Ah, yes. Doug Marcaida’s iconic catchphrase for well-crafted, combat-ready blades in Forged in Fire—a reality competition between bladesmiths and their crafted blades, both in the studio and in their home forges. Aside from the skills and determination of the bladesmiths, the show features some of the coolest weapons from throughout history and their backgrounds, which are reproduced by the contestants and put up against various tests, including the “kill test.” From practical one-handed swords to intricate blades with stunning designs, here are the best weapons in the Forged in Fire TV series.
10. Okatana
The okatana is a weapon that works and looks similar to a regular katana, but it’s a bit longer (yet still shorter than a nodachi or nagamaki). In this episode, the series of tests include a badass demonstration where the blades are shot with a bullet. Both contestants made okatanas that passed the test and split their bullets. It’s reminiscent of movies, TV shows, and anime series where a swordsman is able to slice a bullet with his blade.
9. Nagamaki
The nagamaki is a Japanese long sword that has a blade and a handle that are each about two feet in length, meaning it’s double-handed. This episode featured two well-crafted nagamakis and ended up being one of the closest competitions in the series. Both swords were razor-sharp and passed the strength and kill tests.
8. Panabas
The panabas is actually a tool meant for gardening and agriculture, but it was also used by early Filipinos in battles and warfare. In this episode, both Josh and Ray recreated their panabas well—to the point where both blades were able to cut a pig carcass in half.
7. Xiphos
The xiphos was a short sword, used by ancient Greeks, with a leaf-shaped blade and two edges. It’s commonly seen in films that feature ancient Greek warriors and/or ancient Greek myths. The contestants recreated the xiphos in their home forges, presenting the judges with two blades of unique designs. Unfortunately, in this episode, one of the blades failed to hold up because it had accumulated some damage in the pommel area.
6. Scottish Claymore
The Scottish claymore is an extremely long sword, which seems like it’d be impractical in a real war due to how hard it’d be to use. But it’s all about lethality, which was proven by experienced hands when they really did use it in battle throughout the 15th to 17th centuries. It was also the main weapon of the Claymores in the Claymore anime series. There’s one earlier episode of Forged in Fire that featured the Scottish claymore, but both swords suffered damage that resulted in bent and broken blades. This one features Matt and Ben’s claymore, which is strong enough to withstand the bullet-splitting challenge.
5. Qinglong Ji
The qinglong ji is a polearm weapon that originated in China and has been seen in many martial arts films, including 1991’s Once Upon a Time in China. It has a long pole as a handle plus a kris-like tip and a crescent-shaped side blade, making it dangerous to encounter.
4. Cane Sword
A cane sword is a thin blade that’s concealed in a sheath, which can also double as a walking cane. It’s normally seen in period piece movies and TV shows with old men in black suits and ties. Some designs use an umbrella instead of a regular walking cane. Both contestants in this episode crafted their own versions of cane swords. Doug made his blade with a cylindrical cane with a locking system, while Ashley made his with a hexagonal cane body.
3. Hanzo Katana
One of the most iconic swords in history, the katana—or more specifically, the Hattori Hanzo katana—has appeared in many forms of media, including the Kill Bill films. The Hanzo katana was wielded by samurais as their main blade and normally kept sheathed at their side with the edge facing up. The Hollywood Edition of Forged in Fire involved recreating the Hanzo katana and its razor-sharp blade. Unfortunately, both of the contestants’ blades suffered damage, and Trystan’s katana was bent to the point that he couldn’t continue the competition.
2. Musketeer Rapier
A rapier is the name for the swords used by the famous D’Artagnan and his fellow musketeers in The Three Musketeers. It’s a long and pointed sword with a thin, flexible, and double-edged blade. Rapiers often feature intricate handguard designs that make them look more like an accessory than a deadly weapon. Both of the contestants in this episode recreated beautiful razor-sharp pieces, but one of their blades failed in the test of strength.
1. Grim Reaper’s Scythe
The scythe is actually an agricultural tool for mowing grass and harvesting crops, and that’s why the iconic Grim Reaper uses a scythe—he uses it to harvest souls. The Grim Reaper’s scythe resembles a normal scythe, but is often depicted in movies and TV series with a crooked handle that looks like a gnarled tree branch, which makes it look even more terrifying. Read next: The coolest anime weapons (and why they’re awesome)
