Forged in Fire (2015–…): Season 9, Episode 13 - Gladiators of the Forge: Let the Battles Begin - full transcript
- Here in the forge, we have
seen hundreds of smiths
Create some of the most feared
edge weapons in history.
Now, in honor of history's
miniseries event "colosseum,"
We have decided
to transform our forge
Into a roman gladiators arena.
Over the next few weeks,
We are doing
a competition series
Unlike anything
you've ever seen.
This is
"gladiators of the forge."
Over the course
of the next five episodes
And ten battles,
we will see bladesmiths
Go head-to-head
in sudden-death competitions.
The winner will become
the gladiator of the forge,
And earn a check for $5,000.
Then they'll have
the opportunity to go back
Into the arena and fight again.
Now, if they keep winning,
They will earn more
and more money
With bonuses along the way.
Tonight the battles begin
with a lot on the line.
One of these fierce competitors
Has a chance of winning every
single one
Of these competitions
And, with that,
the most amount of money
We have ever given out
in "forged in fire" history...
- Whoo!
- Who has what it takes
To become
a gladiator of the forge?
The competition starts now.
- Hi, I'm alex silverman.
I'm from manchester,
new hampshire.
I'm 30 years old, and I've
been doing this for 4 years,
About 2 of those full-time.
I do armored combat.
I've got scars to prove it.
So I think I would be a great
gladiator of the forge.
If I were to choose
a gladiator name,
I'll go by the name I already
fight under, thorfin jarnison.
Victory will be mine!
- My name is kurt.
I live in chugach, alaska.
I'm 31 years old, and I am
a full-time bladesmith.
I don't know if I could
consider myself a gladiator.
The old actual gladiators
were terrifying.
But as far as
a modern-day competition,
I absolutely feel
like I can win.
- Well, alex, kurt, gentlemen,
welcome to the forge.
This is a competition
we are calling
"gladiators of the forge."
We're gonna start off today
with the two of you
Going head-to-head
in a forging competition,
Where you'll be building
a blade from start to finish.
Now, when the time runs out,
You're gonna turn
those blades over,
And they're gonna be put
through a series of tests
By our esteemed judges.
Now, at the end of that testing,
One of you will be chosen
as a gladiator of the forge.
Now, this is where
things get exciting.
We have ten rounds
in this competition,
And for every round that you win
Will come with a check
for 5 grand.
If you win 5 times in a row,
You will earn
a bonus of $10,000.
But if you choose to continue
on and win all of the battles,
You'll earn a total bonus
of $25,000.
That's a total of $75,000.
- Holy balls.
There's a lot of money
on the line.
I really want that.
- All right,
we got to figure out
What you're both
gonna be building
From our wall of roman weapons...
All featured in history's
miniseries event "colosseum,"
As well as
the forge-welding technique
That you're both gonna use.
And we're gonna leave it up
to a coin toss.
Now, gentlemen, this coin
comes from the roman empire,
And it dates back
about 2,000 years,
And it's gonna decide which one
of you gets a choice first.
Alex, if this coin lands
on heads,
You get to pick either
the weapon you want to build,
Or you choose
the forge-welding technique.
Kurt, if it lands on tails,
you choose first.
Now, whatever aspect
of the challenge
Hasn't been chosen
by the first smith,
The other guy's
gonna get the choice.
Here we go.
All right, gentlemen,
it landed on heads.
Alex, you get the choice.
Do you want to pick the weapon
That you guys
are gonna be building,
Or do you want to go
with the technique?
- I'll pick the weapon.
- All right.
We've got ten weapons here
on the wall of roman weapons.
Make your choice.
- I like the look of that falx.
That looks like a fun build.
- Falx. All right.
- The falx is a fierce
first-century weapon
Used by dacian
and thracian warriors...
Enemies of rome hailing from
modern-day eastern europe.
This unique sword features
at forward-curved blade
Sharpened on the inside
That was designed to deliver
deadly slashes and cuts
Upon any enemy in its path.
The falx was so lethal,
the romans adapted their armor
To help protect their soldiers
from its devastating blows.
- I've done a lot of work
with things of this length
And with curvature in the metal.
So I think it'll be
a great weapon
That'll really showcase
what I do best as a smith
And might trip up my opponent
a little bit.
- Your blade length,
measured from tip
To where the cutting edge ends
in a straight line,
Needs to be
between 23 and 25 inches.
Your blade needs to have
a depth of curve
Of at least 3 inches.
You need to have fuller
on both sides of your blade
And a handle
that includes a pommel.
Now, alex,
you got to choose the weapon.
Kurt, that means
you get to choose
The forge-welding technique
that you both must use.
- I don't do a whole lot
of long blades.
So I want something
that I'm comfortable with.
- What do you got?
- Let's do a twisted damascus.
- All right, twisted damascus.
All right, gentlemen,
You will only have eight hours
of forging to complete this.
At five and a half hours
into this competition,
Your forges will be turned off.
Now, at the end of the day,
gentlemen,
One of you will be chosen
As the first
gladiator of the forge
And get a $5,000 check.
Good luck. Stay sharp.
Your time starts now.
We've got $75,000 on the line
for these guys right now.
This is intense.
Eight hours might
seem like a long time,
But, you know, these guys
are building the falx.
- I think ben and I would tend
to disagree with you.
Eight hours does not seem
like a lot of time.
- No. No, no, no.
- I've never done
twist damascus before,
But I'm pretty confident
I can handle it.
- All right, guys,
vote of the thumbs...
You guys happy to sit
and make damascus...
With a twist.
- I really want to have
a vibrant pattern,
And I find that super-high
layer counts
Have this tendency
to not show up super well.
So I stack my steel...
Two 15n20, two 1095,
et cetera, et cetera.
And what this does
is it lowers my layer count.
- You can do a low-layer twist,
And it can be bold
and really cool,
But when it's that wide,
A low layer twist
just kind of looks
Like a couple of stripes
going across it.
- As a queer gentleman,
A big part of coming here for me
Is showing the world
that it's cool
To be a flamboyant queer
who pounds hot steel
And then goes home
and paints your nails,
Does your makeup, and, you know,
Enjoy some of the delights
that the world offers.
- My plan for the billet
is to start with 20 layers,
Cut the billet in half,
so I can get to 40 layers.
That will help me really make
the blade stand out.
- You guys happy with
the decision to make the falx?
- Yep.
- Oh, yeah. I like that.
- One, two. Doug?
Three thumbs up.
- I joined the military in 2011,
And my experience
under pressure in the army
Really taught me
how to deal with stress,
Taught me time management,
and that's really going
To help me out
through this competition.
$75,000 will be fantastic.
I'll be able to do
a lot with that.
- It's really important
To get up to a proper
welding temperature,
'cause if you're too cool
when you forge-weld,
It's gonna splay apart,
And you're gonna end up
with a banana at the end.
And nobody wants that.
That's what I'm looking for.
This is the big
harrowing moment.
I'm worried
about shearing a weld
Because it could
blow apart on me.
- It looks like alex's billet
Is starting to consolidate
and his welds are sticking.
, yeah.
I've got the weld set.
I'm drawing things out.
Oh, beautiful.
Beautiful, bro.
I'm feeling pretty good.
- Never heard of gladiators
dancing before.
- It looks like
the forge welds have taken.
I'm extremely happy.
So now I just need to begin
stretching this billet out.
Pretty is not a parameter.
However, I think alex is gonna
turn in a very good blade.
So my only hope is
that having the 40 layers
Instead of the 20 layers
Is what ends up winning
this competition.
- You know, I love to see
the smiths go above and beyond,
But adding an extra forge weld
Could be that straw that broke
the camel's back
And throws him
out of the competition.
- Yeah, you don't want to go
Above and beyond the time limit.
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
- Welding!
- All right, bladesmiths,
you have six hours left!
- Whoo.
So now I'm ready to twist.
This is a real do-or-die moment.
Every single one
of those forge welds
Has the chance to just burst
apart at this point,
And there's nothing really you
can do other than start over.
Oh.
Why do they not bolt
this vise to the floor?
It's moving all around.
It's really hard
to get a purchase on.
The twist is
one of the parameters.
If I don't get the twist done,
I could be going home.
- That twist damascus
is a big hurdle,
'cause to end up with a sword,
you need to have a big billet.
