- Gentlemen, to test the strength of your edge
as well as the overall construction of your blades,
I'm gonna be batoning them three times into these bolts.
Remember, this is all about what the bolts do to your blades,
and not what your blades do to the bolts.
Aaron, you're up. You ready?
Yes.
I'm afraid Ben's gonna break my blade.
The way he hits, I'm scared that this blade
is gonna snap in half.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Well, Aaron, there's a significant roll
right at this spot right here.
I can get my fingernail underneath it.
The handle is a little interesting to me.
I can see you left these two points here because of the pins
you put in, but that creates a finger
well up here that's pushing my finger towards the blade.
Josh, you're up.
I'm so ready.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Well, Josh, there's a cool low feature that
started happening back here.
I see that.
It's part of the screw that was in this pocket here,
and so it just wasn't fully welded together.
There is edge deflection here from the last hit.
I can get my fingernail underneath it.
Still has a pretty significant warp,
but in general, the whole blade held up.
Well done.
Thank you.
BEN: Chad, you're up. You ready?
Yep.
With batoning, that's a lot of force
to put on the back of a knife, but I
test my knives like this at home,
so I believe that it'll be OK.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Well, Chad, first things first.
There are two relatively big deflections here.
But aside from those, blade is still straight and in one
piece. Well done
Thank you.
Bladesmiths, to test the sharpness,
I will take your weapon and I will slice and dice these hams.
Aaron, you're up first.
You ready?
Yes, sir.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
All right, Aaron, your handle over here--
it's comfortable on the backside.
But you know, the point that you have over here,
it pushes my finger close to the ricasso where the edge starts.
But overall, there's no curing that ham.
It will cut.
Thank you, sir.
JUDGE: How about you, Josh?
I'm ready like a Christmas ham.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Your edge, though it took some damage, no issues whatsoever.
It's sharp and it's got a good cutting feel to it.
Overall, it will cut.
Thank you.
Chad, it's your turn. You ready?
Yes, sir.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
All right, Chad, I ham impressed with your blade,
because even though on the strength test,
it took in some damage, it sliced evenly
and without any issues whatsoever.
Overall, your blade will cut. - Thank you.
JUDGE: Good job.
Bladesmiths, the judge's deliberation is complete.
The bladesmith leaving the forge is Aaron.
Your blade did not make the cut.
Aaron, all the blades took some kind of damage
in the strength test.
All the blades cut beautifully on the sharpness test.
So it came down to your handle.
Your handle just puts our index finger so close to that edge
that if you were to use it vigorously,
it's eventually gonna cut us.
For that reason, we're letting you go.
Aaron, you may surrender your blade.
When it comes to handles on knives,
they have to fit the hand properly,
and mine was just not up to par.
But this was the greatest time of my life.
And I am so proud to be here.