My name is Ben Abbott.
I've been making blades since I was about 13 years old.
I was born in Worcester, England.
When I saw all the cool armor, and weapons, and stuff,
I just decided to start making it for myself.
My name's Tom McGinnis.
I'm 73 years old, and I love knife making.
I made my first knife in 1958.
I'm an old duck, but I'm gonna hang tough.
WIL WILLIS: Ben, Tom, congratulations.
You've made it to the "Forged in Fire" final.
And now we're sending you back to your home
forges to recreate an iconic weapon from history,
the khanda .
The khanda is a sword that gained popularity
in medieval India during the Gupta
period between 320 and 550 AD.
The word khanda is derived from the Sanskrit word [sanskrit],,
meaning to break, divide, cut, or destroy.
It's wide, thick, straight blade was
not only used for thrusting, but also as a hacking weapon.
When a Rajput warrior was surrounded by the enemy,
he would pull out the khanda and fight to the end
while swinging the blade with both hands,
taking down as many enemies as he could
in an honorable last stand.
It has to be an authentic, working replica
of that deadly weapon.
The mystery weapon is a khanda.
I think it's a real doable blade.
I believe I can produce one.
Bladesmiths, good luck.
BEN: So it's day one.
My strategy going into building this blade
is that I'm going to make a couple of test blades.
The most crucial part of this build is whatever I have to do
to get it through the testing.
I can make the prettiest thing in the world.
If it snaps in two, I'm going to lose.
I'm going to quench the sword.
[cackling]
The quench went really well.
Very excited about that.
Now I have to dive into the handle.
The handle is nothing like I've ever seen before.
I lost 10 hours working on this sword.
Got to just finish grinding the blade.
I wrap the handle in leather.
It'll bulk out the handle and make it more comfortable
so that it really kind of holds your hand snugly
and feels really good.
Holy cow.
What a long journey.
TOM: It feels good to be back home
where I have my own equipment.
Today I'm going to try and get the shapes of the guard
and get the blade ground.
The blade we had to make is designed
for fighting double handed, and it had a big D guard on it,
and I've never done that.
It's quite an awesome blade.
I got the blade ground.
Seems to be going real good, and I'm going to try and get
the handle all put together.
I'm going to ask God to help me with this one.
God answered my prayer.
It's pretty straight if it will just cool down.
Now, I know this blade's going to cut.
It's ready for the judges.
Ben is gonna contend with a tough old dog.
Tom, Ben, welcome back to the forge.
We will now be putting each of your weapons
through three tests.
Doug?
Bladesmiths, this is the kill test.
To test the lethality and function of your weapon,
I will take your weapon and deliver three vertical chops
and then a slice.
Ben, you're up.
You ready?
I guess so.
Let's do this.
BEN: I'm a little bit nervous.
There's a lot of bones in there.
But this sword is made to cut, so let's see it cut.
[music playing]
Well, Ben, the damage that your blade did cut
about six inches deep into both shoulders and right
through the spine.
On the horizontal slice, it pretty much
cut all the way through.
It's got a good feel.
This, sir, will kill.
Thank you.
Tom, it's your turn.
You ready?
I'm ready.
I don't like losing at all.
I like to win.
In the kill test, I think it's doable.
I really do.
[music playing]
DOUG: Tom, you definitely cut in about six inches
deep on the shoulders and about eight inches
into the spinal column.
You cut halfway through into the carcass.
Also feels good in balance with a downward vertical slice.
There was a slight bend that's happening to your blade,
but it will kill.
Bladesmiths, this is the sharpness test.
I will slash across these bungee cords.
If your blade is sharp, it should cut all the way through.
If not, it may just push it aside or bounce off.
Ben, you're up.
Are you ready?
Sure.
At this point, I'm nervous.
I don't know.
I don't know if I'm going to cut through all of them,
or if I'm going to bounce off.
I have no idea.
[bleep]
Well, Ben, your sword started to cut.
It cut a little bit, but it did not cut through.
It feels good on the slice.
The handle is very comfortable in the hand.
Once again, it didn't cut through,
so it brings into question the sharpness.
Tom, it's your turn.
You ready?
I'm ready.
DOUG: Let's do this.
TOM: I really feel comfortable going into the test,
and I know this blade's going to cut.
I'm ready.
Oh.
DOUG: Well, Tom, it did cut a little bit
into the bungee cord.
But then-- - Yeah.
--as you can see, the transference of energy went
all the way back to the blade.
It wasn't sharp enough to cut through,
and it bent your blade, which brings
to question the heat treatment you did on your blade.
Cut around corners now.
[laughter]
It'll cut around corners this time, right?
But in this particular case, it will not cut, sir.
When you don't have your hardening and tampering right
on a blade, you don't have anything.
Gentlemen, both of your weapons
failed in the sharpness test.
Historically in battle, blades bent.
Tom, we'd like to give you the opportunity
to straighten your blade so that you
can continue with this fight.
However, we will be taking that bend into consideration
when it comes to final judging.
I understand.
I should have left thicker, but I'm not a quitter.
I'm going to fight to the end.
OK, Tom, you've straightened your blade.
We can continue with testing.
Gentlemen, this is the strength test.
I'm going to take five chops into these copper pipes
and see how far through we can split.
Ben, are you ready?
Not at all.
Yes.
The last thing I would bring to a plumbing job is a sword.
So I'm just nervous that the blade will break,
just snap in two.
[music playing]
JUDGE: Wow.
Ben, it's still one piece, but barely.
And the dimensions of your guard here on my hand are perfect.
Your blade, it's held up beautifully.
Nicely done.
Thank you.
So, Tom, your turn.
OK.
JUDGE: All right.
TOM: I'm really nervous about the pipe cut.
I should have spent more time on my blade,
because that's what counts in the end.
Now, Tom, we do have that bend in your blade,
and we know that there's at least a soft section in there.
Yeah.
So as I'm cutting, if I feel that there's a point where it's
unsafe, I'm just gonna stop.
All right?
OK.
[music playing]
So, Tom, what happened is we lost a piece of the guard
right there.
Yeah.
JUDGE: With the broken guard and the bend earlier,
I feel it's unsafe to continue.
All right, thank you, Tom.
TOM: I'm disappointed.
I know I can do better, but that's what happens when
you don't use your time right.
Gentlemen, in just five days you've
both done an amazing amount of work on your khandas.
But in this arena, there can only be one "Forged in Fire"
champion.
Ben, you are the "Forged in Fire" champion.
Tom, unfortunately your weapon did not make the cut.
Tom, as I said before, your attention to detail is spot on.
It's just that heat-treat problem with that blade
bending the way it did.
That's why we have to let you go.
Tom, please surrender your weapon.
TOM: Well, I got to meet some real nice craftsmen.
And I learned.
Don't let your age slow you down.
You don't know how long you got.
Ben, congratulations.
You are the "Forged in Fire" champion
and will be receiving a check for $10,000.
Good job.
Thank you.
Most people get guard sizes all wrong,
and the khanda has a deceptively small guard.
You just hit it out of the park.
Thank you.
It feels amazing to be the "Forged in Fire" champion.
It's a wonderful validation of a long time of knife making.
And I made new friends.
I made 10 grand.
What more could you ask for?