showbiz for my liking but unavoidable as the show grows I guess.

Also recently watched a Q&A by Alec Steele and Will where they said they were unlikely to ever take part, I find that sad because they are very skilled young smiths, and those are my favourite winners.

 

I believe there's more good than bad to the show, and any person who gets to the point where they heat up a piece of steel and beat it with a hammer should know the basics well enough to look around the BS, at best learn something, or at least be inspired.
By the time you end up here it's too late for you anyway   

[steven smith]

in forged in fire the judge look for potential flaws in blade and then try to break them on purpose, there is no testing or trying, doug slapped a dead pig in its ass with the flat of a claymore and it bent. is that a big surprise or a big ass? doug really just gave up and said it was a bad blade and did a crap job.

 

its bias and it has no place in knifemaking. that claymore still cut the pig, it worked, testing is what matters. not just breaking things down because you think you see something wrong with it. whats wrong with a sword that cuts?

 

its just more ignorant entertainment.

 

disgusting.

 

iron age viking swords

 

katana

 

a million swords

 

all bent and all killed and all lead the way

[Geoff Keyes]

I am a FiF alum, and I would like to put in a word or two.

 

1)  The judges are not looking for flaws to exploit, but they are going to test them and test them hard.  An obvious problem that might get a person (like the tester) hurt is a good reason to fail a blade.  In fact Jay Neilson has been hurt several times and is wearing body armor in the most recent seasons.

2)  If they can't test 2 blades in the same manner, if for instance they have to make allowances for a blade that has bent or broken, then the tests aren't fair.

I remember the claymore and I had a chance to look at the losing blade (that one was still on set when I shot my episode).  The handle was a problem, too fat, too round.  Doug hit flat because of a poor design choice.  The winning blade performed much better, that is why it won.  The historical blades we have to examine are the equivalent of an NFL highlight reel.  You're not seeing the blades that broke, or bent 

 

The tests are brutal, way more brutal than you would put a blade through in any reasonable test.  To some extent you have to build to the tests.  A beautiful blade that snaps off in the first strike is useless.

 

Geoff

[Gerhard Gerber]

I watched the latest episode last night, first round elimination was due to bad handle design, ditto for the previous episode IIRC.

 

The competition has certainly kicked up a notch.......but last night I did find something to complain about - Beat the Judges episodes need to be at least an hour long 

 

My only complaint about the testing is the order of the tests, it does not make sense (for me) to do the cut test after the strength test which is likely to damage the edge......except if  one blade takes no damage and aces the cut test, that makes it a clear winner.....except if it's KSO with and axe edge and not really a knife 

If the strength test will obviously be destructive no matter how good the steel/HT, just do it last.

[Gerhard Gerber]

Some interesting episodes since "normal" programming resumed......

[Gerhard Gerber]

Season 8 really ended with a bang, and Ben Abbott is clearly a Terminator robot in a skin suite, physically I'm pretty sure some of those challenges would have broken me.

 

A bit sad because torrents are the only way I get to see the show, and the rippers got E3 and E4 of Season 9 and nothing since, no sign of the first two episodes or any since.

They weren't off to a great start with the Best of episodes which were a rather uninteresting rehashing of previous final round weapons based on area of origin, still, leaves a big hole in my home entertainment 

[Ted Stocksdale]

I agree, the "Beat Ben Abbott" episodes were really interesting to watch, and yeah: I'd have liked more detail too.  Wish he still posted here, he seems nice on the show.  

 

[Christopher Price]

Ben's a fine man, treated me very well when I was on set.

 

Doug is probably my favorite person there, though, just in total character.

 

I enjoyed the game, understand its limitations, and mostly appreciate what it taught me about my own skill set. Fun fact, nothing I made on tv was anything I'd ever made before on my own... but several of them were things I'd thought of, deeply, before the challenge came to me. That helped a lot, as well as having experience in many different shops over the years.

 

Also, having a degree in TV production helped me block some good shots that made the final edits.

[Don Abbott]

I tend to remember names very well and it is amazing how many folks I've seen on FiF that I have crossed paths with on this forum. My wife understands what I mean when I say "Hey, I know him!".

 

 

[Bruno]

Hadn't kept up with the show much these days. Don't watch much TV and too busy to sleep most days.  But, I managed to catch an episode the other day.  Think it was season 9, the Blackout episode.  First I've seen in a while.   My favorite part about the show has always been seeing the forging, triumphs and mistakes included, and learning something.  And the chaos and destruction is always a plus.    Seeing the smiths go back to roots using just hammer and anvil and fire was nice to see.   The last few episodes of the show that I've watched felt rushed and more focused on the end result than the path to it.    Education, hitting hot stuff and destruction.   I'm easy.

 

But I'm also weird and can dr00l over blacksmithing and knife videos all day.  So I guess it's possible that all the viewers at home don't necessarily feel the same way.

 

Wish them the luck with their new season.   Spread the craft.

 

Edited May 12, 2022 by Bruno

[Gerhard Gerber]

12 hours ago, Bruno said:

But I'm also weird and can dr00l over blacksmithing and knife videos all day.  So I guess it's possible that all the viewers at home don't necessarily feel the same way.

By the time I sit down to watch FiF I only want to be entertained, and forget about my poo-eating job resetting password for people that want to be somewhere else (just like me), I don't have the need or capacity to learn anything at that point.  The only channels that occasionally straddle that divide for me is That Works, Kyle Royer and Will Stelter
My list of knife maker and black/blade smith subscriptions is extensive, and I very much use (and thank) then as a resource when I want to try something new, but I'm over the beginner I'm-a-sponge phase   
I used to be real bad, like didn't miss and watched the whole Thursday night ApostleP knife sale, drinking beer and drooling......

[Bruno]

8 hours ago, Gerhard Gerber said:

That Works, Kyle Royer and Will Stelter

 

Always something new to learn. Those channels are good.  I get the shutting off the brain bit.   Though sometimes I wish I was resetting passwords or fixing the email servers again.   Still code a bit, when I'm not exhausted.    You can only dig so many holes before you just stop giving a *bleep*...