- Gentlemen, this is the strength test.
To test the structural integrity of your blades,
the hardness of your steel, and the strength of your pommel,
I'll be taking a hammer and knocking
your blades through these sheets of steel like a railroad spike.
Dwight, you're up first.
Are you ready?
You want me to do it?
No, no.
[laughing]
DWIGHT: When I seen that they was going to be hammering
through that piece of steel, I'm thinking
that handle may not hold up.
[music playing]
Well, Dwight, your tip held up beautifully.
Still tight. Still in one piece.
Your handle is a little on the clunky side,
but I only had to hold it that way,
so it's not a big deal to me. Well done.
Thank you. - Thank you.
Billy Bob, you're up next. Are you ready?
Let's do it.
When I realized he's whacking it three times, I'm thinking,
Oh God, this is going to be the toughest test.
[music playing]
Well, Billy Bob, your tip held up beautifully.
I was sweating it.
Without any glue in there, I thought
for sure this thing was going to at least wriggle or jiggle or--
Both of us was.
Very well done.
- Thank you, sir. - Mark, you're up next.
Are you ready? - Pull the trigger.
My heart rate does go up quite a bit.
But it's got a good point on it.
I know I got it good and sharp.
And I think it'll do well.
[music playing]
Mark, your knife did take some damage.
Has a little bit glinting on the edge up here
and there's pieces came off the handle here.
And there's some gapping that happened in the impact.
I still think that the handle is secure enough to go
on to the sharpness testing.
All right, gentlemen.
To see if your blades have held their tip and their edge,
I'll be slashing and stabbing into our Sandman dummy here.
Now, unlike the other test, this is all about what
your blades do that bag.
Dwight, you're up first. - I'm ready.
Go for it.
Long cutting edge, and I wasn't sure I had my knife really,
really sharp.
Mine may not cut this thing.
[music playing]
He dead.
All right, Dwight.
Your blade's got some serious weight to it.
Right.
But these cuts are just beautifully clean
and there was just no resistance.
Thanks.
All right, Billy Bob. You're up.
- Let's do it. - OK.
[music playing]
All right, Billy Bob.
Much lighter knife, lots faster.
And you can see, those cuts are like razors.
Really clean.
Nicely done.
Thank you, sir. Thank you.
All right, Mark.
It's up to you. - OK.
Let's do it.
Having part of your blade break is pretty serious.
But the handle is still quite solid,
and I think it will still perform well.
[music playing]
All right, Mark.
It's really, really sweet.
Just lays right into my hand.
And the blade geometry on this is really nice.
Good job.
Thank you.
Bladesmiths, the judges have completed their deliberations.
It's time for one of you to leave the forge.
Mark, your blade did not make the cut.
Doug will explain.
Mark, you took on three master bladesmiths.
The twist Damascus is beautiful.
The bounds and sharpness of your blade
easily sliced the sandman.
But at the end of the day, your blade took some damage
and your handle chipped.
And that's the reason we're letting you go.
Yeah. Absolutely agree with you.
Thank you.
Mark, please surrender your blade.
I think that the judges made the right decision
for the right reasons.
Had I put the brass guard on there,
my blade would have stood up to the punishment.
But I felt like I gained a lot out of the experience.
It was a great opportunity to come here
and to test myself against the best.