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#1 |
EAAF Staff
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Louisville, KY
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The other night I watched the show "Forged in Fire" on the History channel. The final challenge was to make a Moro panabas. It was great to see the Kali and scrims expert Doug Marcaida wield the 2 panabas. It was also cool to hear his comments on the feel of panabas' that he wielded.
If you are able to see it, do so. They include weapons from all over the world as the final challenge and they must be functional, placing the forged examples through brutal tests (and watching Doug wield them). |
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#2 |
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Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Room 101, Glos. UK
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yes, and swords and knives made in a race of 3 hrs under pressure in an excessively hot room, from weird and unknown materials are designed by them, like the originals to cut thru dried out cow thigh bones or elk antlers without chipping, bending or rolling the edge, and must be able to then cut thru a car in one swipe and punch holes in an abrams m1a2 tank. watching the 'tests' in slow motion reveal the expert edge alignment to hit the targets at the wrong angle is also instructive.
the tests are obviously designed to mimic conditions that edged weapons are used under in history and current life. (NOT) i am surprised that some actually get thru the tests. you at least get doug occasionally commenting about the idiocy of the test, tho without actually condemning them. they are designed for entertaining the masses, not to test the blades. as a reasonably good martial artist, doug must be embarrassed at the stuff he has to spout from the script. he did at one point on the one i watched last night, refer to the elk antler chopping test of the west african ida swords they'd made as 'abuse'. the guy whose sword had a thicker profile and didn't slice as well and bent a bit won because the sharper one that cut stretched bungee cord better but chipped on the antler was a failure of the 'functional' tests. i much prefer the 'iron and fire' show that appears here just after the comedy version called 'forged in fire'. he makes real knives, tomahawks and historically accurate black powder firearms, old school. and blows things up. Last edited by kronckew; 5th May 2017 at 10:01 AM. |
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#3 |
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Because I collect and I study kali, more than one friend of mine has recommended the show. I tried a couple episodes.
Loved the smiths, loved Marcaida, loved the blades, hated the show. Thanks, Leif |
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#4 |
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Louisville, KY
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Well it seems to be based on the food network show "Chopped", so..........
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#5 | |
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: California
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#6 | |
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the other PETA believes in scaring little children with gory comics accusing their parents of murder, then kills over 95% of the animals they take in for rehoming after promising to find them a new home. usually in the back of the van as they leave the home. usually dumping the carcasses in the nearest wheelie bin behind a fast food joint or supermarket. the ethical part of their name is not very ethical. they have none. they will cheerfully lie. they exist to garnish money. |
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#7 |
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Location: California
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I trust that you've also elevated chef Fergus Henderson's THE WHOLE BEAST: NOSE TO TAIL EATING to the degree of reverence accorded the four Gospels. BTW, have been looking for one of those "real" PETA T-shirts for quite awhile after noticing someone, at a distance and in passing, wearing one in a crowd.
I know all about the other PETA, and their penchant for scaring kids with their gory propaganda. They show up at parking lots to picket the Wienermobile when it makes its periodic goodwill tours of the US. And boy, how they traumatize those little kiddos who show up with Mom and Dad to sing the wiener song and partake of the iconic Oscar Mayer fronkfoyter! They even send their agitprop crew to my neighborhood farmers' market on Saturdays to scream at the fishmongers and butchers! We do our best to try drown them out with a chorus of pig and cow noises. |
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#8 |
EAAF Staff
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Upstate New York, USA
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I guess that I must confess that watching Forged in Fire is one of my guilty pleasures. However, I tend toward liking blade smiths in general and this program often seems like merely a sadomasochistic exercise directed towards them. Martial artist Doug Marcaida's insights are entertaining and do seem relevant and worthwhile; the other panelists and the host are, at best, irritating. I have briefly discussed the show with accomplished blade smiths - briefly because they do not watch the show and suggest I follow their lead in that - and the general consensus is that there is very little if any upside and a tremendous amount of potential downside to any blade smith subjecting themselves to this 'competition.' Weird mystery metal worked against the clock and finalist assignments well beyond the scope of contestant's shop tooling do show the blade smith's resilience and perseverance and it is amazing that as many of their works are as good as they are.
As to animal rights activists, I'll admit that I am not a flesh eater, but these groups are largely guilty of promoting the view among our lawmakers that vilifying and prohibiting transfer of a 150 year old kris with an ivory pommel will somehow protect elephants in the wild today. |
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#9 | |
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Wow, wasn't aware that this particular episode is already on air. Thanks for the head's up.
