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Forged in Fire-Ray Kirk

ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Forged in Fire-Ray Kirk
on: February 28, 2016, 12:44:37 PM
For those that don't know,  my good friend Ray Kirk, owner of Raker Knives was a contestant on Forged in Fire.  As you can imagine, as a certified Master Bladesmith, the challenge want that challenging for him.

https://youtu.be/rUgmRf8yysI

Way to go Ray!  You rock!

Def
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


ca Offline Toolslinger

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Re: Forged in Fire-Ray Kirk
Reply #1 on: February 28, 2016, 04:20:47 PM
Like a boss! :salute:


Offline Raker

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Re: Forged in Fire-Ray Kirk
Reply #2 on: February 28, 2016, 04:46:47 PM
Grant, it is an honor to be called your friend.  I am very thankful for all my good friends and being able to be on Forged In Fire was the ultimate.  I got all expenses paid, a chauffer, and spend 3 days with my friends making knives.  The best part was that one of us would get the $10,000.00.  We were all winners in my opinion.  And Yes, they did bring us coffee.  I enjoy my coffee and friends.  It just don't get much better than that. 
R


gb Offline Sparky415

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Re: Forged in Fire-Ray Kirk
Reply #3 on: February 28, 2016, 07:09:37 PM

 :hatsoff:
Everything’s adjustable


ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: Forged in Fire-Ray Kirk
Reply #4 on: February 29, 2016, 12:14:57 AM
Grant, it is an honor to be called your friend.  I am very thankful for all my good friends and being able to be on Forged In Fire was the ultimate.  I got all expenses paid, a chauffer, and spend 3 days with my friends making knives.  The best part was that one of us would get the $10,000.00.  We were all winners in my opinion.  And Yes, they did bring us coffee.  I enjoy my coffee and friends.  It just don't get much better than that.

I'm not sure how much of an honor it is to be my friend, but I can honestly say I'm proud to know you- and I said that before you were a famous TV star!

Def
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


us Offline Aloha

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Re: Forged in Fire-Ray Kirk
Reply #5 on: February 29, 2016, 01:04:04 AM
Like a boss! :salute:

BOSS STATUS for sure  :hats off:

I've been watching this show and have been enjoying it immensely.  I some how missed this episode.  I will have to search it out while enjoying a cup of joe as well.

Esse Quam Videri


ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: Forged in Fire-Ray Kirk
Reply #6 on: February 29, 2016, 01:38:49 AM
I haven't had cable for the last year or so and just happened to catch an episode of this show last September while visiting my family.

Unfortunately it wasn't Ray's episode, but I guarantee you I'll be even more motivated to watch it from now on- I have already gotten cable installed in the new place, and I haven't even moved there yet....

Def
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


us Offline jerseydevil

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Re: Forged in Fire-Ray Kirk
Reply #7 on: February 29, 2016, 01:40:00 AM
I saw the episode and was racking my brain trying to figure out where I'd heard of Ray Kirk before.  Took me half an hour. :)
There's no such thing as "Too pretty to carry".  There's only "Too pretty NOT to carry"...... >:D


us Offline David

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Re: Forged in Fire-Ray Kirk
Reply #8 on: February 29, 2016, 01:52:43 AM
 8)  :tu:   
What? Enablers! Are you serrrrious? Where? I dont see any.
Hold Fast


ca Offline derekmac

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Re: Forged in Fire-Ray Kirk
Reply #9 on: February 29, 2016, 05:15:07 AM
You're the man Ray, job very well done!!!  :salute:


mc Offline Gerhard Gerber

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Re: Forged in Fire-Ray Kirk
Reply #10 on: February 29, 2016, 08:51:07 AM
Grant, it is an honor to be called your friend.  I am very thankful for all my good friends and being able to be on Forged In Fire was the ultimate.  I got all expenses paid, a chauffer, and spend 3 days with my friends making knives.  The best part was that one of us would get the $10,000.00.  We were all winners in my opinion.  And Yes, they did bring us coffee.  I enjoy my coffee and friends.  It just don't get much better than that.

Hi Ray

Awesome show with amazing talent on display!  It was humbling to see you guys at work  :hatsoff:


I came out of watching the show with one big question: How can you be expected to make and heat treat the knives with no time allowed for tempering?


us Offline Poncho65

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Re: Forged in Fire-Ray Kirk
Reply #11 on: February 29, 2016, 02:03:14 PM
 :rofl: I love how he was just sitting there drinking his coffee :D

Ray from the look of the knife it looks like you did awesome :tu:


ie Offline Don Pablo

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Re: Forged in Fire-Ray Kirk
Reply #12 on: February 29, 2016, 03:37:20 PM
Nothing I say can do you justice, Mr Kirk.  :salute:
Hooked, like everyone else. ;)

All hail the hook!


us Offline Sazabi

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Re: Forged in Fire-Ray Kirk
Reply #13 on: March 02, 2016, 04:44:46 AM
That was an awesome episode to watch. The knife you made, Ray, looks awesome. :salute:


us Offline NKlamerus

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Re: Forged in Fire-Ray Kirk
Reply #14 on: March 02, 2016, 06:57:09 AM
The amount of knowledge in that short clip, and posts in this thread baffles me.

