The Truth About Forged In Fire | Wil Willis
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- čas přidán 18. 08. 2023
- A clip from the Better Broken Podcast with Wil Willis talking about the truth behind the show Forged In Fire.
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Former finalist from season 5 here, Will was by far the coolest guy I've ever met. Had a couple hours to just chat between shoots and he was so damn real.
What episode was it
@@jacoba7293 I think 15, the Kelewang. Was going great until Ben did the strength test lol. Definitely learned to start with a bigger billet
@@appalachiananarchist so you are hunter then or tim
@@jacoba7293 If I was Tim I'd be $10k richer lol. He's a cool guy
@@appalachiananarchist fair enough i couldn't rember who won u still still did killer i do forging small scale i make alot of leather armor for the ren fair an stuff
I miss him. He was the heart of the show. He held it all together. When I first saw he wasn’t there I was confused.
no he is a massive dik thats why they fired him
I was confused too. I did not know he was instrumental in creating Forged in Fire.
Wet Willy is a horrible human being. One of the MAGA tyrants
I wouldn’t say he was the heart. Atleast from my experience watching the show. But I did wonder where he went.
I'm there with you...was like what the heck, is he on vacation or something? I don't see some of the issues he describes in the episodes but do see they are encountering extremely talented people an how do you choose between them?
Wil outing himself as a D&D player warms my heart.
That definitely caught me off guard. I love it
Wonder if he plays Baldur's Gate 3
@@kroanosm617
100% he probably does.
I agree, absolutely awesome. Since iv started to play, iv learned a lot of people you think wouldn't play are huge d&d players, lol
It's almost as if it's the most popular TTRPG with hundreds of millions of players global.
Weird.
Can’t replace the “this round of competition…is OVER!” The life he brought to the show was next level.
Yes! I loved when he said that.
Grady just seems lil too boring not charisma.. will has the voice for it.
I remember the episode where a guys blade failed completely and the judges were trying to make an argument why he should go forward instead of a guy who made an ugly but effective weapon. Wil stood up and defended the ugly weapon saying he would rather take it into battle since it didnt fail. He won that argument.
Shit i don’t remember that, will is hard af
Performance over cosmetics.
Yea it was in the episode with the Chakaram and tbh I think FNF wants us to forget that episode lol
They had a bow with accuracy but no penetration and an innacurate bow with penetration too, I wanna say innacurate guy won
Dude makes a dank bow and doesnt harden the tips XD I was like Bro you literally almost had him
A guy with honor and integrity? Hollywood is definitely not the place for him. Upmost respect to the man.
*Utmost
@@batteredwarrior yeah I’m a terrible speller
It’s a show on the History channel filmed in New York. That’s not exactly “Hollywood” lol.
@@sdlatson "Hollywood" is commonly used to generically refer to the film and television industry. The actual operations of any given production can take place in multiple place around the globe.
@@barongerhardt Yea, no shit. It's still just a bunch of old dudes on the History channel. Not exactly typical "Hollywood".
Wow. I honestly thought he was just a TV host. Turns out, he's more real than the "experts" in some cases. Good for you for sticking to your morals. Thank you for your service!
I became an even bigger fan of Will after this conversation. This podcast is amazing
Its rare to find someone with that level of integrity. Wil genuinely seems like a good man.
People with integrity are not rare at all. Those people just generally don't work in Hollywood that's all, especially on reality TV. That shit is as fake as it gets.
He is ex SF that's why
@@trublu3483ex PJ not SF, SF is generally regarded as The Green Berets
@@josephbridges5750 lol I know that but didn't think the average blade liver would know what a pj is. I'll never forget going to air force recruiter and inquiring about it. Since they couldn't guarantee it like the army could ranger qualification, with my high asvab, I immediately lost interest
@@trublu3483went in a CCT and ending up washing out due to injury during Indoc, wound up in Space Systems ops after that. Indoc was awesome and it was only guaranteed when I went and joined if you could meet past standards but that was 10 years ago
My first experience with FIF was sitting in the hospital for weeks with cancer. Made my suffering easier and inspired me to keep going. Thanks, Will.
As a cancer survivor myself I hope you are doing well.
2 time cancer 'survivor' here as well.. I found distraction/relief in one of my hobbies - Photography..
The link to FIF: Page Steinhardt who won one of the shows was my cam accessory guy in Syracuse, NY.
