Knife or Death

Round One: Knife Fight

The first round, "Knife Fight," is a course that tests the quality of the contestants' weapons and their ability to strike stationary targets. The two who either finish the course or move the farthest along it in the shortest time advance to the second round. The course consists of five obstacles:

• Trailblazer: Cut through six 1" wooden dowels or hemp ropes, each of which releases a torch to swing down into a bucket.
• Stick and Move: Three containers (including a wooden crate and a plastic bucket) hang from chains with counterweights suspended on the other end. Each container must be pierced/damaged so that enough of the contents spill out to let its counterweight hit the floor.
• Ice Pick: Strike a 3-foot-tall block of ice and pierce a tube of liquid running up through its center.
• Lifeline: Slash cleanly through three hanging targets: a chicken, a fish, and a plastic tube filled with sand. The contestant is given one attempt per target; a failure on any of them stops the clock and ends the contestant's run immediately.
• Curtain Call: Cut through two hanging targets: a slab of pork belly and a piece of sheet metal. The contestant must then drive the blade into a wooden stump to stop the clock.

Round Two: Dead Run

The second round, "Dead Run," is a course intended to test the two remaining contestants' speed, timing, accuracy, and precision in wielding their blades against both stationary and moving targets. The contestant who finishes the course in the shorter time advances to the season finale. This course consists of six obstacles:

• Steak Knife: Cut five steaks in half as they hang from a rotating carousel.
• Extinguisher: Four lit candles are set beneath funnels. For each, the contestant must cut a rope to release a bottle of water, then slice the bottle on the downswing so that enough water lands in the funnel to run down and put out the candle.
• Weight Cut: Cut 40 pounds each from a hanging ice block and rack of meat slabs.
• Free Fall: One at a time, cut 10 watermelons in half as they are released from overhead chutes. Each cut must expose the melon's red flesh in order to count.
• Strike Zone: Cut a rope to release a curtain, then cut all the targets behind it (ropes, water bottles, slabs of meat, etc.) in half.
• Firestorm: Cut two ropes, releasing a flight of steps to fall into place, then run up the steps to a platform and chop through a stack of sugar cane.

Season finale changes

In the season finale, the five episode winners and the runner-up with the fastest time in Dead Run compete for the $20,000 prize. All targets are thicker and/or made of tougher materials, with the following specific changes:

• Ice Pick: The ice block has two embedded tubes of liquid that must both be pierced.
• Lifeline: No longer a sudden-death obstacle. The contestant may make multiple attempts, but incurs a time penalty for every attempt after the first on a target.
• Curtain Call: The contestant must cut through three targets (pork loin, plywood, sheet metal).
• Steak Knife: Renamed Rotisserie, with chickens replacing the steaks.
• Weight Cut: The rack of meat slabs is replaced by a second ice block, and the contestant must cut at least 80 pounds from each block before advancing.

Season 1 (2018)

S01E01 The Last Samurai

Carl, dressed in traditional Japanese garb, presents a Katana, but it bends on the ice block in "Ice Pick" and doesn't cut the fish in "Lifeline".

David came in second on 'Forged in Fire' and forged a custom Bolo knife, but breaks the blade in half on the crate in "Stick And Move".

Rodrigo is from Brazil and brings a Kopis sword, but fails to cut the fish in "Lifeline".

Jo, a competition chopper from Georgia presents a behemoth Competition Chopper, but doesn't cut through the chicken in "Lifeline".

Pat, a part-time bladesmith, always competes in a kilt due to his families Irish heritage and made a modified blade Sports Chopper, but doesn't cut through the chicken in "Lifeline".

Craig Studies African martial arts and brought a Bowie from Palestine, but broke the handle off at the tang, disqualifying him.

Jo, a bladesmith and blade sports competitor is the 2017 Amateur Points National Champion from Texas, forged a Competition Chopper, but again doesn't cut the fish in "Lifeline".

Nobody completed the course, so the two competitors that made it to the fish in the fastest time will move on to the second round.

Jo's time was the fastest at 1:37, Rodrigo was 2:02 and Carl's 3:28 eliminating him. In the end, Jo beats out Rodrego's "Death Run" time of 5:46 with a quick run of 3:11 to take the win.

S01E02 All the Barong Moves

Braulio, a Filipino martial artist brings a 100-year old Barong, but doesn't cut through the pipe in "Lifeline".

Shawn, a martial artist shows a two-handed War Falchion sword forged by a friend, but it breaks on the ice block in "Ice Pick" and is disqualified.

Chris is a butcher and chooses a Butchers knife, but does not cut through the chicken in "Lifeline".

