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What happens when a lifelong obsession with swords, history and making things turns into a career spanning Hollywood, television and now YouTube?
In this episode of The Commentary Booth, Jamie Apps sits down with historic weapons recreation specialist and longtime Forged In Fire judge David Baker for a wide-ranging conversation about three decades in bladesmithing, the rollercoaster rise and quiet end of one of TV's most beloved competition shows, and the passion project that's picking up where it left off: Baker’s Blades.
David takes Jamie behind the scenes of his extraordinary creative journey, from teaching actors how to sword fight and building theatrical weapons for film and television, to recreating some of history’s most fascinating blades.
Jamie and David also look back at the rise of Forged in Fire, from what was originally intended to be a 10-episode run to a series that eventually stretched across 11 seasons of production. David discusses what made the show so special, the incredible bladesmiths he encountered, the realities of filming a competition involving live weapons, and why the show's cancellation was a disappointing casualty of network mergers.
But the conversation is really about what comes next.
David reveals the story behind Baker’s Blades, a project that had been in his mind for years before finally becoming reality. The new series combines historic weapons, hands-on recreation, travel, motorcycles and the stories behind the objects themselves. Its first episode follows David's recreation of Cornwallis's Surrender Sword, a project that came together through an unexpected opportunity involving the National Museum of the United States Army.
David also explains why Baker’s Blades isn't simply another forging show. For him, the journey matters just as much as the weapon. He wants to take viewers to the places where history happened, uncover stories that have been forgotten, and show how historic weapons can provide a doorway into the people, places and events surrounding them.
And because this is The Commentary Booth, the conversation eventually comes back to the creative process itself and David’s philosophy of "fail big"!
Whether you're a Forged in Fire diehard, a history nerd, or just someone who loves hearing a craftsman talk about their craft, this is a Commentary Booth episode unlike any other.
This week’s episode is brought to you by
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