It was always fun popping in, talking cams, then talking knives/swards.
[I've always been a metal fabricator/welder]
Show wise, it was always fun to watch if/when I had the chance.
RIP sir😢
I hope you're doing alright, my friend!
@AS-ng5pi Hope you are better. Fight on!! Also, there is something really inspiring watching a lump of metal be beaten into submission, being turned into a utilitarian work of art.
Will was an amazing host. I loved his level of enthusiasm on the show, he brought the show to life. I am saddened that he left but I respect him, he has integrity and honor. Truly a great role model.
As an EMT for 50 years and an instructor I can fully appreciate where Will is coming from. Morals and ethics are very expensive. Do the right thing, even when no one is looking.
you guys also should take into consideration the amount of sales these guys would have made after beating a judge. I remember seeking out a few of the smiths after they won wanting some of their work. Some of these guys that won were backed up for months/years on orders. Mad respect for Wils for doing the right thing!
Oh yeah, anyone who beat a judge in the competition would have their life changed. Like 10k is life changing for a lot of people. But 10k plus the title of beating a Forged in Fire judge, insanely life changing.
I bought several knives from smith's that I liked from the show, not necessarily winners
If they were good enough to beat one of the judges, they deserve to make the sales. Do you realize how bad some of these contestants businesses crashed after being the first one out?
I was on the show in 2019, Will was the most genuine guy on the show, i sat with him and chopped it up about everything, doug was cool we found out we had mutual friends in life. Didnt care of Ben at all and Dave was ok...will is an awesome guy, the show lost a part of it when he left, never been the same since then.
Totally agree on the Ben thing, there's something about him that's not right and I can't stand him
weird ben seems like the kinda guy that would conversate with you for hours.
The story i got was , hes 1 of those super intelligent genius( high IQ) who doesnt know how to converse with people...i have seen this before in a few people.
Lol...i had Dave mad at me because i told him the demo knife wasnt as nice as ours. Dave had family that lived by me and i think he wanted to talk more about it and Will , Doug and i were chopping it too much. Ben sat there like a lost puppy dog.
so not an asshole just socially awkward ? of all the judges there he appeared the most skilled, and seemed like a nice guy, but after watchin what will said about almost punching him for being on his phone kind of coincides with what you said. if they woulda just took wils advice show coulda stayed amazing@@mbbailout
Man I am so glad you guys did this interview. I had just recently searched why Wil left the show and got the company line which is "Wil left the show to spend more time with his family". It's nice to know the truth...and I totally agree without Wil the show went down hill.
As a vet myself as much as I read with him about certifications and certificates and training, one thing I learned in the civilian world is they’re not always as important as you think they are. Learning on your own practical experience by yourself or under someone that knows what they’re doing but you’re still not getting a certificate, it can be just as amazing and important. How many self-taught people are out there that are creating amazing things that can never show you a certificate. So while I agree with him I think the caveat should be, if you can’t show me that certificate of training, then show me your first hand knowledge and experience instead.
Certs dont mean squat and never did. The best at every pursuit in the history of mankind was a dude alone that didn't have any interest in impressing other men, and quietly MASTERED his craft. Certificates are for the mediocre to substantiate each other's mediocrity.
Fucking A Bubba just cause you have a piece of paper doesn't mean you know jack about shit and the ability to use the knowledge.
Forged in Fire is still a unique show, and the cooperation and comradery between the contestants is absolutely amazing. It definitely changed after Wil left though.
I do like how the contestants help one another out. In that way, it’s like the Great British Baking Show.
Makes me miss fif so much
I love Will's comment in another interview where he said FiF was really a competition to pick the best worst blade. 3 - 6 hours is going to produce a substandard product. That some folks ( a massive minority, if we're honest) managed a decent product was cool, however, 99% of the blades were things the bladesmith/blacksmith would never let see the light of day in their shops at home. Having said that, I love the show and do like the coal into diamonds aspect. People performing well under pressure is enjoyable to watch.
I agree, but I think "best crappy blade" describes it better.
Isn't it funny how the history channel replaced Wil with another member of the special operations community. Grady looks, dresses, and overall presents the show the same way Wil did. No disrespect to Grady, he's an amazing person with a lot of intense and epic operations to his name. I remember the first episode without Wil. They offered zero expectations for where Wil was, they didn't even acknowledge the fact that Grady was the new host. Wil is a well-rounded, down-to-earth, good man. I admire him to the utmost.
