Chris Jeremiah congratulations you made
it to the final round of this
competition which means that you're both
one step closer to the title forged in
fire champion and a check for $10,000
now we're sending you back to your home
for just to recreate an iconic weapon
from history that weapon is a pair of
Viking war axes
good luck bladesmiths we'll see you in
five days
it feels good to be home back out where
there's no people I like not a big
people person
today I'm making two Viking axes I've
made some tomahawks in the past and some
axes in the past I used a lot of low
layer Damascus so I'm gonna view 117
layer billet hopefully out of that I can
get what I need for both axes this is a
bigger billet normally I start with the
13 layer lucky me to get them both
turned in the I form I'm just gonna cut
a little 2 inch piece of inch and a half
round stock and then I can start turning
the eye Jeremiah has been bladesmithing
for a few decades and I've been doing it
for a couple years so I'm kind of the
underdog so to speak but I love the
challenges that come with that I'll feel
good when it's done and it's right
probably another three days before I'll
feel good I'm excited to get working on
these Viking axes I'm taking the
advantage of having two forges so that
hopefully I can give it done twice as
fast if I learned anything from the
first two challenges is that I need to
stand on the shoulders of giants I'm
gonna stand on the shoulders of history
and I'm doing as close to traditional as
I can into the switch the other one out
and get them both to the same spot my
biggest concern is that I get them
identical being a blacksmith people want
things that look exactly the same all
the time so not to say that it's easy
but it's a challenge that I'm prepared
for
I'm pretty happy with what I got done
yesterday pretty much have all the
forging done I can go on so the heat
treat my biggest concern just a nice
even heat all the way around the heat
treat is everything a lot of things can
go wrong
twisting warpage breakage Bend egde itch
whatever if it's not heat-treated then
it's just a pretty looking wall hair
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she's straight time to do it again
two for two so far it feels good to have
the heat treat successful I don't know
if you tell or not those pretty nervous
yeah I'm forged welding a high-carbon
bit into the body of the axe making a
durable edge which is historical so
nervous I'm shaking whenever you do a
Forge weld there's always the chance
that something could go wrong
yeah the welds fail I won't have
anything they got way too thin right up
back here the seams are showing the
welds are not gonna hold this is the
worst thing that I could have imagined I
need to start over I'm in big trouble
there's no room for these emotions right
now I have a job that needs to get done
I don't quit until the work is done
today is all about getting the handles
fit up I'm doing the pressure fit
there's no epoxy there's no pens it's a
purely mechanical fit it just slides on
and the tap and locks it into place and
that's the pressure fits not right any
good shock to it could drop it down one
of my axes doesn't match the other one
the bottom is wider than the top and it
needs to be
the other way so and the only choice I
have is to do it from the top down and
put a wedge in it I guarantee that
Jeremiah's gonna do a pressure fit
because that's the way it's supposed to
be so I didn't want to be the guy that
took the easy way out and just put a
wedge in and call it good the most
annoying thing is is that it's
historically not correct hopefully
that's not what bites me in the ass as
you know I'm still nursing an injury to
be my arm today I'm bringing a special
guest from our Chi to Kali please
welcome Staff Sergeant Chris Vance today
he will be my arm or arms to test your
weapons Chris you up first you ready
let's do it
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all right Chris let's talk about your
Viking war axes on the initial cut the
long beard that you have right there
hooked all the ribs and of course the
beauty of having a secondary weapon is
that when he pulled it out he had enough
attacks to disemboweled everything
overall sir
your Viking war axe look kill Thank You
Jeremiah shall we do this yes we shall
right Jeremiah your Viking war axes are
razor-sharp if not only blew through the
ribs but dug in breaking through the
lungs and into the heart it is fast and
light and it will kill Hey
to test the strength and overall
construction of your war axes I'll be
throwing them three times with each axe
into our mock-up of a drawbridge
now hopefully they'll stay tight and
right not loosen up Chris you ready yes
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all right Chris first off they're
balanced nicely and they match which is
really what I was looking for that stout
edge though kind of keeps them from
penetrating overly deep you can see
right about here it's just a small role
in two spots but they're solid you're
still together nicely done Thank You
Jeremiah already didn't get dressed up
for nothing
so first off here am i they feel like
they weigh the same
they definitely throw the same and
having that curve on the blade allows it
to dig a lot deeper than having a flat
edge but the bottom line is neither of
your blades took any damage well done
thank you
test the sharpness of your blades see
how they held up I'm gonna take your
axes and deliver three shots to these
three fish Chris you're up first you
ready let's do it
Oh Chris the god zip war will be happy
as blood on your axe it's a good day the
shape of that blade oh it's a little
concerned just because it's flat but it
really just cut right through those fish
very very sharp blades well done
thank you sir Jeremiah you're up you
ready time for sushi
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well Jeremiah same effect your axes are
bloodied there now honorable Viking more
axes they are beautiful I like what you
did with the copper rain right not a
huge fan and how thin the handles are to
swing it took a little bit more finger
gripping - very well made axes obviously
sharp well done thank you Chris
Jeremiah the judges have examined your
work and they've tested your weapons
they've made their final decision the
forged in fire champion is Jeremiah
congratulations Chris your access did
not make the cut Doug Marcaida will tell
you why Chris both weapons performed
equally all the way through but in the
strength test one of your axes took
damage on its edge that made us decide
that you're going home I understand
Chris please surrender your war axis
you're always disappointed if you don't
win it but the experience that you get
from this competition I've loved every
minute of it I'm going to go back home
and keep making nice and I'll probably
make a Viking axe on the side
Jeremih congratulations you are a new
force and fire champion and that's a
title that comes with a check for ten
grand how do you feel that's amazing
it did excellent work please present
your access to the judges I did it I won
forged in fire to be validated as a
Smith this way is really cool this is a
win for my family
certainly a win for the history books
stay in school study your history it'll
come in handy
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you