[music playing]
Hello, bladesmiths.
Welcome to the strength test.
To test the strength and durability of your edge,
as well as the overall construction of your blade,
I'll be launching that 52100 9-pound pinball at the edge
of your knives, 3 times.
Steve, you're up first. You ready?
I'm ready.
I like the shape of your blade.
I like the forward bend to it, but the pinball
did some damage.
There's some rolls up here at the edge.
There's also some gapping here at the handle in the back
and in the front.
But it all held up.
Well done.
Thank you.
All right, Ethan, you're up next.
Are you ready?
I suppose.
You suppose.
Well, I suppose I'm gonna do it.
First things first, it did take some rolling.
The handle is a little bit big.
There's a lot of handle left over on this knife.
But I love how you relieved all the-- all
the grinds on your guard here.
Beautiful knife.
Thank you.
Michael, you're up.
Are you ready?
I am.
Being that your blade is so thin,
you have the most flexible of the blades that are out there.
It ended up that flexibility gave you a little advantage
in this test, because the edge rolling that's here,
and there is some, is not bad.
Well done.
Thank you,
Bladesmiths, this is the Loot Bag Slice.
Steve, you're up first.
You ready?
I'm ready.
All right, Steve, as you can see, in slicing this bag,
it just cuts on the impact area.
On the slice itself, it didn't cut the bag open.
Steve, sadly, your blade, sir, did not really cut.
Ethan, your turn.
You ready?
I suppose.
All right, Ethan, let's talk about your handle here.
The swell you have there makes my hand go only in one spot
where it's comfortable.
But because you have such a large handle,
if you go to other spots, it gets in the way.
Now, your edge.
As you can see, it cuts in every movement.
It liberated the contents, which allows me to say
your blade, sir, will cut.
Thank you.
All right, Michael, your turn. You ready?
Oh, yeah.
Your edge is sharp enough to cut this loot bag open.
It feels good in the hand.
It was easy to move around with your blade.
And overall, sir, your blade will cut.
Bladesmiths, the judges' deliberation is complete.
It's time for one of you to leave the forge.
The bladesmith leaving the forge is Steve.
Your blade didn't make the cut.
Steve, all the blades took the same kind amount of damage
during the strength test.
But in the sharpness test, your blade just didn't cut.
And for that reason, we're sending you home.
Steve, please surrender your blade.
This is a really great experience.
I was able to not only see other smiths at work,
but also to push my own limits.
I have learned some things here.
And I'm gonna take them to my own shop.
And I may just make another six-hour knife.