The way Wil explained things never made me feel dumb for not knowing, or properly understanding things. The show always felt true to itself and the craft. Hope there's a way for Wil to come back, even if it's just narrating or video chat inputs. Good luck brother.
Always been a fan of Wil. Had no idea how legit he was until years after watching forged in fire, i seen a documentary series on Air Force PJ’s and he was a guest speaker or teacher in one of the episodes. That’s when I went down the Wil Willis rabbit hole and seen CZcams videos where he was teaching people how to do the “ranger roll”. Mad props to him.
I didn't even catch that he was the Ranger Roll guy!
That is an awesome video!
I have always respected Will. Ranger and P.J.? No doubt about his credentials. The show used to be a favorite of mine. Will to me was the face of it, not so much the ‘’judges’’ although a couple of them I did admire. I have always had a thing about standards. The same way every time for everyone. Thank you both for your Service!
I love this interview. Much respect to Will for keeping it 110%. Thank you for your honesty.
Miss seeing you sir. Thank you for your service to our country and representing the everyday person.
Met Will a while back at an advanced first aid class. Didn’t know me from Adam and was incredibly helpful in ways he didn’t have to be. Great dude.
This confirms exactly what I was thinking of FIF. I have been a knife maker for more than a decade and watching some of these episodes had me questioning if the judges were being genuine.
I remember seeing the episode where Ilya (bladesmith on youtube if you didnt know) eventually won but in the first part where he was forging his billet, when he did his initial hit, there were big sparks and a bang etc and the judges were all "Ohhh thats bad that means there's inclusions etc" because they were too thick and underqualified to know that Ilya was using a technique that originated in Japan which they use to forge the billets for Katanas where they have to layer shitty pieces of steel. At that point i was like "aight, the judges know how to use a belt sander and nothing more"
@@BH-rx3ue I know who Ilya is. I don't doubt the judges ability to forge. They're all very experienced smiths. I think the producers are forcing drama by making up BS to add some spice to the show and it's completely unnecessary.
@@checoleman8877 I doubt one of the judges ability to forge but yeah, I also presume you're right. Add fake drama to make it more "exciting" like gold rush etc "oh no, the rock truck has a flat! what ever shall they do in this scenario which happens relatively often and is part of general maintenance?!"
The one I remember is Ray Vs. I can’t remember his name but it was the Filipino blade episode
@@BH-rx3ue " I doubt one of the judges ability to forge" - Oh? Which one is that and why do you doubt their abilities?
Wil Willis thank you for the interview. I applaud your integrity and appreciated your talent. Be well
Integrity counts for everything! Thank you for sticking to it, Wil! Never compromise, never back down, never surrender!
Yeah, as a fan of Forged in Fire I noticed some of these things that Will is talking about. The one that to me was a clear problem was the knife and can opener combo. The parameter was they needed to have a “functioning” bottle opener on the end of their blade. One of the contestants did not have a functioning bottle opener. Period. That’s a failure to meet parameters, and every other episode any failure to meet the parameters was an instant disqualification. Not this episode, and that guy, went on to win that challenge and move forward in the competition. It was bullshit. In my opinion.
I’ve never seen the show, or this episode but I get the idea of it and that sounds like bullshit
The early seasons were definitely more rigid. Parameters, then performance, then aesthetics. Lots of knifesmiths gamed that a bit and turned in a rough knife... that met parameters, knowing that someone prob didn't, then caught up 2nd round. The latest seasons are still good.... but I always fast-forward through all the backstory. Not interested at all... and it takes up too much time. I get all the "story" I need when I see the home forge. Some are very basic, and I can make assumptions from that.
@@One_of_Gods_WarriorsIt isn't because the guy met parameters closer than the smith who did the worst. This commentor presented that situation completely out of context.
@@One_of_Gods_Warriors
I have mixed feelings about the show but definitely worth watching the test videos they've posted on CZcams.
Hitting ropes, wood, bones, then slicing pig carcasses and stuff can be really satistying.
@@bigguy7353 If 2 people do not meet parameters, then it should be straight to rd 3.
Will is so right. He was hired as an Special Operations guy and his credibility was on the line. Look at Joe Teti and his run on Dual Survival and the integrity issues that came up. Everytime i see him on CZcams, I think of all of those issues. Will is better off leaving that show.
