I'm a real knife maker. I've been making knives full time for 20 years. I used to forge knives too. I watch the show on a fairly regular basis and know several makers that have competed. The show is about entertainment/drama for the viewers and selling advertising. If you went to a real knife makers shop and made a show of him/her making the knives they usually make, you would be bored out of your mind in less than an hour. That is not what this TV program is about.
I have served on the Technical Committee for the Knifemaker's Guild for about 10 years and have judged knives by a few of the makers that have participated. These guys are really good makers, like many that have participated.
The show is designed to create difficulties for the makers that result in problems and good TV. The lighting is bad for judging the steel heat, the forges are run wide open, the set is hot as blazes, the steel is mostly a mystery and those guys have no time! All this creates pressure and mistakes are made. Mistakes that most of the experienced makers would never make if they were in their own shop.
The deck is stacked against these Smiths and yet, for the most part, they do very good work with very little time!
I have a lot of respect for all the knife makers that are willing to subject themselves to working at a craft they love under these circumstances....
