There is just something about people smithing — the fire, sparks, and steel.

Forged In Fire might be comparable to the baking shows people might find themselves binging on in terms of the stakes involved, but it's a viewing experience unlike any of them. 

The premise is simple: each episode has four blacksmiths who make blades of all shapes and sizes in the hopes of taking the cash prize at the end of each episode. 

However, as with any other reality show, people are asking, "Is Forged In Fire Fake?"

Well, we're here to answer just that. 

The undefeated Forged In Fire judge Ben Abbott

The undefeated Forged In Fire judge Ben Abbott (Source: Instagram)

Is 'Forged In Fire' Fake?

The question has been the subject of more than a few public discussions over the years. 

In a Reddit post from 2021, several netizens discussed if the smithing done on the show was accurate. More precisely, the Reddit users wanted to know if it was possible to make swords and knives on such short notice. 

One of the most upvoted reactions noted that it largely depended on the preliminary expectations set.

It was not impossible to put together a sword in the few days' time provided to them. It was more a matter of how high a standard was set for making the cut, so to speak. 

The user, in particular, took "4 months worth of weekends" to make a "not particularly amazing monosteel sword." 

In the show's defense, the user didn't have power tools and started with a lump of steel and not a steel plate. Also, they were not a professional swordsmith.

A Contestant Spoke Up

On another thread on the same platform, a user noted how the show was great for entertainment value as a "much more than a high-level overview" with a handful of useful tricks of the trade.

A user who claimed to be an actual contestant on the show assured that they would address a few fans' concerns. 

The supposed contestant shared that the first round was tempered, but the three-hour clock was "ENTIRELY" real. In fact, there was no way of stopping the clock. 

"I can't talk about the production process, but I will say that some true information has made it through the rumor mill," they explained. 

Upon aggregation of many other sources, it was very likely that the Forged in Fire is not free from that sprinkle (maybe a fistful) of added drama that all reality shows get. 

But all things considered, the show seems to have real contestants, forging real steel, and competing for a very real cash prize. 

Do Not Try Forging at Home

However, it is in no way advised that the viewers attempt to do the forging for themself. 

A piece of good advice the Reddit user gave was that if you were really looking to forge a blade for yourself, you do the following things:

1) Watch the show.

2) Pick out contestants that do work you like and/or demonstrate skills or traits that appeal to you

3) Figure out a way to meet those 'smiths and learn from THEM, not the show itself.

Of course, the message came with a reminder that smithing was a commitment of effort and quite a lot of time.