Credibility over what?
@@forsakenace9577Over doing fake-ass reality TV. Did you not even watch the video?
He was hired, and he delivered. Remember when it was Will doing the shooting for bullet tests instead of preset machines?
@@forsakenace9577 he was the face of Forged In Fire and if the judges were making questionable decisions regarding the rules, then it reflected on him. Unfortunately, most people hold special operations guys on a pedestal and being part of a questionable enterprise can reflect badly on them. I was at Fort Bragg in the 1980s and worked with 5th Group guys in Central America. I respected their unit and training but had a realistic view of them.
@ralphalvarez5465 thanks #22aday
A great man. We need more like him in every industry
Being uncompromising is a hard stand. Not many can toe the line! You are my favourite host. Congratulations Sir!
This is an awesome interview brother. Will is so stand up. I would be glad to have him by my side in a fight. You know he would always have your six. It’s hard to find someone that would call it is no matter what now days.
100% agree. It didn't ruin the show for me when they beat a judge I loved it! It was awesome seeing this people rise above the task and win beating someone incredibly skilled. What sucks is just seeing the same boring result of "oh he won because judge"
It was the shows fault as soon as they put contestants against judges. It was bound to happen. I stopped watching the show when they did that.
Yeah the beat a judge was trash like there is no way the judging was anything close to fair
Ben won every time fair. He's good and he knows what it takes to do it fast from experience on the show.
I am so glad that I came across this video. It shows why I felt that when Wil left the show dropped the experience to the point I don't miss it since he left.
Surprisingly, I've never been a big fan of the "Forged in Fire" show but you can't ignore what its done for the knife industry and for knife making. Having 25 years in the business, I've seen the changes and appreciate the respect that knife/sword makers and other craftsmen are finally receiving.
"... that show is not the same without you." Absolute fact!
7:24 Standards: objective, unemotional, factual, almost immutable, can be used as a measure;
Personal preference... opinion, constantly changing, can't measure any other thing by it.
In a competition, standards are needed and personal preference is to be avoided, if possible.
I too stopped watching after Wil left the show and now I'm glad to know the truth of why so thank you for that and thank you Wil for being a stand up guy in a industry where truth doesn't matter to them but it does matter to us.
Wil has great integrity and Alots of honor. Wil made that show a better show. I want to say ty to both of u for ur service in the military. I from Canada and a vet myself. Godbless u all
I have the utmost respect for Will. I'm proud of ya for standing your ground on the morals that define who you are.
Canadian Army Veteran
I am happy Wil got to share his side of the story, and I agree with him.
The show definitely changed after Wil left. I was a huge fan of it, and even started to forge myself after I retired from the military. The show lost its vision. It went from showing how things were made, to skipping all the details for corny shit. Was sad to see him go.
I was surprised to see a new host as I thought that Wil did a good job. The thing that has me not watching anymore though is the absurd tests after the weapons were produced, particularly the glee that Doug showed as he said, “This will keel.” Plus, the weird abuse given to the produced work was too much. I get that there must be testing but it seems like it was over-the-top.
@@rwefree9469 That's what the fans want though.......broken blades from ridiculous tests!
@@Uller1967 I get it. Not my thing though.
@@rwefree9469 even in the earliest episodes contestants often talked about how the tests were extreme though lol. The whole point of it was the push blades that were forced to be subpar (by not giving the smiths much time to make them) over the edge by doing things with them no sane man would ever do to a blade. If they wanted to be as realistic as possible theyd probably just do the ballistics dummy test and leave it at that, but doing dumb things like using a knife to chop fat iron nails is how you make imperfections pronounced enough to become obvious and make a clear winner
Truth finally comes out thank you Will !!!
I’ve always stood behind the show is not the same with out you. May God bless you and yours
I loved Wil before. I loved his spirit and integrity, but I tell you what, this is a new side of him I don't think I had seen before. This guy is on another level of integrity that I had known. Much love, brother.
Great respect for you Wil. Thank you for being a stand up guy and an amazing host. The show has lost a ton without you. i hope you find an amazing job. I'm glad to have learned so much about you. Congratulations on the kid. it's nice to hear your voice again.
