Swords may not be the weapon of choice for many people nowadays, but that doesn't stop some from continuing to work as bladesmiths. `Forged in Fire' tests some of the best in the field as they attempt to re-create some of history's most iconic edged weapons. Former Army Ranger Wil Willis hosts the competition series that sees four master bladesmiths challenged in each episode to forge the swords, which are then tested by a panel of judges consisting of J. Neilson, who has been making knives for more than 20 years, hand-to-hand combat specialist Doug Marcaida, and David Baker, an authority on replicating period-accurate weaponry. The contestant who survives the elimination rounds and wins the episode's contest earns $10,000 and the title of Forged in Fire champion.
Five novice smiths must earn their way into the competition before the forge is even lit, before recreating a 16th-century weapon known as the War Golok.
The bladesmiths are challenged to salvage a cannon to make signature blades, and the finalists recreate the North African Kabyle Flyssa.
Four bladesmiths are tasked with forging blades out of steel from a chain and a sprocket, before moving on to craft the iconic Karabela sabre.
Four bladesmiths must forge J. Nielson's favourite blade, a Damascus European dagger, before moving on to the Zande spear.
After a testing qualifier, two smiths head home for the final round to recreate the German Halberd, a medieval-era triple threat.
The bladesmiths harvest steel from motorcycles to forge blades in their signature style, before two craft a giant two-handed sword in the final.
US armed forces veterans dive into the fray when they are tasked with forging a combat knife from an anti-tank hedgehog.
Four bladesmiths must craft a hatchet from pieces of odd-shaped steel before two are chosen to make the deadly Masaai lion spear.
After two challenging rounds of signature crafting two smiths recreate a beautiful but deadly Indonesian sword, the Kelewang.
The bladesmiths are forced to make canister damascus using nuts and bolts before two must recreate a pair of deadly Indian Bagh Nakh weapons.
After forging the iconic Ka-Bar military blade using only tiny cubes of W-1 steel, finalists are challenged to craft the battle-tested glaive guisarme.
Four smiths must forge a multipurpose weapon from old rescue tools, before two go on to recreate a unique utilitarian tool, the Russian Pioneer Sword.
The finalists are shocked to learn that they must recreate an ancient, mysterious weapon called wind and fire wheels.
After forging friction folders from a steel coil, finalists must create a blade that requires both precision and detail: the French smallsword.
The finalists face a Forged in Fire first as their blades must face two strength tests, before they recreate the Celtic Anthropomorphic Sword.
After a challenging preliminary, the two finalists must re-create one of the Ottoman Empire's most lethal sabres - the Kilij.
Four bladesmiths are taken out of the forge and transported to the great outdoors, where they struggle to forge a blade in the noonday sun.
In a gruelling Forged in Fire first, four bladesmiths must make not just one but three knives from railroad spikes in only three hours.
The Sengese: Four bladesmiths must forge a fully functional serrated knife using steel from hand scissors, or risk getting cut from the competition.
Finalists pay homage to Hollywood by crafting Hattori Hanzo's 1,000-layer katana from Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill.
Four bladesmiths go back to basics before two go on to recreate one of the most intricate weapons in Forged in Fire history, the steel crossbow.
Four bladesmiths must craft a signature blade from a piece of elevator cable, and the finalists must recreate the two-handed Landsknecht Sword.
Tournament Round 1: In the first ever Forged in Fire Tournament, four different classes of metalsmithing professionals compete for the biggest prize in the show's history.
Tournament Round 2: In Round 2, four armourers must forge a Damascus blade out of plate armour, then craft an exotic hybrid of pain and protection: the Hooded Katar.
Tournament Round 3: In the third round of the tournament, the smiths face a Damascus blade signature round before two go on to create the Knightly Poleaxe.
Tournament Round 4: Four metalsmiths must harvest materials from a metal sculpture to forge their Damascus blade, before the finalists duel with Flamberge Rapiers.
In the final round, the winning contestants face off to forge the longest round one weapon in Forged in Fire history: the Wakizashi.
Four bladesmiths must create a signature slasher blade that would give Freddy Krueger nightmares.
Four bladesmiths return to the Middle Ages when they are tasked with forging a Crusader's Dagger from a thick rod of W1 steel.
Four bladesmiths must start from the ground up, building their own coal forges using materials scavenged from a storage unit.
Four bladesmiths are challenged with forging a canister Damascus knife using only steel wool and 1095 powder.
Four bladesmiths must forge judge Ben Abbott's favourite blade, the Celtic Ring Knife, using the San Mai technique.