The producers actually approached me regarding this particular piece, and i would say i was honored to be of help. I'll watch it when i get home. Hope it wasn't butchered, lol. Quote:
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#10 |
EAAF Staff
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Louisville, KY
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Good for you Ron!
I am aware of the limitations of the show, but I still find it interesting and entertaining. ![]() |
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#11 |
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Location: Ireland
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I really enjoy the show
I can sit down with my eight year old son, (he loves meat) and 6 year old daughter. We discuss the weapons, appraise what is going wrong, discuss Damascus steel (We even used a ham and cheese sandwitch to see the process for real) Overall I feel it brings knowledge of making things by hand to a generation of screen watchers. Having them in my workshop making plywood swords and trying them out in destructive testing has come from the show. The delight when they recognise one of my sword types been produced on the show is great, we go up into my storage area and bring it down to discuss if it would win against the competitors. I would like though to see more of the home shop productions as the 5 days are really condensed. I have however never made a blade so I might not see all the incorrectness in what is going on. Regards Ken |
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#12 | |
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![]() do wish they'd smarten up a bit and look for more historical accuracy rather than glitzy fantasy work (i shuddered at that 'winning' war hammer with the dragon bits that fell off). the 'iron and fire' series is a LOT better and shows real and useful skills. |
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#13 |
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Join Date: May 2014
Location: Ireland
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Here are my two Forged in Fire fans with their favourite weapons
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#14 |
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Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Upstate New York, USA
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Well, these katars do not have grips too narrow for the hands of their appreciative wielders! Delightful picture!
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#15 | |
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Hopefully you got compensated for your efforts, don't forget to share the wealth brah! |
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#16 | |
EAAF Staff
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Location: Louisville, KY
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#17 |
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The strength test.
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#18 |
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panabas abuse! surprised they didn't try to chop thru a springfield rifle barrel or two. after all, everybody knows that knives & swords are designed to cut thru plate armour and stay as sharp as a razor. chopping thru a few steel re-inforced concrete paving slabs would be another good test for them at FIF.
reminds me of the one where they shot a jacketed .45 acp at a katana-like object to 'test' it. failure if it didn't split the projectile without chipping. we all know katanas can cut thru a howitzer, so why not? i'd like to see the bearded master of historically accurate swords test himself by catching a razor sharp sword stroke between his palms ala mythbusters. Last edited by kronckew; 8th May 2017 at 05:59 AM. |
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#19 | |
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Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Minneapolis,MN
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Don't give them ideas. ![]() Have fun, Leif |
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#20 |
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Join Date: Aug 2015
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I really love that show. <3
It brought me to the idea to own a viking sword, by coinincidence there was also a more serious ulfberth documentary on tv so i googled up and found these forums somehow ![]() Sadly i still dont own one but i am working hard on it. Last year i nearly purchased one but then it was too expensive. Retrospectively i really regret it somehow not going for it with a "who cares after" attitude. Two weeks ago i also flipped my first weapon with a nice profit at a german auction house. So i am saving up money to buy something really spectular for my collection. I hope next November there will be great swords consigned in London ![]() |
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#21 |
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Until then i am going to armouries and continue watching forged in fire. Hahah
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#22 | |
Vikingsword Staff
Join Date: Nov 2004
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http://www.arscives.com/historysteel...s1/172-rb1.jpg |
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#23 |
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Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Room 101, Glos. UK
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so can a butter knife
![]() https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Qy-Be2cDGQ |
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#24 | |
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Join Date: Aug 2015
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![]() Love Forged in Fire though. |
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#25 | |
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.but...it's SO historical looking, just like this guy's historically accurate viking armour and long sword. he forgot the horns on the helmet tho. everyone knows vikings had horns. D |
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#26 |
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Hi Kronckew,
I would confidently put my daughter with her Katar up against your pseudo warrior. She may look all innocent and dressed in pink but when it comes to battle she is some tough cookie ![]() regards Ken |
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#27 | |
Keris forum moderator
Join Date: Aug 2006
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#28 |
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true, if it were not on the history channel, the entertainment leaves a false sense of reality that demeans real historical studies of real historical weapons, their historical construction, use and capabilities.
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#29 | |
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#30 |
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On the history channel there is also this "ancient aliens bullsh*t", so its not a big drama that the tests in forged in fire are somewhat nonsense.
I also like the show becuase the contestants seem to shake hands to each others. Its not like the others where they are like dead enemys. |
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