#ForgedInFire Subscribe for more from Forged in Fire and other great HISTORY shows: histv.co/SubscribeHistoryYT Watch more Forged in Fire on the official series INclips playlist: histv.co/WatchForgedinFire Find out more about the show and watch full episodes on our site: histv.co/ForgedInFire Check out exclusive HISTORY content: History. Aired on May 02, 2017 In a Forged in Fire first, fans voted online to bring back four of their favorite craftsmen for a second shot at victory. In the first round of competition, the smiths must.

BELLOWS FALLS, Vt. – Bladesmith Kyle Farace, who is originally from Brattleboro and now owns a shop in Bellows Falls with his wife Kaila Cumings who is also a blacksmith, recently appeared on a television episode of the History Channel’s “Forged In Fire.”

The show is a competition that features four bladesmiths competing in a series of challenges to determine a winner – who receives a $10,000 prize. Farace, who had previously watched every episode of the show studying techniques and has only been refining his craft for less than two years, came out on top and took home the prize!

Two years ago, Farace began his craft simply as a hobby, with Cumings helping to teach him the finer points of the trade from her shop in Troy, N.H. “I first became interested in bladesmithing when I met my wife a little over two years ago,” Farace said in a recent interview.

“Kaila has been a bladesmith for about eight years, and she invited me out to her shop to teach me how to make my first blade. Not only did I fall in love with bladesmithing, but I also fell in love with her. I’ve been crafting knives ever since, for about a year and a half.”

As Ferace’s skills got better, however, he decided to make it his full-time job and the couple decided to join forces and relocate to a larger shop – called Kaila Cumings Knives – in Bellows Falls.

Always an artistic person growing up – and although Farace is still gaining confidence as a bladesmith – it was his wife who knew he had what it took to compete and encouraged him to pursue being on the show. After a successful interview via Skype, Farace traveled to Connecticut to film the one-episode show.

“Kaila was the one who signed me up to compete on ‘Forged In Fire’ last February, and about nine months later I got the call to compete. Filming took two weeks to create the episode, which ran on episode two of season eight.”

Farace stated that he wasn’t nervous and tried to treat the filming like “just another day at the shop.” He also took some advice from his wife, who has her own television experience from appearing on the Discovery Channel show “Naked And Afraid.” “Kaila told me that personality is everything and if you want more air time… just own it!” And own it he did…all the way to the grand prize.

Farace and Cumings create custom knives of all shapes and sizes, and their offerings range from small hunting knives and kitchen sets, to custom chef’s knives and even swords. Their shop is located at 154 Westminster St. in Bellows Falls and all their work is made to order. “We offer our custom, handmade knives through our Instagram and Facebook profiles, as well as Kaila’s website at www.kailacumingsknives.com.”

Doug Butts brings home $10,000 grand prize from ‘Forged in Fire’

Published 10:17 am Friday, August 9, 2019

When Linden bladesmith Doug Butts tested his skills against three others on History Channel’s competition show “Forged in Fire,” he wasn’t competing against the other bladesmiths.

“We’re competing against ourselves,” he said. The ability to forge a winning blade depended solely on Butts’ own skills that he learned from a long line of mentors.

Doug Butts shows off his cane sword, which he recreated from his original version that was forged during the competition.

Forged In Fire Winners List

Though he went home with the title of “Forged in Fire” champion and $10,000, Butts said the competition tested his skills like nothing else and left him exhausted.

With a background in the movie industry, applying his skills in carpentry, blacksmithing and pyrotechnics to special effects, Butts was able to get in the right mindset. He understood how slowly things move behind the camera, and how, once he had a task before him, there was no time to wait. “No one can ever be waiting on us, so we run like the wind,” he said about his days creating special effects for movies.

Original Viking Swords

There are four contestants that are eventually whittled down to one winner across two challenges. The first challenge gave the competitors four hours to create a pair of karambits. Up until the blades were unveiled at the start of the round, Butts didn’t even know what a karambit was.

Going in, Butts had a strategy of using an hour at the end of the first round to dedicate just to sanding and then spending the final half hour quenching. During the challenge, he could also be seen running to the two karambits displayed for reference to make sure he was getting the correct form, though he did receive criticism for the handles being one-and-a-half to two inches too long, even after he shortened them when given the chance to refine.

“Had I built a karambit before in my life, I probably would not have struggled with the handles being too long,” he said.

The first round included two parts and saw two bladesmiths eliminated, one after an initial judging and the other after strength and edge tests. Butts advanced to the final two and returned to his home forge in Linden to make a cane sword over four days, a unique challenge as it also required carpentry skills to fashion the cane surrounding the blade.

Butts had forged swords before, but they were broad, especially compared to the thin blade tucked into a cane.

The worst moment of the competition came in the final moments that Butts was working on the sword. He had just glued the pommel with epoxy before being instructed to begin packing it for shipment. During transit, anything could have happened to the pommel that could have cost him the win, such as it rotating or becoming off-center.

“That’s the one spot where I was terribly scared that things may not turn out very well for me,” he said.

Butts won “Forged in Fire” following praise for his cane sword and the blade of his competitor’s sword breaking during testing.

However, winning was not enough for Butts. When he came home, he recreated his karambits and cane sword to perfection. “It was important to me to come home and build those things in a proper manner,” he said.

The moment his win aired on television was shared with about 100 friends and family at a viewing party at Soggy Bottom Lodge’s Shack 33 on July 31.

“I’ve never been so honored in my whole entire life to have that many people come out and share this moment with me,” he said.

Butts has kept contact with the three other bladesmiths that were on the episode, and they were texting each other leading up to the premiere. “Those are three guys that are going to be friends of mine probably for the rest of my life,” he said.

Hand Forged Viking Swords

At the viewing party, Butts stood before the crowd and thanked a long list of people that made his competing and the party to celebrate his achievement possible.

Trent and Lynn Hale – his brother- and sister-in-law – initially introduced Butts to “Forged in Fire” and contributed to the event’s catering. Mitchel and Melanie Hale – his father- and mother-in-law –supported Butts in his career and passions for the past decade and contributed to renting Shack 33. Skibo Holman is the physical therapist whose weeks of shoulder therapy treatments allowed Butts to compete. Daryl Kirkham opened Linden Ace Hardware well past regular operation hours while Butts crafted his cane sword. Ben Mayton had a strong hand in the viewing party being held at Shack 33 and contributed to its rental. Elizabeth Hale also designed the event’s invitations. Many others also brought desserts to the event.

Butts took a special moment to thank his wife for her support and enthusiasm for his passions.

Custom Forged Swords

“Victoria has supported me no matter what crazy idea I have,” he said. “She’s the fire in my life. I can’t imagine life without her.”

The final note that Butts gave during his speech was a warning that he learned the importance of first-hand while competing. “Beware of anybody with a fat cane,” he said, unsheathing his cane sword. “It could have a sword it.”

Forged In Fire Viking Edition

(This article originally appeared in the Wednesday, August 7 issue of the Demopolis Times.)

14U Babe Ruth World Series Opening Ceremony [PHOTO GALLERY]

Forged In Fire Viking Sword Winner List

The opening ceremony for the 14U Babe Ruth World Series was held Thursday, with a demonstration from the Silver Wings... read more