Forged in Fire, Season 4 Episode 3: The Katzbalger

The preview for my episode:

https://www.facebook.com/HISTORY/videos/10154209843551184/?pnref=story

FORGED IN FIRE - KATZBALGER

Tomorrow night!  (Tuesday, April 18, 8:00 CST)

Here's the episode description:

"For the first time ever, the competitors are challenged with creating not one, but two blades in the first round. With double the pressure and double the work, the bladesmiths are pushed to their limits, which leads to another first–a hospital trip. After a grueling second round, the two remaining smiths have just five days to create an iconic 15th century combat sword–the Katzbalger. Which bladesmith has what it takes to burn through the obstacles in their way and become the next Forged in Fire champion?"

T-shrits available for pre-order!

To quote Yogurt from "Spaceballs", "Moichendizing! Where da real money from da picture is made."

We are taking pre-orders for Helm Enterprises T-shirts, featuring artwork by the talented Matt Dyck @mattdyckstudios and printed on heavy cotton by Texas Special Tees @texasspecialtees. Modeling for artwork done by Tobin Nieto @stonehavenknifeworks

Color will be orange on black.

Prices, shipping not include:
 
Small - XL: $15.00
XXL: $20.00
3XL - 5XL: $25.00

If interested, send me an e-mail at helmforge@gmail.com with "T-shirt" in the subject line. Please include the number of shirts, sizes, and your shipping address. Thanks!

 

Forged in Fire Season 4

New season starts this week.

And on the 18th:

Yup, I'm the one in the green T-shirt, second from the right.

Camp bolos

Here are a couple of camp bolos that went out to customers recently.  Both of these started out as demonstration pieces, showing how I use the dies on my power hammer to forge blades.  Neither one of the customers who ended up with them had me build sheaths for them.  The blades are a little over 12" long, with false edges on top.

This first one was for the first STAB (South Texas Association of Bladeslingers) get-together out at my shop back at the end of January, forged from 1084.  I finished it out with tan over black paracord on top of a neoprene foundation.

The second was forged from 5160 as a demonstration for a fellow who came to my shop to study my home-brewed guided helve power hammer to help build his own.  He ended up buying the demo blade from me, and I finished it out in black over black paracord over neoprene.

Primal/tactical tantos

Some recently finished tantos.  All are 80CrV22, with paracord wraps over neoprene hardened with West System marine epoxy, with Kydex sheaths.

This black one was a commission, while the tan one will be on one of my tables at the Blade Show.  Blades are around 7".

This o-tanto and smaller, stabbity slicety tanto were a commissioned pair by a son for himself and his father.  The o-tanto is about a 14" blade, and the other is about 7 1/2".

The stabbity slicety tanto is about as narrow a point as I can recall doing on a blade!

 

The son decided he wanted a retention strap added to his o-tanto as a belt-and-suspenders insurance policy to keep it secured while it rides on a pack.

Wooden sword vs. Slingsword

Some of y'all may (or may not) recall a few years ago I built an 18" sword blade for Joerg Sprave, the German mad genius of creative and deadly slingshots and other unconventional weapons.  He built a handle for the blade that (of course) incorporated a slingshot.

I was pleasantly surprised to see today that he had brought the slingsword back out, as a basis of comparison for a wooden sword he had made from European dogwood, the hardest wood that grows in his area.  The slingsword shows up just before 8:00 in the video.

As far as I'm aware, this is the first time a blade of mine has been used on a tatami mat cut.  His comment: "The tatami felt like NOTHING AT ALL when I attacked it with your blade... great work for sure."  😎