So twisting a big billet
is a pain in the neck.
So the second time around,
I know
where I need to put my foot
So it doesn't just
walk around on me.
And I'm able to get
a nice full twist in there.
- Now, execution
of the technique...
You guys happy
with what alex did?
Ooh, general consensus
said no... why?
- That was, like, what,
one and a half twists?
- Yeah, it was a bare minimum
to get a twist in there.
- Then by the time
you draw it out,
The twist is gonna disappear.
- Take a look at kurt.
I think he just got three
full turns on this one heat.
- I love it.
- I want to get enough twist
that you really get
To see that nice twist pattern.
However, if I twist too much,
There's a chance that I end up
cutting the billet in half.
- Kurt did a lot more twists
than alex did
And has more
visible layers than alex.
So I think you'll get
a much more vibrant pattern.
- Now I can start working
on shaping the blade.
- Bladesmiths, we are
officially at the halfway mark!
You have four hours left!
- There's a clock ticking,
and I got to go.
I'm working on bringing
the thing into shape.
I'll strike the edge of
the blade over my anvil horn.
Just keep working it
until I have it at a point
That I'm happy with it.
Yeah!
So now it's time to quench.
- Keeping that long thin curve
evenly heated...
Quenching's gonna be tricky.
- This is the time
that so much can go wrong.
Maybe there's an inclusion
that I missed
Or a cold shut
that could blow apart.
If something does go
catastrophically wrong,
I don't know
if I have the time to fix it.
- Alex quenched.
- Nope...
My heart sinks.
If my blade isn't hardened,
it's not a blade
And it doesn't meet parameters.
Gonna have to requench,
just the way it goes.
- Apparently he's not happy
with it,
'cause he is back
in the forge again.
- One side's heating up
differently than the other.
- Every time you quench a blade,
You increase the chance
Of warping, twisting,
delaminations, cracking.
But I really don't have
a choice.
I hope this works out.
If this goes wrong,
I could be going home.
- Guys, we're in the first-ever
"gladiators of the forge"
competition.
We're seeing that we've got
two very talented smiths
That are fully capable
of turning in strong falxes
For these tests.
It's a nail-biter.
- Yeah.
- One of them is gonna get
a chance at $75,000.
Alex was able to get
his blade quenched,
But apparently he's not happy
with it
'cause he's back
in the forge again.
- I have to quench again.
I am very nervous.
If this goes wrong,
I could be going home.
Here we go.
- All right, alex just quenched
for a second time.
- Oh, yeah. Much better.
Now I've got a hard blade.
- So now that I have
the billet drawn
To a length
that I'm comfortable with,
I begin putting that curve
in the blade.
I'm flattening the blade out
and moving that curve in.
Alex picks a blade that's
curved in a straight forge,
And it just makes everything
more challenging.
Hey, alex, next time
Can you pick something
that fits in the forge?
- It's just interesting to have
a curve on the inside.
A lot of smiths will pre-curve
their knives like that
And then hammer the bevel in,
Curving them
back straight again.
- Oh.
- So it's gonna be interesting
To see if they can maintain
that opposite curve.
- Good.
It looks like
it's within parameters.
So get ready for heat treat.
- Kurt is in the oil.
Now we have two quenched blades.
- So now I've got
a hardened blade.
I start work on my handle.
My plan right now is a
two-piece handle construction,
Because the example
had a two-piece handle,
And I want to put a nod to that.
This is so sloppy.
As I'm getting everything
fit up,
There's gaps in some spots
and hang-ups in others,
And I'm just thinking to myself,
"man, I would never sell this."
But there's a clock ticking,
and I got to go.
Hopefully I'll have enough
time left to make it pretty.
But right now it's about
getting a weapon
That can be tested.
- After the quench,
I start working
on the finishing profile
Getting everything
to that final shape.
I notice some cold shuts.
That's a weak point,
And if this blade gets hit
hard against something,
It could very easily break.
I need to fix that.
The only way is to fully grind
this cold shut out,
And hopefully
they don't go too deep.
- The last thing you want to
have on an edge is a notch.
Every place that that
delamination crosses the edge
Is a potential weak spot.
- Some of them I am able
to grind out,
But there's a couple on the edge
That I can't seem to get out,
So I'm just gonna leave them.
I'm hoping that it's just
a cosmetic flaw.
- Bladesmiths, you're down
to the final 30 minutes!
- Now that my handle's fit up,
It's time to start getting
a real edge on this thing.
I glance over at kurt,
And he's made this beautiful
damascus blade.
I'm gonna need to make sure
that I come out swinging,
Pun intended, with a really
good edge geometry.
I'm not sure how well I pull
it off, but we'll see.
I think my blade
will make it to the end.
- At this point, I can really
do some finish work.
I spent a lot of extra time
to get the 40 layers.
So I want to make sure that
the pattern is clearly visible.
Perfect.
I am really happy
with the pattern,
And now I just have
to add the handle.
- How cool would it actually be
to be in the colosseum
When the gladiators
were just fighting to the death
With these kind of weapons?
- It'd be cool if we were in
the same position we are now
And not down in the arena.
- Yeah.
- I chose the name flamma
for my gladiator name
Because his name means fire.
He was also a soldier in syria.
So me being in the military
and forging blades,
You know,
have a few things in common.
So that's the name
that I went with.
- Five, four, three, two, one.
Bladesmiths,
turn off your machines!
Put down your tools!
The first round of our
gladiator competition is over!
- I am really proud
of what I accomplished.
I'm there to win $75,000.
I really got to make it
all the way.
- Bladesmiths, welcome
to our strength test...
Our gladiator armor chop.
Alex, you're up first.
You ready to go, man?
- For honor, for glory,
and for advancement
In this bladesmithing
competition, lay on.
- I will do that.
- My heart's beating hard.
This is gonna be a brutal test.
I'm hoping that
it'll make it through.
- Nice job, alex.
- Thank you, j.
- Your blade's still straight.
I love twist damascus,
But the problem is you can't
see it at all on your blade.
You got a couple little rolls
on the edge... nothing major.
Everything's still tight.
You do have a bit of an offset
on your tip now,
But for a beating like that,
that's not too bad.
So, overall, good job.
- Thank you.
- All right, kurt,
how you feel, man?
Uh...
Go for it.
- I can do that.
- J. Neilson scares me.
He's going to just smash
my blade into this armor.
I'm already worried
about those cold shuts,
And it could crack.
I have no room for error
in the strength test.
- J. Neilson's going to just
smash my blade
Into this armor.
I'm already worried
about those cold shuts,
And it could crack.
I hope my blade holds well.
- All right, good job, kurt.
You survive.
First off,
love the damascus pattern.
This came out very nice.
You've got
several delaminations,
But nothing came apart.
You got some dings
and some dulling.
Right in here, that sweet spot,
Is where it took
most of the abuse,
But, overall,
it stayed together.
Nothing came loose.
Nice job.
- Thank you.
- All right, bladesmiths,
This is the sharpness test...
The fish slice.
Alex, you're up first.
You ready?
- Lay on.
- All right.
- All right, alex, let's talk
about your falx.
Your blade's a little bit
offset from that strength test,
But your edge is sharp.
It's got a nice feel to it,
and, overall, sir, it will cut.
- Thank you, doug.
- Kurt, your turn, sir.
You ready?
- Slice some fish.
- Let's do this.
All right, kurt, let's talk
about your falx right here.
It's got a wider blade here.
It actually helps support
the edge when I'm cutting.
I can feel the push in
through the cut.
You still have
those delaminations,
But they were not a factor
in cutting the fish.
Overall, sir, your weapon...
It will cut.
- Thank you, doug.
- You guys, congratulations.
You made it through both
the tests with flying colors.
Now the time has come
for the judges to decide
Which one of you
Is gonna be the first-ever
gladiator of the forge.
So, while they discuss,
I'm gonna ask
That you both please step off
the forge floor.
All right, guys, we're
at the end of the first battle
Of a series of ten.
You guys have
a difficult decision to make,
'cause we got two blades
in one piece.
I want to hear
what you think about 'em.
- Well, both blades performed
Almost equally
on the sharpness test.
I mean, the inward curve
that they have there,
That's designed to cut,
and it did just that.
- Kurt's blade was beautiful.