Agreed. When people start being selected for winners simply because they have a great story, they're being robbed of the opportunity to fail with honor. They gave it their best, I'm sure, but they would likely learn far more if they didn't make it, and lost to better smiths due to the judgement being straight. They'd probably go home and make a ton more knives, try their hands at swords, make that piece of armor with that technique they failed on and likely improve. Then they have a great story plus a story about how they went on this show and failed, learned so much, and maybe even returned to win afterwards.
My wife and I always watched, and enjoyed your presentation as the host on Forged in Fire during the earlier seasons. It's clear you're a straight up guy that doesn't go for the show politics and wants the judgement to be fair. Respect to you, this is a reality show. Credibility and realism are better for the content, not blowing smoke in the audience's face because you want to force a "preferred ending." The politics aren't necessary, they ruin the credibility of the show.
The situation with the pictures, while that's a bit of a childish thing, you weren't writing up an oath or plan to do those things, you were just venting some anger privately. Seems like they were looking for a reason to make you the badguy because they couldn't fire you for wanting the competition to be fair.
The show always helped me get off my butt and get into the shop when I went into a funk, I noticed things change at a point, but I never could put a finger on the why specifically. Thank you Wil, your integrity is more inspiring than you know.
Wil was good fun to talk to during filming. The runner up and myself were complete smartasses, so we all got along great! Even though I won our episode, there was still one moment during testing that really bothered me, and still does, and always makes me watch some of the testing on other episodes with a skeptical eye!
What was the moment? You were great in your episode by the way, loved the blade you made.
Don't leave us hanging like that. What happened during testing?
I believe Don competed in episode 15 of season 4.
I have a guess on what that moment was. The sharpness test. Dave said that his knuckle was pounding into the side, while the issue with the runner-up's weapon was that it wasn't as deep of a crescent shape with the "Gladiators' Scissors".
Safety often, if not always, becomes a number 1 concern when deciding the winner and those with unsafe weapons were always eliminated.
So with that, I could see this being the part that Don was skeptical on since he was somehow an exception despite having what likely could have, and potentially should have, been an unsafe weapon. Also, the runner-up out-performed Don in the sharpness test.
All that the runner-up had going against him was that it had a slightly mis-aligned blade, the crescent wasn't as deep as Dave would like, and though it took a little more damage in the strength test than Don's, it was very minimal.
Of course, only Don can confirm or deny this. This is simply a guess based on rewatching the final round that he was part of.
And again, supposing this guess is correct, I can definitely see why he would skeptical about the result based on the observation I had made. Safety was always a concern and contestants with unsafe blades were always eliminated, either on the spot or at the end of testing. This was the exception.
@@DarkLord-7 Kind of. The only part Jason outperformed mine was in the punch portion of the sharpness test. Mine was extremely sharp and glided through the canvas with a much "smoother sound" than Jason's. When he did the punch, the cut was clearly held back. I mumbled "WTF, he pulled the cut". Of course, they hear every little comment on the microphones. The comment about "it just didn't cut like I expected during the punch"...I felt like saying "no shit, you pulled the punch!". Then later in the show he comments about it "still being a razor blade" after it shaved steel off the breast plate test. The knuckle rubbing was greatly exaggerated and absolutely was not remotely a safety issue. The inside was even lined with doe skin leather, so it wasn't even "metal on skin" as implied in the airing. Doug made some pretty funny comments about it as well after filming. End result, it made no difference in the outcome, but it makes me wonder what other aspects of other episodes are "exaggerated" for drama.
I have major support for Wil. It'd be nice to have a conversation with some of the Forged in Fire producers behind closed doors.
On one of the last shows that he did, he shot at the edge of a sword.
It doesn’t matter if he fired 300 rounds at it he still was able to hit the edge while shooting freehand.
He is a remarkable marksman.
yea seeing those episodes where he'd perfectly nail the edge of a blade from down range with a handgun always impressed me. And unless they were changing out the paper behind it after every single attempt (which is entirely possible ofc) he always hit it first try, right down the middle.
Show me that you are qualified - what is your credentials and certifications- how long have you been implementing your expertise- this is something that has been lost in the youtube world- where everyone is an expert. Great points and qualifications and certifications and continuing to credential yourself further is the mark of an expert. Well said Wil Willis! I loved the show and loved you on the show. It did inspire me to one day learn how to forge. It’s my plan for my retirement one day.
First and foremost thank you Will and the host Buck for your service! I agree that the show was not the same after Will left, and while listening to Will I thought back to different episodes and questions I had about the outcomes, I now understand that my original questions were valid. Thank you Will for your honesty and integrity!!!