Dustin, new to bladesmithing, forges a Falcata and completes the course.

Nicole is a two-time chopping competition World Champion and brings a Competition Chopper, but does not cut through the chicken in "Lifeline".

Casey is a combat veteran that uses a Competition Chopper to complete the course.

Chris teaches combat for stage & film and brings a Bowie knife forged by a friend, but does not cut through the fish in "Lifeline".

Jason is a Knife Thrower that presents a Nepalese Kukri and completes the course.

Casey, Jason and Dustin were the only three to complete the round one course, but only the two with the quickest time move on and Casey is eliminated.

Dustin completes "Death Run" in 4:26, but Jason whips through the course in 3:28 to take home the crown.

S01E03 A Fish Called Lifeline

Ben, a former chef, forged a modernized Viking Norse Seax, but does not cut the fish in "Lifeline".

Brian, a martial artist brings a Filipino blade a student brought back from his travels,

but Travis fails the blade due to safety reasons; lack of blade hardness and poor handle construction.

Da'mon a martial arts instructor displays his curved Egyptian Khopesh, but also does not manage to cut the fish in "Lifeline".

Dave, a chef, shows his German Messer Sword, bends it on the ice block in "Ice Pick" and for the third time in a row, doesn't cut the fish in "Lifeline".

James, the 2017 Bladesports World Champion brings a Competition Chopper he made for his competitions and completes the course.

Sarah a martial artist and combat veteran presents a Japanese Katana sword , but fails to cut the fish in "Lifeline".

Michael, dressed in a kilt & ghilie shirt, presents an Oakeshott type 18b longsword and completes the course.

The only two to complete the first round course, James and Michael move on to round two, "Death Run". James completes the course in 5:17, but Michael runs it in a record 2:51 for the win.

S01E04 Super Smash Bros.

Zane is a bladesmith from Texas and brings a Bowie knife he made, but didn't cut through the fish in "Lifeline".

Chris is a bladesmith and chopping competitor who made his own Competition Chopper and completes the course.

Jose is a career soldier and martial artist bringing a Chopper with a Tanto tip, but can't get through the fish in "Lifeline".

Dwayne competes in blade competitions against Chris and made his Competition Chopper for this comp and also completes the course.

Matthew is a martial artist and dressed in a kilt, presents a Seax made for him, but didn't cut through the chicken in "Lifeline".

Melanie teaches Tae Kwon Do and shows her Medieval Bastard Sword in formal martial arts attire and completes the course, the first woman to do so.

Josh is a weapons designer & bladesmith who was on Forged in Fire twice, coming in runner-up than winning the next. He brings his Celtiberian Ring Pommel War knife and completes the course, the first to do so without incurring a single penalty.

Chris, Dwayne, Melanie and Josh all completed the course, but only the two fastest times will move on to round two.

Chris turned in the fastest time and Dwayne came in second, sending Melanie and Josh home.

Dwayne incurs 3 penalties, but completes "Dead Run" in 3:45. Chris also incurs some penalties and completes the course with a time of 4:30, making Dwayne the winner.

S01E05 The Kukri Monster

Chris is a martial artist, presenting an 80-year old antique Barong and completes the course.

Adam is a stuntman and bladesmith bringing a modified Kukri he made, but doesn't cut through the chicken in "Lifeline".

Jessi has been competing in blade sports for 6 years and is the first woman's National Champion. She wields her Competition Chopper that was made for her, but doesn't get through the chicken in "Lifeline".

Wayne is a bladesmith who proudly displays his custom two-handed Chopper and quickly completes the course.

Jon enjoys medieval combat and dressed in a knight's regalia, bears a modified Scandinavian Seax to also complete the course.

19-year old Jacob has been making knives for 5-years and forged a Kukri / Bowie hybrid and also quickly completes the course.

Brian is a corrections officer who has studied Filipino martial arts for 27-years, brings a custom Kukri, but fails to cut the fish in "Lifeline".

Chris, Wayne, Jon and Jacob all completed the course. Wayne with the fastest time of the night, a :58 run and Jacob with 1:11 move on to round two.

Wayne incurs 19 penalties throughout the course, but manages to complete "Death Run" in 7:15. Jacob also incurs 8 penalties, completing the course with a total time of 5:01, making him the winner.

S01E06 Season Finale

6 competitors, Jo, Jason, Michael, Dwayne,Jacob and a Wildcard.

Jason Goes first with his Kukri. Jo goes second. Jacob goes next. Wildcard is next. Michael goes next. Dwayne goes next.

The Grand Champion and winner of the $20,000 prize will be determined from the six top competitors.