It had a great damascus pattern,
And the overall profile
of the blade
And the cross-section
of the blade
Were both ground very well.
There is an issue
with delaminations.
But then when I look
at alex's blade,
It not only took edge damage,
But it did take a little bit
of a set in the strength test.
- The problem with alex's is,
The only reason
we know it's twist damascus
Is 'cause we saw him do it.
- Mm-hmm.
- You can't see it
at all on that blade,
And the blade is off, as far
as symmetry and evenness.
- So you guys have
a difficult decision to make.
Ben, have you made yours?
- I have, yeah.
- J?
- Oh, yeah.
- What about you?
- Yes, I have.
- All right, gentlemen,
we'll call 'em in.
- Well, bladesmiths, you guys
Gave a very difficult decision
to our judges
Because both your blades
were great,
But they made a final decision.
The first-ever
gladiator of the forge,
Taking home $5,000 is...
Kurt.
Congratulations.
- Congratulations, man.
- Thank you.
- You deserve it.
You did an awesome job.
- Now, alex, we want to say
thank you so much
For coming out
and fighting hard,
But, unfortunately, your blade
did not make the cut
And j's gonna tell you why.
- Alex, I commend you both
for your choice of weapons
And the hard work
you put into it.
During the testing, you both
pretty much performed equally.
So we had to look
at the finer details,
And, honestly,
your competitor's blade
Was more refined
and more symmetrical.
That's why we're
sending you home.
- Completely understand.
- Well, alex, there's no doubt
that you're talented smith
And you deserved every second
you spent in this forge,
But, unfortunately,
it just didn't make the cut.
And at this time,
I'm gonna have to ask you
To please step off
the forge floor.
- Thank you.
I absolutely agree
with the judges' decision.
My fit and finish
Just wasn't
at the same level as kurt's.
Being in the first
"gladiators of the forge" battle
Was such a unique opportunity,
And I am really proud
of what I accomplished.
To kurt, you better not go out
like a chump, man.
- Kurt, you are the first
gladiator of the forge,
And you've got to check
for $5,000 coming your way.
Congratulations.
- Thank you.
I'm officially
the gladiator of the forge.
- Now, the fun's not quite over.
You got a difficult decision
to make.
Are you gonna take your sword,
lay it down, and go home
With the title and the check,
Or are you gonna
pick up a hammer
And head back into the forge?
- I'm going back in the forge.
- Fantastic.
Well, congratulations for being
The first
gladiator of the forge.
We're excited
to see you work again.
For that, man, I'll see you
on the forge floor.
- Now that I've tasted
that little bit of victory,
I can't wait for more.
I feel confident
That I'll be able to take this
all the way to the end.
- My name is bryan ledford.
I am 51 years old.
I live in los angeles,
california,
And I've been bladesmithing
part-time
For about seven
and a half years.
If I had a gladiator name,
It would be
flavius crispus gallus...
The blonde curly-haired rooster.
- Kurt, welcome back.
And, bryan,
welcome to the forge.
Now, you just stepped
into the colosseum
For the second battle in our
"gladiators of the forge"
competition.
Now, this is gonna consist
Of eight-straight hours
of forging,
Where you're gonna go up
against your competition,
Building a blade
from start to finish.
Now, kurt, you're
the reigning champion here.
You just came
out of the last competition
Against alex winning $5,000
And getting your first title
of gladiator of the forge.
Now, you're here to defend that
title against your competitor.
Now, if you win,
you'll rack up another $5,000,
Another
gladiator of the forge title,
And still stay in the running
for $75,000...
The most money
we have ever paid out
In "forged in fire" history.
Now, the choice as to what
you're gonna be building
Will be left up to you.
If it's heads, kurt,
you get the first choice.
You know how this works.
You can choose either the weapon
Or the technique
that you'll both use.
Now, on the other side
of the coin,
If it lands on tails, bryan,
the choice is yours.
You guys ready to go?
- Ready.
- Ready.
- All right,
leave it up to chance here.
We landed on heads.
Kurt, you get to choose first.
You want to choose the weapon,
Or do you want to choose
the technique?
- I'll choose the weapon.
- All right.
So we've got nine weapons here
on the wall of roman weapons.
Pick your poison, bud.
- I'm looking at the wall,
and I don't know what to pick.
The falx curve
in the first challenge
Was difficult.
I don't want to fight
another curve.
I'll feel a lot more comfortable
Working on a straight blade.
Let's go with that spatha.
- The spatha was
a vicious weapon
Used by roman cavalry
during the third century.
Featuring
a long double-edged blade,
The weapon allowed soldiers
To deliver devastating slashes
and cuts from horseback.
This blade was featured
On two previous
"forged in fire" competitions,
Where smiths struggled
With its length
and its medial ridge.
- By the end of the eight hours,
Make sure that they fall
within these parameters.
Your blade length
measured from tip
To where the cutting edge
ends in a straight line
Needs to be
between 26 and 28 inches.
Your blade must be double-edged
And have a medial ridge.
Now, as far as your hilt goes,
You're gonna need a wooden guard
With a metal plate at the top
and also a round pommel.
Now, bryan, that means
that you get to choose
The forge-welding technique
that both of you guys must use.
What are you thinking?
- I really want to do something
a little bit different
With some really
interesting patterns.
I'm gonna go with go mai.
- Gentlemen, you will both
only have eight hours
To build this massive spatha
in go mai.
Now, when the time runs out,
We'll go directly
into the testing grounds
And decide which one of you
Is taking home the title
of gladiator of the forge
And getting a check for $5,000.
So good luck.
Stay sharp.
Your time starts now.
So this is kurt's second time
Battling it out
in the gladiators competition.
He's already got five grand.
He's already got one title.
Ben, you've done a lot
of competing in here.
How does it feel going
right up again
And having to battle it out?
- It makes you question
your motives.
- I feel like I am
much more prepared this time
Than the previous challenge,
But every challenge
is a new challenge.
$75,000 will be fantastic.
I'll be able to get
my own press,
My own power hammer,
have all those tools
That I've been wanting
for years now.
- Now, they've got to do go mai.
- The tricky part about this
is getting that forge weld set
And making sure
you have enough material
To stretch it out.
- I've done san mais,
and I've done damascus billets,
But I've never focused
on a go mai itself.
So that's a challenge
That I'm gonna have to try
to overcome.
I know that I want to go
with a 1095 for the core
With nickel in the middle
and mild steel on the outside.
Welding!
I've never worked with nickel,
But I know that it's going
to look pretty cool.
- What I'm bringing
in this competition is me
At my most competitive.
I pick 1095, the nickel,
and the mild steel.
So my strategy is,
Knowing that there's
gonna be a medial ridge,
Is I make a very,
very thick core of 1095.
Welding.
So I don't have
the mild steel on the edge.
Let's go.
- Whoa, bryan's got
a lot of steel there.
I think bryan's got enough
steel to make two swords.
- Getting this sword done
in eight hours
Depends entirely
on getting it right.
Really don't have
a lot of time to start over.
- Now, kurt here... he actually
has home-field advantage.
- Yeah.
- 'cause he already knows
The setup we have
from his previous competition.
- Absolutely.
- I'm going to get
the welds nice and set.
If the welds start opening up,
forge scale can get in,
And then when I draw out
the billet,
I'm gonna just have
a nightmare of a time.
So I want to make sure
that I go nice and slow
And get these forged welds
right in the beginning.
The welds are holding.
I'm very happy with that.
If it wasn't for me
going in the military,
I probably would've never
gotten into bladesmithing,
Because you need to have
a fixed-blade knife.
Well, I couldn't find a knife
that I wanted.
I picked up some steel,
and I fell in love with it
After the first knife
that I made.
- So my steel comes up
to temperature.
This is the point where
I start to feel confident
That it's time
to take it to the press.
- That's nowhere near
hot enough to forge weld.
- Looks like bryan's go mai
is becoming an "oh, my."
and a half.
I start to notice that the
welds are starting to fail.
- Oh!
- Uh-oh.
- Now, is there any saving
this billet right now?
- Given where he is right now,
I'd start over.
- So I'm looking at this billet,
And it's only the ends
that aren't sticking.
I don't have a lot of time
to start over
So I can get a little bit
more flux in there.
I just hope it works.
- This thing's a lot longer
than I thought it was.
A little bit, yeah.