I knew there was something up when outta nowhere; Will was gone. I honestly haven't watched the show since. I learned so much in the first two seasons. Thanks Will. 💪🏽
I really liked Wil Willis as a host of FIF and I'm glad to see this interview, he makes things clearer and we get to understand better what really happened on the tv set with the producers and all. The question is, Wil : would you have left if they had not fire you ? In any case, the best seasons are with you, and like you, and like many fans, I have learnt many things about forging. Glad you were here, very good memories 😀
Cut dry and straight to the point. This is what the world is missing today. Wil is the man!
Integrity, doing what is right even though nobody is looking. I like that in a person. Great job man
Being a knife maker (as a hobby)… I see things in the show that make no sense. I hear this and it confirms what I thought. As a Veteran I’m glad you held your integrity. The truth is far more important than fame. Good on you! Semper Fi
So rare nowadays a guy in showbiz with integrity and an unwavering moral compass, almost a unicorn. Kudos to Will.
oh wil I have missed you on the show but I 100% love and respect your integrity, and I wish you all the best, god bless you man
I watched FiF working on my masters degree in the evenings. It always helped hear Will give encouragement and countdowns as I was fighting against time to complete my assignments.
After watching countless episodes, some of the episodes now make sense. There are a number of episodes that had me wondering "how the hell did this person win" and again, it now makes sense. I had hoped this was a show that wasn't corrupt like many reality shows but I'm not surprised it is. As a former Army soldier, I totally respect how he was upset about the show doing that crap. I would like to think I would do the same thing.
Imagine having so little self-worth that you can't lose in a TV-show just because you're a judge there. Doesn't matter if the producer is saying you can't lose, I just couldn't take a fraudulent win. That crap rubs me the wrong way so much.
Props to Wil for staying true to himself. In the beginning of Forged in Fire he felt to me like a guy who just wants himself to be seen as a tough dude for no reason, but not only is he okay, this guy has real integrity. Huge respect.
This guy is full of crap. Ben is a talented guy and won every one of those fair. Only one was even close.
It's unfortunately all too common in the world of TV that the producers and similar roles behind the camera who never show their face in public, are completely unknown to the world around them and have nothing to do with the talents of competitors start getting a massive ego about the show they're "making possible" and try to change that show to suit their wishes, which often contradict the success of the show and lead to catastrophic failure since they have no idea what they're doing, which is why they're irrelevant and unknown in the first place.
The first 5 minutes showed me your true character, Wil! Hands down the best host of any show in history. I loved the Battle of the Branches series, and your rangeriffic background came out!
What a man of integrity. Truly remarkable. He has my utmost respect.
This is quite an eye opener. However, I'm torn in two directions. Forged In Fire is the reason I picked up a hammer and found my passion for knife making 3 years ago. I have never felt the deep passion that I feel about making things with my hands before that first hammer blow. I didn't even know it was possible to make a knife by hand until seeing the show and finding the first few videos. On the other hand, I've got MASSIVE respect for Wil now knowing the story behind him not hosting the show after a certain point. It's now common knowledge in the making community that there are several issues with going on the show like lack of compensation for contestants and lack of exposure. Finding out the level of corruption of integrity among the judges is a hard pill to swallow because I've met a few of them and they're all highly regarded figures in the making community. I'm still trying to wrap my head around this information but I give big props to Wil for coming out about it and the makers of this video for giving him a platform to do so. I'll be watching this a couple more times to let it sink in and will definitely be sharing it.
The show helped you find your passion. But the show isn't your passion, the work is. Remember the spark and carry the torch, even if the original fire has guttered and gone dark. Even the most respected men are just that, men. They will fail, they will stumble, they will fall. So will you, eventually. But integrity is admitting you fell, dusting yourself off, and getting right back in. Be that person. Do what you love, and strive to uphold your good ideals, even if those who introduced you to those ideals falter. You are your own person, live the life that was meant for you with honor.
Nothing lasts forever, especially not TV shows. The practice has been around since the beginning of time and blacksmithing organizations have been doing their thing long before the show aired. We can be thankful that the show inspired people to learn and helped bring fans and makers together at least.
2 min in and I'm locked in by the statement Wil makes. I work in accounting and haven't really created anything in honestly I don't know how long. Managing data, nothing of my work is lasting at all. No creativity at all. Really made it clear why I've always absolutely loved the show since the second I discovered it.
