Unsurprisingly his attempts were unsuccessful, but he’d found his passion.Īround the same time, Abbott tried to make riveted chain mail, after researching all he could in the local library. There wasn’t exactly a local forge at which he could make his attempt, and so Ben created his own, consisting of Kingsford Briquets, a hairdryer, and a galvanized steel buck. When he was 12, Abbott attempted to make is own sword with some leaf spring (a type of simplistic spring used for suspension in vehicles) that he found lying around. Abbott related how periodic visits to family in the UK exposed him to castles and ancient weaponry, and sparked his interest in what would one day become a career. Abbott was born in England, but his family moved to California, USA in 1975. Original source: Īlthough his exact birthdate is unknown, Ben is believed to be in his mid- to late-40s. Article cannot be re-published in any other pages or documents. Just a simple reminder that article is created and owned only by. Predominantly self-taught, Abbott usually has to sate his desire for forging blades by creating kitchen knives, but while he is an expert in this field, he relished the opportunity to create historically significant weaponry. Ben Abbott started by competing with other bladesmiths on the show, but rose to the position of judge in recognition of his prowess. There is an undying fascination with weaponry of old, and this is something that History Channel realised could be an asset to their network thus “Forged in Fire” was born. Tuesdays.Although we no longer run to the blacksmith every time we need a kitchen knife, or commission every bit of metalware in our homes, the art of the bladesmith is far from gone. To Watchįorged in Fire airs several times weekly on The History Channel, with new episodes at 9 p.m. I don’t create a new life here.”Īlan Morrell is a Rochester-based freelance writer. My students and my family have a right to call me out if I think I’m too big. “It allows me to really focus on the positive things in life … I’m blessed to have a family who keeps me grounded. “I’ve been blessed with exposure, so it’s about ‘What am I going to pass on,’ ” Marcaida said. He espouses an almost Zen-like aura that is readily apparent in conversation and on TV. Regardless of the following and popularity, Marcaida said he won’t let it go to his head. “We were supposed to be a ‘filler,’ but we got a following that was so passionate.”
“We are the show that would not die,” Marcaida said with a laugh. The show is now taped in Connecticut after starting in a Brooklyn warehouse. Forged in Fire is now in its fifth season, with more episodes ordered each succeeding year (they’re up to 30 this season). Whatever he and the host and other judges and contestants are doing apparently has clicked with viewers. Marcaida said people have frequently told him that they enjoy his “Yoda-like presence.” Taped in Connecticut
Him being on screen makes the show more fun.”
He’s super charming, and as much a part of the show as the forges themselves. He brings a viewpoint and expertise that is almost unparalleled. Thomas, the executive producer, said there were no thoughts of replacing Marcaida. That wasn’t the case in those situations, a substitute performs the tests.
Marcaida injured his right arm last year and thought producers wouldn’t want him to return, since the injury has prevented him from doing some tests. That includes chopping and slicing and slashing through things like animal carcasses and conveyor belts to demonstrate their strength, sharpness and durability. Without him, we wouldn’t have as good a sense of how these knives would perform in a real-world environment.” “What Doug brings is an expert knowledge of how blades can and should be used, not just how they should be made. “You need to have an actual user of these weapons,” Thomas wrote in an email.
0 kommentar(er)