- Do you guys approve
of the spatha
As a choice of weapon to build?
- I do.
- Yeah.
- I like it.
It's probably the largest blade
We have on the wall
of gladiator blades.
Kurt's got the lengthy ones.
Now he's on big blu
working the tip in.
- I just put a quick tip
on my billet,
And then I can focus
on forging the tang.
I want to make sure
that I have enough tang
That it stays nice and thick
so that it's a strong tang.
- It looks like
the perfect replica.
- Pretty good
- Bladesmiths,
you only have six hours left!
- So now I'm on the road
to consolidating this billet.
I really need this to work.
I don't want to start over.
- Oh, no, guys, bryan's
billet's splitting apart.
For sake, dude.
The nickel's not welding.
I don't have go mai.
I've got a mess.
One thing after another
after another.
I don't know
what to do right here,
But I got to think
of something fast.
Come on..
- This is the second
gladiator competition.
Both of our smiths
have got to do go mai...
Five different layers
alternating
And forge weld together.
Oh, no, guys, bryan's billet's
splitting apart.
For sake dude.
It didn't stick.
I don't have go mai.
I've got a mess.
One thing after another
after another.
I don't know
what to do right here,
But I got to think
of something fast.
- I probably would start over.
I think he's just making
more problems for himself.
- Yeah, but he's got to make
that decision now.
- Come on. Come on.
So, at this point,
I can't make this work.
I have to abandon this.
I keep the 1095 core
And grab some 80crv2 and 15n20.
Welding.
- You think the best move is
to scrap the billet he's got,
Start over clean?
- Yep.
Bryan having so much steel,
He might end up
with a 26-inch boat anchor.
- Oh, yeah.
- But I can tell you
it is gut-wrenching
Being out on that floor
and starting over.
- Oh, no.
- What the?
I totally taco'd my blade.
I think I'm gonna start over.
- Really?
- Oh, I know.
- Moment of truth.
I don't quit.
It's not in my nature.
It's gonna be messy,
but by god, it's gonna happen.
- Bladesmiths, listen up!
You are halfway through!
Four hours have elapsed!
You have four hours remaining!
- Once I have a good shape
That I'm comfortable with
on my sword,
It's time for the quench.
I'm very concerned
about this nickel.
I don't know how it's going
to react in the quench tank.
It could split open.
- Kurt is already thermocycling.
I think he's doing
a pretty dang good job.
- The only thing is,
kurt's blade is so thin
That as he's thermocycling,
it's moving.
It's changing.
- Once I see that the blades
all even color,
I move over to the quench tank.
- All right, kurt's quenched.
- Good.
I'm happy with what I have.
- I know I have too much steel,
But, I mean, it's
a sword-like object.
- Bryan is dealing
with a billet that's so heavy,
He has to use
two hands to hold it.
- I've been there,
But I'm usually making
something four times that size.
- That's made to be
a two-handed sword.
- Yeah.
- There's always a chance
That something can go
catastrophically wrong,
And I can't start over
at this point,
And that is terrifying.
- Bryan has quenched his blade.
- I pull out a good
straight, hard blade.
I am really happy about that.
Now that that's done,
I've got no time to waste.
I just got to keep moving.
- I'm working on the grinder
to get that medial ridge
Going down the center
of the blade.
- That's four symmetrical
grinds you got to do.
- Yeah.
- Yeah. Right.
- If I end up winning
this competition,
Some of the money's
probably gonna go
To visiting family in florida.
Being in alaska,
I just don't get to see 'em
as much as I would like to.
So it really means a lot.
- That's fantastic.
- The medial ridge looks good,
But that clock
is ticking behind me.
And I got to start working
on my handle.
- Bladesmiths, you have
two hours remaining!
- Oh.
- This piece of metal
is at least five pounds easy,
And it's got to be down
to two and a half, three,
Or it's just gonna be too heavy.
- This sword
is kind of forward heavy
Because it doesn't have
a counterbalance.
But that's when it has
a normal size blade on it.
When it has the blade
that bryan's making on it,
It's gonna be so forward heavy,
It's gonna be
very difficult to wield.
- We've actually refused
to test some blades
Because they were too heavy.
The minute you pick up
this weapon,
I feel the stress on my wrist,
my elbows, and my shoulder.
- Nick, due to the extreme
weight of your ikakalaka,
We cannot move forward
with testing.
- Time's running out.
I've got to get it
to a more manageable thickness,
But I haven't fit
the handle pieces yet.
So this is where I have
To just concentrate
on the handle,
And I'm hoping
that I can get it done.
- Once all the handle material
fits on the tang,
I need a mechanical hold.
Otherwise, it's going to
come loose in the testing,
And that would eliminate me.
Welding.
- It's good to see that,
so far, our current champion,
Kurt, is really doing well
ahead of the game right now.
- Mm-hmm.
- That looks pretty good.
I know that I still have
a lot of shaping to do,
And I still have to sharpen
this entire blade,
But I'm giving it my all,
And I'm not gonna stop
till the clock runs out.
- Bladesmiths, you have
15 minutes!
No, no, no!
Clock's ticking.
I've got no time to waste.
I've just got to keep moving.
Now6 it's time
to glue everything up.
Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah.
- With all the work
that bryan's got to do,
He's really got to start
kicking into another gear
And get going.
- We're in.
- I've got the handle fit,
and it works.
But now I have a major gap.
Worst everything I've ever done.
I know I can't build
a new piece for a spacer.
I can't take it apart.
The glue is setting.
I don't have any more time.
So I go and run and grab
some roman duct tape.
Gap filler, there you go.
- Hey, whatever works, man.
- C'est la vie, mon ami.
It's done.
Time's running out.
I've got to get an edge on this.
- Five, four, three, two, one.
Bladesmiths,
put down your tools!
Turn off your machines!
This battle is over!
- I definitely want to win
this entire competition.
I would be able
to really advance my shop.
The money would help me out.
- Bladesmiths,
welcome to the keal test.
Kurt, you're up first.
You ready?
- Let's do it.
- Let's do this.
- If I win this one,
I get another 5,000.
But my concern is that thin edge
And the blade developing a warp.
That could send me home.
- My blade
is by no means perfect.
My concern is the blade
developing a warp.
Hopefully it holds.
- All right, kurt, let's talk
about your spatha here.
First up, the nickel
that you have here
And how you brought that out
is eye-catching.
It's almost like you got
some lightning
Going on in your blade.
Now, your edge is wicked sharp,
Penetrates very deep
into this ballistics dummy
And cuts the bones into that.
Overall, sir,
your weapon, it will keal.
- Thank you, doug.
- Bryan, your turn, sir.
You ready?
- Absolutely.
- All right, let's do this.
- I shaved five pounds
off of that thing,
And it was still heavy.
So I'm a little concerned
with how it will perform.
I'm starting
to get nervous here.
- I cannot, no.
Gentlemen, I think
we have a problem here.
When I'm swinging, all that
forward weight is on my wrist.
I can't wield it
with one hand safely.
I have to use two hands.
- Did you do two-handed
on the other blade?
- On the last swing,
But on all the moves,
single-handed.
- So there's a vote
of no confidence?
- Yeah.
- Well, bryan,
we want to say thank you
For your hard work in the forge.
You have absolutely zero quit
in you.
But, unfortunately, due to
the sheer weight of your blade,
Doug is unable to safely wield
it without using two hands.
So, for those reasons,
I'm gonna have to ask you
To please step off
the forge floor.
- Fair enough.
Thank you.
Oh, I agree with what
the judges had to say.
It was too heavy.
Initially, I thought if
I picked something difficult
Like go mai,
It'd be more difficult for
kurt, and instead, it bit me.
So I'm not
in the competition anymore,
But, kurt, keep it up
and give 'em hell, buddy.
- Well, kurt,
You are a two-time
gladiator of the forge.
Now you're at $10,000,
going for that $75,000.
Congratulations.
- Thank you, gentlemen.
I just won the second
"gladiator of the forge"
competition.
- Now we got a question for you.
After two eight-hour
brutal competitions,
You think you still have
what it takes
To go in for a third battle?
- Oh, I'm going right
back in there.
- Oh, absolutely. Well done.
- Thank you.
It wasn't how I wanted to win,
But I absolutely want to make
it to all ten challenges
And be the victor of them all.