Watching further, really respect Wil's commitment to integrity. Good man, for sure.
Good on You,
Mr. Willis..........
and
Thank You for Your Service!!!!!
Loved Forged in Fire. Got into the show because a guy in my unit that I deployed with, his father was on it. Believe he was the champion of season 3. He made some of our guys some sweet Damascus blades. I stopped watching after Wil left. I loved Wil's perspective on rating people. Liking or not liking someone has nothing to do with how you evaluate them. Are they doing their job and making the cut. All that should matter.
thats wild. one of the guys from my unit had his dad win as well! it was the first season, his dad is a great guy, hes really a ferrier, but he made great knives too. came back for a second episode and took second on that one.
@nickyt3269 my friends dad was also a ferrier as was he. Pretty cool stuff.
@@deanheckel1305 you're from the 130th? We talking chance Carter?
@@nickyt3269 one in the same. Wish he had stayed in. Good troop.
@@nickyt3269shayne Carter? He's a legend up here in Canada among the farrier world
Was always a fan of Will as the host of forged in fire, after watching this that man has jumped a few more notches in respect. 👍
My now teenage sons and I used to watch your show together and it was memorable for all of us and when you left we transitioned away from the show too. Love you integrity!!
Massive amounts of respect to you Mr Willis!
I already respected you, but this was just “icing on the cake” so to speak.
I remember seeing Will back in the early-mid 2000's when I was stationed at Pope working off-duty at a gun shop in Spring Lake and he would shoot at the indoor range from time to time. He was very personable and always smiling whenever I would check him in and hold his ID during his range time. Glad to see that his integrity is his driving force and won't compromise for the sake of the camera.
I’m with you Will. The show was never the same without you.
Thank you Will for the candid answers. I still love the show but now I love you more.
I don’t even have words…. Wil… you’re a treasure🙌🔥🙌
"altering the set of standards to create a story line"... A very powerful statement and shows a level of integrity lost in the world today. Loved FIF when you were the host. Watched maybe two episodes since you left the show. It's not the same.
It's really sad to hear that they weren't as honest as they presented themselves as. Good on you Wil for standing up for the right thing.
The show will never be the same without you but I agree 100% I appreciate who you are and your intentions and respect you.
Very glad to see this and I wish I’d been on when will was still there. I knew a lot of what he said before going on, but never imagined how bad it really was. He did a great way of saying it while still being kind to all side. Like so many I said he was the best part of the show and I still stick to that aspect. Made respect
This makes so much sense. After Wil left, we tried to keep watching, but I could tell you who would win based on their opening story after a few episodes. It is sad because it was SUCH a good show.
Man I wish Whiiskey Whiskey would do spec ops again. I LOVED that show. He was not only good at the training, but his explanations of how he operated was awesome. Even when he didn't win the missions, it was cool to see how he messed up and learned from the mistakes, as well as highlighting the tactics of the person who got him fair and square. I REALLY wish they would bring that series back. Wil could even sideline as director and set it up to be exciting in other ways. New scenarios and things that could show off just what our elite are trained to do in a no nonsense, no fakery kind of way. There's a great story in losing fights as well as winning them. You could tell a difference in Forged in Fire as it went along. I watched it exclusively for Wil and Doug Markida, but I felt even Doug started to compromise in later episodes. Do something awesome Wil!! I'm in to see it!
Honor and respect Wil you and Doug are the real deal . was one of my favorite shows havent seen it in forever ,now I know why . Best wishes to you and yours . Having integrity can be a lonely awful place .look what jesus went through .
Spot on Wil mate a great watch & great to hear facts & a man with integrity & honour!! Well done mate!! Would like to see you in something new anything on the horizon??
As someone who was a blacksmith before the show started, it was always more of I guess I'd call it a guilty pleasure than something I saw as authentic... but Will was definitely a high point of the show for me. That and I've been following Doug for his kali martial arts stuff for decades. I'm a guy who learned from a living history blacksmith, so I'm more of an all-around smith than a specialist in blades. My mastersmith always told me to forge to finish as close as possible, for me, forging is about using your hammer to make the shape, not using a grinder to clean things up. That's probably why I'd never forge in a timed competition haha.
Holy shit! I remember being a kid watching him on dvd doing simulated direct action missions with sims. “Whiskey Whiskey”!!!