So I'm absolutely ready
for another win.
Get out there
and do it all over again.
seen hundreds of smiths
Create some of the most feared
edge weapons in history.
Now, in honor of history's
miniseries event "colosseum,"
We have decided
to transform our forge
Into a roman gladiators arena.
Over the next few weeks,
We are doing
a competition series
Unlike anything
you've ever seen.
This is
"gladiators of the forge."
Over the course
of the next five episodes
And ten battles,
we will see bladesmiths
Go head-to-head
in sudden-death competitions.
The winner will become
the gladiator of the forge,
And earn a check for $5,000.
Then they'll have
the opportunity to go back
Into the arena and fight again.
Now, if they keep winning,
They will earn more
and more money
With bonuses along the way.
Tonight the battles begin
with a lot on the line.
One of these fierce competitors
Has a chance of winning every
single one
Of these competitions
And, with that,
the most amount of money
We have ever given out
in "forged in fire" history...
- Whoo!
- Who has what it takes
To become
a gladiator of the forge?
The competition starts now.
- Hi, I'm alex silverman.
I'm from manchester,
new hampshire.
I'm 30 years old, and I've
been doing this for 4 years,
About 2 of those full-time.
I do armored combat.
I've got scars to prove it.
So I think I would be a great
gladiator of the forge.
If I were to choose
a gladiator name,
I'll go by the name I already
fight under, thorfin jarnison.
Victory will be mine!
- My name is kurt.
I live in chugach, alaska.
I'm 31 years old, and I am
a full-time bladesmith.
I don't know if I could
consider myself a gladiator.
The old actual gladiators
were terrifying.
But as far as
a modern-day competition,
I absolutely feel
like I can win.
- Well, alex, kurt, gentlemen,
welcome to the forge.
This is a competition
we are calling
"gladiators of the forge."
We're gonna start off today
with the two of you
Going head-to-head
in a forging competition,
Where you'll be building
a blade from start to finish.
Now, when the time runs out,
You're gonna turn
those blades over,
And they're gonna be put
through a series of tests
By our esteemed judges.
Now, at the end of that testing,
One of you will be chosen
as a gladiator of the forge.
Now, this is where
things get exciting.
We have ten rounds
in this competition,
And for every round that you win
Will come with a check
for 5 grand.
If you win 5 times in a row,
You will earn
a bonus of $10,000.
But if you choose to continue
on and win all of the battles,
You'll earn a total bonus
of $25,000.
That's a total of $75,000.
- Holy balls.
There's a lot of money
on the line.
I really want that.
- All right,
we got to figure out
What you're both
gonna be building
From our wall of roman weapons...
All featured in history's
miniseries event "colosseum,"
As well as
the forge-welding technique
That you're both gonna use.
And we're gonna leave it up
to a coin toss.
Now, gentlemen, this coin
comes from the roman empire,
And it dates back
about 2,000 years,
And it's gonna decide which one
of you gets a choice first.
Alex, if this coin lands
on heads,
You get to pick either
the weapon you want to build,
Or you choose
the forge-welding technique.
Kurt, if it lands on tails,
you choose first.
Now, whatever aspect
of the challenge
Hasn't been chosen
by the first smith,
The other guy's
gonna get the choice.
Here we go.
All right, gentlemen,
it landed on heads.
Alex, you get the choice.
Do you want to pick the weapon
That you guys
are gonna be building,
Or do you want to go
with the technique?
- I'll pick the weapon.
- All right.
We've got ten weapons here
on the wall of roman weapons.
Make your choice.
- I like the look of that falx.
That looks like a fun build.
- Falx. All right.
- The falx is a fierce
first-century weapon
Used by dacian
and thracian warriors...
Enemies of rome hailing from
modern-day eastern europe.
This unique sword features
at forward-curved blade
Sharpened on the inside
That was designed to deliver
deadly slashes and cuts
Upon any enemy in its path.
The falx was so lethal,
the romans adapted their armor
To help protect their soldiers
from its devastating blows.
- I've done a lot of work
with things of this length
And with curvature in the metal.
So I think it'll be
a great weapon
That'll really showcase
what I do best as a smith
And might trip up my opponent
a little bit.
- Your blade length,
measured from tip
To where the cutting edge ends
in a straight line,
Needs to be
between 23 and 25 inches.
Your blade needs to have
a depth of curve
Of at least 3 inches.
You need to have fuller
on both sides of your blade
And a handle
that includes a pommel.
Now, alex,
you got to choose the weapon.
Kurt, that means
you get to choose
The forge-welding technique
that you both must use.
- I don't do a whole lot
of long blades.
So I want something
that I'm comfortable with.
- What do you got?
- Let's do a twisted damascus.
- All right, twisted damascus.
All right, gentlemen,
You will only have eight hours
of forging to complete this.
At five and a half hours
into this competition,
Your forges will be turned off.
Now, at the end of the day,
gentlemen,
One of you will be chosen
As the first
gladiator of the forge
And get a $5,000 check.
Good luck. Stay sharp.
Your time starts now.
We've got $75,000 on the line
for these guys right now.
This is intense.
Eight hours might
seem like a long time,
But, you know, these guys
are building the falx.
- I think ben and I would tend
to disagree with you.
Eight hours does not seem
like a lot of time.
- No. No, no, no.
- I've never done
twist damascus before,
But I'm pretty confident
I can handle it.
- All right, guys,
vote of the thumbs...
You guys happy to sit
and make damascus...
With a twist.
- I really want to have
a vibrant pattern,
And I find that super-high
layer counts
Have this tendency
to not show up super well.
So I stack my steel...
Two 15n20, two 1095,
et cetera, et cetera.
And what this does
is it lowers my layer count.
- You can do a low-layer twist,
And it can be bold
and really cool,
But when it's that wide,
A low layer twist
just kind of looks
Like a couple of stripes
going across it.
- As a queer gentleman,
A big part of coming here for me
Is showing the world
that it's cool
To be a flamboyant queer
who pounds hot steel
And then goes home
and paints your nails,
Does your makeup, and, you know,
Enjoy some of the delights
that the world offers.
- My plan for the billet
is to start with 20 layers,
Cut the billet in half,
so I can get to 40 layers.
That will help me really make
the blade stand out.
- You guys happy with
the decision to make the falx?
- Yep.
- Oh, yeah. I like that.
- One, two. Doug?
Three thumbs up.
- I joined the military in 2011,
And my experience
under pressure in the army
Really taught me
how to deal with stress,
Taught me time management,
and that's really going
To help me out
through this competition.
$75,000 will be fantastic.
I'll be able to do
a lot with that.
- It's really important
To get up to a proper
welding temperature,
'cause if you're too cool
when you forge-weld,
It's gonna splay apart,
And you're gonna end up
with a banana at the end.
And nobody wants that.
That's what I'm looking for.
This is the big
harrowing moment.
I'm worried
about shearing a weld
Because it could
blow apart on me.
- It looks like alex's billet
Is starting to consolidate
and his welds are sticking.
, yeah.
I've got the weld set.
I'm drawing things out.
Oh, beautiful.
Beautiful, bro.
I'm feeling pretty good.
- Never heard of gladiators
dancing before.
- It looks like
the forge welds have taken.
I'm extremely happy.
So now I just need to begin
stretching this billet out.
Pretty is not a parameter.
However, I think alex is gonna
turn in a very good blade.
So my only hope is
that having the 40 layers
Instead of the 20 layers
Is what ends up winning
this competition.
- You know, I love to see
the smiths go above and beyond,
But adding an extra forge weld
Could be that straw that broke
the camel's back
And throws him
out of the competition.
- Yeah, you don't want to go
Above and beyond the time limit.
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
- Welding!
- All right, bladesmiths,
you have six hours left!
- Whoo.
So now I'm ready to twist.
This is a real do-or-die moment.
Every single one
of those forge welds
Has the chance to just burst
apart at this point,
And there's nothing really you
can do other than start over.
Oh.
Why do they not bolt
this vise to the floor?
It's moving all around.
It's really hard
to get a purchase on.
The twist is
one of the parameters.
If I don't get the twist done,
I could be going home.
- That twist damascus
is a big hurdle,
'cause to end up with a sword,
you need to have a big billet.
So twisting a big billet
is a pain in the neck.
So the second time around,
I know
where I need to put my foot
So it doesn't just
walk around on me.
And I'm able to get
a nice full twist in there.
- Now, execution
of the technique...
You guys happy
with what alex did?
Ooh, general consensus
said no... why?
- That was, like, what,
one and a half twists?
- Yeah, it was a bare minimum
to get a twist in there.
- Then by the time
you draw it out,
The twist is gonna disappear.
- Take a look at kurt.
I think he just got three
full turns on this one heat.
- I love it.
- I want to get enough twist
that you really get
To see that nice twist pattern.
However, if I twist too much,
There's a chance that I end up
cutting the billet in half.
- Kurt did a lot more twists
than alex did
And has more
visible layers than alex.
So I think you'll get
a much more vibrant pattern.
- Now I can start working
on shaping the blade.
- Bladesmiths, we are
officially at the halfway mark!
You have four hours left!
- There's a clock ticking,
and I got to go.
I'm working on bringing
the thing into shape.
I'll strike the edge of
the blade over my anvil horn.
Just keep working it
until I have it at a point
That I'm happy with it.
Yeah!
So now it's time to quench.
- Keeping that long thin curve
evenly heated...
Quenching's gonna be tricky.
- This is the time
that so much can go wrong.
Maybe there's an inclusion
that I missed
Or a cold shut
that could blow apart.
If something does go
catastrophically wrong,
I don't know
if I have the time to fix it.
- Alex quenched.
- Nope...
My heart sinks.
If my blade isn't hardened,
it's not a blade
And it doesn't meet parameters.
Gonna have to requench,
just the way it goes.
- Apparently he's not happy
with it,
'cause he is back
in the forge again.
- One side's heating up
differently than the other.
- Every time you quench a blade,
You increase the chance
Of warping, twisting,
delaminations, cracking.
But I really don't have
a choice.
I hope this works out.
If this goes wrong,
I could be going home.
- Guys, we're in the first-ever
"gladiators of the forge"
competition.
We're seeing that we've got
two very talented smiths
That are fully capable
of turning in strong falxes
For these tests.
It's a nail-biter.
- Yeah.
- One of them is gonna get
a chance at $75,000.
Alex was able to get
his blade quenched,
But apparently he's not happy
with it
'cause he's back
in the forge again.
- I have to quench again.
I am very nervous.
If this goes wrong,
I could be going home.
Here we go.
- All right, alex just quenched
for a second time.
- Oh, yeah. Much better.
Now I've got a hard blade.
- So now that I have
the billet drawn
To a length
that I'm comfortable with,
I begin putting that curve
in the blade.
I'm flattening the blade out
and moving that curve in.
Alex picks a blade that's
curved in a straight forge,
And it just makes everything
more challenging.
Hey, alex, next time
Can you pick something
that fits in the forge?
- It's just interesting to have
a curve on the inside.
A lot of smiths will pre-curve
their knives like that
And then hammer the bevel in,
Curving them
back straight again.
- Oh.
- So it's gonna be interesting
To see if they can maintain
that opposite curve.
- Good.
It looks like
it's within parameters.
So get ready for heat treat.
- Kurt is in the oil.
Now we have two quenched blades.
- So now I've got
a hardened blade.
I start work on my handle.
My plan right now is a
two-piece handle construction,
Because the example
had a two-piece handle,
And I want to put a nod to that.
This is so sloppy.
As I'm getting everything
fit up,
There's gaps in some spots
and hang-ups in others,
And I'm just thinking to myself,
"man, I would never sell this."
But there's a clock ticking,
and I got to go.
Hopefully I'll have enough
time left to make it pretty.
But right now it's about
getting a weapon
That can be tested.
- After the quench,
I start working
on the finishing profile
Getting everything
to that final shape.
I notice some cold shuts.
That's a weak point,
And if this blade gets hit
hard against something,
It could very easily break.
I need to fix that.
The only way is to fully grind
this cold shut out,
And hopefully
they don't go too deep.
- The last thing you want to
have on an edge is a notch.
Every place that that
delamination crosses the edge
Is a potential weak spot.
- Some of them I am able
to grind out,
But there's a couple on the edge
That I can't seem to get out,
So I'm just gonna leave them.
I'm hoping that it's just
a cosmetic flaw.
- Bladesmiths, you're down
to the final 30 minutes!
- Now that my handle's fit up,
It's time to start getting
a real edge on this thing.
I glance over at kurt,
And he's made this beautiful
damascus blade.
I'm gonna need to make sure
that I come out swinging,
Pun intended, with a really
good edge geometry.
I'm not sure how well I pull
it off, but we'll see.
I think my blade
will make it to the end.
- At this point, I can really
do some finish work.
I spent a lot of extra time
to get the 40 layers.
So I want to make sure that
the pattern is clearly visible.
Perfect.
I am really happy
with the pattern,
And now I just have
to add the handle.
- How cool would it actually be
to be in the colosseum
When the gladiators
were just fighting to the death
With these kind of weapons?
- It'd be cool if we were in
the same position we are now
And not down in the arena.
- Yeah.
- I chose the name flamma
for my gladiator name
Because his name means fire.
He was also a soldier in syria.
So me being in the military
and forging blades,
You know,
have a few things in common.
So that's the name
that I went with.
- Five, four, three, two, one.
Bladesmiths,
turn off your machines!
Put down your tools!
The first round of our
gladiator competition is over!
- I am really proud
of what I accomplished.
I'm there to win $75,000.
I really got to make it
all the way.
- Bladesmiths, welcome
to our strength test...
Our gladiator armor chop.
Alex, you're up first.
You ready to go, man?
- For honor, for glory,
and for advancement
In this bladesmithing
competition, lay on.
- I will do that.
- My heart's beating hard.
This is gonna be a brutal test.
I'm hoping that
it'll make it through.
- Nice job, alex.
- Thank you, j.
- Your blade's still straight.
I love twist damascus,
But the problem is you can't
see it at all on your blade.
You got a couple little rolls
on the edge... nothing major.
Everything's still tight.
You do have a bit of an offset
on your tip now,
But for a beating like that,
that's not too bad.
So, overall, good job.
- Thank you.
- All right, kurt,
how you feel, man?
Uh...
Go for it.
- I can do that.
- J. Neilson scares me.
He's going to just smash
my blade into this armor.
I'm already worried
about those cold shuts,
And it could crack.
I have no room for error
in the strength test.
- J. Neilson's going to just
smash my blade
Into this armor.
I'm already worried
about those cold shuts,
And it could crack.
I hope my blade holds well.
- All right, good job, kurt.
You survive.
First off,
love the damascus pattern.
This came out very nice.
You've got
several delaminations,
But nothing came apart.
You got some dings
and some dulling.
Right in here, that sweet spot,
Is where it took
most of the abuse,
But, overall,
it stayed together.
Nothing came loose.
Nice job.
- Thank you.
- All right, bladesmiths,
This is the sharpness test...
The fish slice.
Alex, you're up first.
You ready?
- Lay on.
- All right.
- All right, alex, let's talk
about your falx.
Your blade's a little bit
offset from that strength test,
But your edge is sharp.
It's got a nice feel to it,
and, overall, sir, it will cut.
- Thank you, doug.
- Kurt, your turn, sir.
You ready?
- Slice some fish.
- Let's do this.
All right, kurt, let's talk
about your falx right here.
It's got a wider blade here.
It actually helps support
the edge when I'm cutting.
I can feel the push in
through the cut.
You still have
those delaminations,
But they were not a factor
in cutting the fish.
Overall, sir, your weapon...
It will cut.
- Thank you, doug.
- You guys, congratulations.
You made it through both
the tests with flying colors.
Now the time has come
for the judges to decide
Which one of you
Is gonna be the first-ever
gladiator of the forge.
So, while they discuss,
I'm gonna ask
That you both please step off
the forge floor.
All right, guys, we're
at the end of the first battle
Of a series of ten.
You guys have
a difficult decision to make,
'cause we got two blades
in one piece.
I want to hear
what you think about 'em.
- Well, both blades performed
Almost equally
on the sharpness test.
I mean, the inward curve
that they have there,
That's designed to cut,
and it did just that.
- Kurt's blade was beautiful.
It had a great damascus pattern,
And the overall profile
of the blade
And the cross-section
of the blade
Were both ground very well.