Yup.. I can't remember the name of the show, old age turning my brain to mush. But yup. I was addicted to that show. He would infill with an objective. Use simmunation to take out targets and then exfill when he completed his mission objective. I started watching Forged in Fire because of Will. When he left he took the show with him as far as I'm concerned, because I never watched any of the newer episodes. Yes.. Spec Ops Mission!! that was the show.
Special Ops mission was the show
Broooo I'm so glad will is the way he is cause when I started blacksmithing I watched forged in fire and learned so much because he asked questions. I love the guy!!!!
I was stoked to meet him. What a guy, what an experience being on the show.
My respect for this man has grown to epic proportions. Wow.
Seems like a giant douche to me.
WOW!! It's AWESOME to finally get the story straight from the "horses mouth!" I was a HUGE fan of Forged in Fire and when Wil left, the show tanked in my eyes and I haven't watched it since. After watching this interview, I applaud Wil for sticking to his integrity and not caving to some turd producer or "judge" when they clearly lost but were to chicken s*#t to own it. I've always wondered why he left and now that I know, I back that play and wish him and his family only the best of fortune and luck!!!
-That Others May Live!
What a blast from the past! Wil taught me and bunch of my Marines combat lifesaving techniques before our deployment over a decade ago!
Totally loving you doing some long form interviews. Keep it up!
His show Spec ops Mission was awesome! Great idea for a show.
1:30 I think this encapsulates why I’m so enamored with the concept of someday making something that someone will love so much that their kids or even grandkids would still use and appreciate.
I’m a data engineer for context.
I really enjoyed Wil hosting that show. He brought the questions that helped me as the viewer, understand what was going on. Me being retired Army, I definitely understand his issue with the lack of standard. That's very Important especially when it comes to fairness. Miss ya Wil.
what a great set up for interviews!!!!
I do think, Wil mentions asking questions starting to be redundant, but from a TV perspective, that's still a good thing - Wil's role as he mentioned was to be the conduit between the judges' knowledge and the audience, and while say, 4-5 seasons in, he may already know, but you still want to provide that info for the people who haven't been watching FiF since the beginning. (I've had the same thought about Tony Robinson asking questions about the archaeology on the British show "Time Team" - 15+ seasons in, he probably knew half the answers, but his job was to ask the questions the audience is thinking at home.)
I really related to his story about evaluating bad soldiers and passing them because they rose to the level needed when being evaluated. I recently evaluated a coworker and during his time with me his work and attitude were tip top. When I told his superiors this they seemed almost dissapointed. They wanted a reason to fire him because of laziness missed days and a general poor attitude. I acknowledged that all their assertions may be correct, but I could only evaluate him on what I saw when he was with me. I was not about to simply echo their thoughts. There would have been no justice in that.
Thats me at my grocery store job. I had an attitude problem cuz, much like Will, i questioned the way we do our job since it wasnt always the most effective. I had a few managers wanting to fire me but i always went above and beyond the parameteres (fasted checkout clerk and fastest estore shopper). So they never had a real reason to.
Me too I was DS for about 2 years their was privates that I never would want be in unit with but they passed evaluations.
I always wondered what happened to Will! Good for you brother. We need more of that in society today. Semper Fidelis
Thank you for this insightful interview. Will after this I'm done with Forged in Fire. I was wondering why you(Will) had left the show. And to be honest I had an inclination that it was something to do with in the realm of what you just discussed. Good on you and great on you for being brave and standing up for what you believe in. Very admirable. Hope all the best for you in the future. 🤛🏻🙏🏻
Thanks for confirming my suspicion as to what was happening on the show. While I am not a weapons expert, I did grow up hunting and fishing, and spent 25 years in oilfield manufacturing, so I do have knowledge of metallurgy and metal working. I also agree about the unnamed judge who started portraying that he had practical experience rather than the historical knowledge which was his expertise. Being able to make a historical weapon and knowing how it was used through research is not the same thing, no matter how much some producer or your ego says it is.
Which judge do you believe he's talking about? Dave was a prop maker, correct? Seemed like a likeable guy and not very pretentious on the show from what I remember. ??
@@LastBastiannice enough dude, but he wasn’t a specialist in what the show said he was. How can he judge the historical accuracy of blades and the techniques used to make them when he simply doesn’t know any better than the contestant?