There is an issue
with delaminations.
But then when I look
at alex's blade,
It not only took edge damage,
But it did take a little bit
of a set in the strength test.
- The problem with alex's is,
The only reason
we know it's twist damascus
Is 'cause we saw him do it.
- Mm-hmm.
- You can't see it
at all on that blade,
And the blade is off, as far
as symmetry and evenness.
- So you guys have
a difficult decision to make.
Ben, have you made yours?
- I have, yeah.
- J?
- Oh, yeah.
- What about you?
- Yes, I have.
- All right, gentlemen,
we'll call 'em in.
- Well, bladesmiths, you guys
Gave a very difficult decision
to our judges
Because both your blades
were great,
But they made a final decision.
The first-ever
gladiator of the forge,
Taking home $5,000 is...
Kurt.
Congratulations.
- Congratulations, man.
- Thank you.
- You deserve it.
You did an awesome job.
- Now, alex, we want to say
thank you so much
For coming out
and fighting hard,
But, unfortunately, your blade
did not make the cut
And j's gonna tell you why.
- Alex, I commend you both
for your choice of weapons
And the hard work
you put into it.
During the testing, you both
pretty much performed equally.
So we had to look
at the finer details,
And, honestly,
your competitor's blade
Was more refined
and more symmetrical.
That's why we're
sending you home.
- Completely understand.
- Well, alex, there's no doubt
that you're talented smith
And you deserved every second
you spent in this forge,
But, unfortunately,
it just didn't make the cut.
And at this time,
I'm gonna have to ask you
To please step off
the forge floor.
- Thank you.
I absolutely agree
with the judges' decision.
My fit and finish
Just wasn't
at the same level as kurt's.
Being in the first
"gladiators of the forge" battle
Was such a unique opportunity,
And I am really proud
of what I accomplished.
To kurt, you better not go out
like a chump, man.
- Kurt, you are the first
gladiator of the forge,
And you've got to check
for $5,000 coming your way.
Congratulations.
- Thank you.
I'm officially
the gladiator of the forge.
- Now, the fun's not quite over.
You got a difficult decision
to make.
Are you gonna take your sword,
lay it down, and go home
With the title and the check,
Or are you gonna
pick up a hammer
And head back into the forge?
- I'm going back in the forge.
- Fantastic.
Well, congratulations for being
The first
gladiator of the forge.
We're excited
to see you work again.
For that, man, I'll see you
on the forge floor.
- Now that I've tasted
that little bit of victory,
I can't wait for more.
I feel confident
That I'll be able to take this
all the way to the end.
- My name is bryan ledford.
I am 51 years old.
I live in los angeles,
california,
And I've been bladesmithing
part-time
For about seven
and a half years.
If I had a gladiator name,
It would be
flavius crispus gallus...
The blonde curly-haired rooster.
- Kurt, welcome back.
And, bryan,
welcome to the forge.
Now, you just stepped
into the colosseum
For the second battle in our
"gladiators of the forge"
competition.
Now, this is gonna consist
Of eight-straight hours
of forging,
Where you're gonna go up
against your competition,
Building a blade
from start to finish.
Now, kurt, you're
the reigning champion here.
You just came
out of the last competition
Against alex winning $5,000
And getting your first title
of gladiator of the forge.
Now, you're here to defend that
title against your competitor.
Now, if you win,
you'll rack up another $5,000,
Another
gladiator of the forge title,
And still stay in the running
for $75,000...
The most money
we have ever paid out
In "forged in fire" history.
Now, the choice as to what
you're gonna be building
Will be left up to you.
If it's heads, kurt,
you get the first choice.
You know how this works.
You can choose either the weapon
Or the technique
that you'll both use.
Now, on the other side
of the coin,
If it lands on tails, bryan,
the choice is yours.
You guys ready to go?
- Ready.
- Ready.
- All right,
leave it up to chance here.
We landed on heads.
Kurt, you get to choose first.
You want to choose the weapon,
Or do you want to choose
the technique?
- I'll choose the weapon.
- All right.
So we've got nine weapons here
on the wall of roman weapons.
Pick your poison, bud.
- I'm looking at the wall,
and I don't know what to pick.
The falx curve
in the first challenge
Was difficult.
I don't want to fight
another curve.
I'll feel a lot more comfortable
Working on a straight blade.
Let's go with that spatha.
- The spatha was
a vicious weapon
Used by roman cavalry
during the third century.
Featuring
a long double-edged blade,
The weapon allowed soldiers
To deliver devastating slashes
and cuts from horseback.
This blade was featured
On two previous
"forged in fire" competitions,
Where smiths struggled
With its length
and its medial ridge.
- By the end of the eight hours,
Make sure that they fall
within these parameters.
Your blade length
measured from tip
To where the cutting edge
ends in a straight line
Needs to be
between 26 and 28 inches.
Your blade must be double-edged
And have a medial ridge.
Now, as far as your hilt goes,
You're gonna need a wooden guard
With a metal plate at the top
and also a round pommel.
Now, bryan, that means
that you get to choose
The forge-welding technique
that both of you guys must use.
What are you thinking?
- I really want to do something
a little bit different
With some really
interesting patterns.
I'm gonna go with go mai.
- Gentlemen, you will both
only have eight hours
To build this massive spatha
in go mai.
Now, when the time runs out,
We'll go directly
into the testing grounds
And decide which one of you
Is taking home the title
of gladiator of the forge
And getting a check for $5,000.
So good luck.
Stay sharp.
Your time starts now.
So this is kurt's second time
Battling it out
in the gladiators competition.
He's already got five grand.
He's already got one title.
Ben, you've done a lot
of competing in here.
How does it feel going
right up again
And having to battle it out?
- It makes you question
your motives.
- I feel like I am
much more prepared this time
Than the previous challenge,
But every challenge
is a new challenge.
$75,000 will be fantastic.
I'll be able to get
my own press,
My own power hammer,
have all those tools
That I've been wanting
for years now.
- Now, they've got to do go mai.
- The tricky part about this
is getting that forge weld set
And making sure
you have enough material
To stretch it out.
- I've done san mais,
and I've done damascus billets,
But I've never focused
on a go mai itself.
So that's a challenge
That I'm gonna have to try
to overcome.
I know that I want to go
with a 1095 for the core
With nickel in the middle
and mild steel on the outside.
Welding!
I've never worked with nickel,
But I know that it's going
to look pretty cool.
- What I'm bringing
in this competition is me
At my most competitive.
I pick 1095, the nickel,
and the mild steel.
So my strategy is,
Knowing that there's
gonna be a medial ridge,
Is I make a very,
very thick core of 1095.
Welding.
So I don't have
the mild steel on the edge.
Let's go.
- Whoa, bryan's got
a lot of steel there.
I think bryan's got enough
steel to make two swords.
- Getting this sword done
in eight hours
Depends entirely
on getting it right.
Really don't have
a lot of time to start over.
- Now, kurt here... he actually
has home-field advantage.
- Yeah.
- 'cause he already knows
The setup we have
from his previous competition.
- Absolutely.
- I'm going to get
the welds nice and set.
If the welds start opening up,
forge scale can get in,
And then when I draw out
the billet,
I'm gonna just have
a nightmare of a time.
So I want to make sure
that I go nice and slow
And get these forged welds
right in the beginning.
The welds are holding.
I'm very happy with that.
If it wasn't for me
going in the military,
I probably would've never
gotten into bladesmithing,
Because you need to have
a fixed-blade knife.
Well, I couldn't find a knife
that I wanted.
I picked up some steel,
and I fell in love with it
After the first knife
that I made.
- So my steel comes up
to temperature.
This is the point where
I start to feel confident
That it's time
to take it to the press.
- That's nowhere near
hot enough to forge weld.
- Looks like bryan's go mai
is becoming an "oh, my."
and a half.
I start to notice that the
welds are starting to fail.
- Oh!
- Uh-oh.
- Now, is there any saving
this billet right now?
- Given where he is right now,
I'd start over.
- So I'm looking at this billet,
And it's only the ends
that aren't sticking.
I don't have a lot of time
to start over
So I can get a little bit
more flux in there.
I just hope it works.
- This thing's a lot longer
than I thought it was.
A little bit, yeah.
- Do you guys approve
of the spatha
As a choice of weapon to build?
- I do.
- Yeah.
- I like it.
It's probably the largest blade
We have on the wall
of gladiator blades.
Kurt's got the lengthy ones.
Now he's on big blu
working the tip in.
- I just put a quick tip
on my billet,
And then I can focus
on forging the tang.
I want to make sure
that I have enough tang
That it stays nice and thick
so that it's a strong tang.
- It looks like
the perfect replica.
- Pretty good
- Bladesmiths,
you only have six hours left!
- So now I'm on the road
to consolidating this billet.
I really need this to work.
I don't want to start over.
- Oh, no, guys, bryan's
billet's splitting apart.
For sake, dude.
The nickel's not welding.
I don't have go mai.
I've got a mess.
One thing after another
after another.
I don't know
what to do right here,
But I got to think
of something fast.
Come on..
- This is the second
gladiator competition.
Both of our smiths
have got to do go mai...
Five different layers
alternating
And forge weld together.
Oh, no, guys, bryan's billet's
splitting apart.
For sake dude.
It didn't stick.
I don't have go mai.
I've got a mess.
One thing after another
after another.
I don't know
what to do right here,
But I got to think
of something fast.
- I probably would start over.
I think he's just making
more problems for himself.
- Yeah, but he's got to make
that decision now.
- Come on. Come on.
So, at this point,
I can't make this work.
I have to abandon this.
I keep the 1095 core
And grab some 80crv2 and 15n20.
Welding.
- You think the best move is
to scrap the billet he's got,
Start over clean?
- Yep.
Bryan having so much steel,
He might end up
with a 26-inch boat anchor.
- Oh, yeah.
- But I can tell you
it is gut-wrenching
Being out on that floor
and starting over.
- Oh, no.
- What the?
I totally taco'd my blade.
I think I'm gonna start over.
- Really?
- Oh, I know.
- Moment of truth.
I don't quit.
It's not in my nature.
It's gonna be messy,
but by god, it's gonna happen.
- Bladesmiths, listen up!
You are halfway through!
Four hours have elapsed!
You have four hours remaining!
- Once I have a good shape
That I'm comfortable with
on my sword,
It's time for the quench.
I'm very concerned
about this nickel.
I don't know how it's going
to react in the quench tank.
It could split open.
- Kurt is already thermocycling.
I think he's doing
a pretty dang good job.
- The only thing is,
kurt's blade is so thin
That as he's thermocycling,
it's moving.
It's changing.
- Once I see that the blades
all even color,
I move over to the quench tank.
- All right, kurt's quenched.
- Good.
I'm happy with what I have.
- I know I have too much steel,
But, I mean, it's
a sword-like object.
- Bryan is dealing
with a billet that's so heavy,
He has to use
two hands to hold it.
- I've been there,
But I'm usually making
something four times that size.
- That's made to be
a two-handed sword.
- Yeah.
- There's always a chance
That something can go
catastrophically wrong,
And I can't start over
at this point,
And that is terrifying.
- Bryan has quenched his blade.
- I pull out a good
straight, hard blade.
I am really happy about that.
Now that that's done,
I've got no time to waste.
I just got to keep moving.
- I'm working on the grinder
to get that medial ridge
Going down the center
of the blade.
- That's four symmetrical
grinds you got to do.
- Yeah.
- Yeah. Right.
- If I end up winning
this competition,
Some of the money's
probably gonna go
To visiting family in florida.
Being in alaska,
I just don't get to see 'em
as much as I would like to.
So it really means a lot.
- That's fantastic.
- The medial ridge looks good,
But that clock
is ticking behind me.
And I got to start working
on my handle.
- Bladesmiths, you have
two hours remaining!
- Oh.
- This piece of metal
is at least five pounds easy,
And it's got to be down
to two and a half, three,
Or it's just gonna be too heavy.
- This sword
is kind of forward heavy
Because it doesn't have
a counterbalance.
But that's when it has
a normal size blade on it.
When it has the blade
that bryan's making on it,
It's gonna be so forward heavy,
It's gonna be
very difficult to wield.
- We've actually refused
to test some blades
Because they were too heavy.
The minute you pick up
this weapon,
I feel the stress on my wrist,
my elbows, and my shoulder.
- Nick, due to the extreme
weight of your ikakalaka,
We cannot move forward
with testing.
- Time's running out.
I've got to get it
to a more manageable thickness,
But I haven't fit
the handle pieces yet.
So this is where I have
To just concentrate
on the handle,
And I'm hoping
that I can get it done.
- Once all the handle material
fits on the tang,
I need a mechanical hold.
Otherwise, it's going to
come loose in the testing,
And that would eliminate me.
Welding.
- It's good to see that,
so far, our current champion,
Kurt, is really doing well
ahead of the game right now.
- Mm-hmm.
- That looks pretty good.
I know that I still have
a lot of shaping to do,
And I still have to sharpen
this entire blade,
But I'm giving it my all,
And I'm not gonna stop
till the clock runs out.
- Bladesmiths, you have
15 minutes!
No, no, no!
Clock's ticking.
I've got no time to waste.
I've just got to keep moving.
Now6 it's time
to glue everything up.
Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah.
- With all the work
that bryan's got to do,
He's really got to start
kicking into another gear
And get going.
- We're in.
- I've got the handle fit,
and it works.
But now I have a major gap.
Worst everything I've ever done.
I know I can't build
a new piece for a spacer.
I can't take it apart.
The glue is setting.
I don't have any more time.
So I go and run and grab
some roman duct tape.
Gap filler, there you go.
- Hey, whatever works, man.
- C'est la vie, mon ami.
It's done.
Time's running out.
I've got to get an edge on this.
- Five, four, three, two, one.
Bladesmiths,
put down your tools!
Turn off your machines!
This battle is over!
- I definitely want to win
this entire competition.
I would be able
to really advance my shop.
The money would help me out.
- Bladesmiths,
welcome to the keal test.
Kurt, you're up first.
You ready?
- Let's do it.
- Let's do this.
- If I win this one,
I get another 5,000.
But my concern is that thin edge
And the blade developing a warp.
That could send me home.
- My blade
is by no means perfect.
My concern is the blade
developing a warp.
Hopefully it holds.
- All right, kurt, let's talk
about your spatha here.
First up, the nickel
that you have here
And how you brought that out
is eye-catching.
It's almost like you got
some lightning
Going on in your blade.
Now, your edge is wicked sharp,
Penetrates very deep
into this ballistics dummy
And cuts the bones into that.
Overall, sir,
your weapon, it will keal.
- Thank you, doug.
- Bryan, your turn, sir.
You ready?
- Absolutely.
- All right, let's do this.
- I shaved five pounds
off of that thing,
And it was still heavy.
So I'm a little concerned
with how it will perform.
I'm starting
to get nervous here.
- I cannot, no.
Gentlemen, I think
we have a problem here.
When I'm swinging, all that
forward weight is on my wrist.
I can't wield it
with one hand safely.
I have to use two hands.
- Did you do two-handed
on the other blade?
- On the last swing,
But on all the moves,
single-handed.
- So there's a vote
of no confidence?
- Yeah.
- Well, bryan,
we want to say thank you
For your hard work in the forge.
You have absolutely zero quit
in you.
But, unfortunately, due to
the sheer weight of your blade,
Doug is unable to safely wield
it without using two hands.
So, for those reasons,
I'm gonna have to ask you
To please step off
the forge floor.
- Fair enough.
Thank you.
Oh, I agree with what
the judges had to say.
It was too heavy.
Initially, I thought if
I picked something difficult
Like go mai,
It'd be more difficult for
kurt, and instead, it bit me.
So I'm not
in the competition anymore,
But, kurt, keep it up
and give 'em hell, buddy.
- Well, kurt,
You are a two-time
gladiator of the forge.
Now you're at $10,000,
going for that $75,000.
Congratulations.
- Thank you, gentlemen.
I just won the second
"gladiator of the forge"
competition.
- Now we got a question for you.
After two eight-hour
brutal competitions,
You think you still have
what it takes
To go in for a third battle?
- Oh, I'm going right
back in there.
- Oh, absolutely. Well done.
- Thank you.
It wasn't how I wanted to win,
But I absolutely want to make
it to all ten challenges
And be the victor of them all.
So I'm absolutely ready
for another win.
Get out there
and do it all over again.