Freaking awesome sauce, do they allow a live audience? I would sign up for a ton of shows but of all the things I watch I'd love to be on set for an Episode of Forged in Fire, and join the crew during Alaska The Last Frontier.


um Offline Mr. Whippy

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Re: Forged in Fire-Ray Kirk
Reply #15 on: February 28, 2017, 05:29:22 PM
That is AWESOME!  Right now I'm going to brag that currently, on my BRAND NEW JEEP WRANGLER KEYCHAIN HANGS A.....

:D RAY KIRK DAMASCUS RING TOOL--special MTO edition :D


Proudly representing!


ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: Forged in Fire-Ray Kirk
Reply #16 on: February 28, 2017, 05:56:34 PM
Great to see it!

Ray has always been a great supporter of MTO, and a great guy- not to mention a very talented knifemaker, and it is great to see his stuff being appreciated properly!

The year I met up with Ray at SHOT was hilarious.  It's a bit of a story, so get comfortable!

Ray had asked me if I knew anyone at any of the big companies that might be interested in manufacturing his Ring Tool so I arranged for him to meet the Powers That Be at CRKT.  The day before SHOT began, I had breakfast with Glenn Klecker, designer with CRKT, then went shooting with Tom Stokes, another designer with CRKT.  My private driver (yes, we used to have a private cab driver in Las Vegas!) had taken me to the hotel all of the CRKT people were staying at to pick up Tom, and there was most of the CRKT crowd in the parking lot.  My usual contacts were there, as was Doug Flagg, and he was somewhat curious about who this strange man in the van was that was talking about going shooting with one of his designers.  He was trying to figure me out, and I think that's why he said something about these wooden knife kits that they had just gotten in and were going to announce, and I think I blew him away when I said that I had just had breakfast with Glenn (designer of the wooden knife kit and father of Nathan, whom the knife kit is named for!) and Glenn hadn't heard if the kits were going to be ready in time for the show.  The Tom came out, hopped in the cab and we sped off to go shooting, visit Bass Pro, Cabelas and just have a fun day.

The next day we were at the show and I was sitting at a table with my usual contact Lindsey, Doug Flagg and Ray, and I was a bit surprised Tom hadn't arrived yet, but apparently he and a few others had a fair bit of fun the night before...  :ahhh

No matter, Ray pulls out a few of his Ring Tool variants, flips open a small netbook and starts playing a video showcasing the Ring Tool features and uses.  Unfortunately the background noise was too significant and we couldn't hear it, and the lighting was making it difficult to see it.  Needless to say, it wasn't the greatest presentation known to man, and while Doug was being polite and asking questions, I didn't have the greatest confidence it was going to happen for him.

Then Tom shows up, picks up the Ring Tool off the table and says "These are great, I bought one last year at Blade.  I carry it everywhere!"  Of course Tom didn't know Ray was coming, so this was a completely legitimate comment, and the timing was absolutely perfect.  Tom then looks at Ray and says "I think I bought it from you.  Do you make these?" to which of course Ray responded "yes, and we are pitching it to Doug right now!"  Tom sat down and the bunch of us talked about the Ring Tool and CRKT showed us their new tools, and it was a really good time, even if I had largely faded into the background!

A couple of weeks later I was talking to Tom and he said "I hate to say this man, but they (CRKT) get all kinds of things like that (Ring Tool) and I don't think they are very interested in it."

I was a bit disappointed for Ray, but I understand the business- it all boils down to what would be profitable, and who would buy a production version for $20 when they could easily buy the Custom made one for $20?

Needless to say, I was blown away a few months later when I got a message from Ray saying "Don't tell anyone yet, but I am signing a contract with CRKT right now for the Ring Tool!"

If the Ring Tool wasn't such an awesome tool in it's own right, and if Ray wasn't such a great guy, I'd probably try to take some credit for that happening, but I really didn't do much... it was just fun to share the spotlight with Ray and everyone at CRKT for a while!  :D

Def
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


us Offline G-Dizzle

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Re: Forged in Fire-Ray Kirk
Reply #17 on: February 28, 2017, 06:17:10 PM
This is awesome!!!!!! Great story Grant. I just saw this post for the first time. Mr Kirk you have some serious skills. Wow!


ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: Forged in Fire-Ray Kirk
Reply #18 on: February 28, 2017, 10:33:01 PM
Yeah, it is an amusing story- I'm sure I have told it a dozen or so times, but it is always fun to think of again.

And I love watching Ray on Forged in Fire, sitting down, shrugging and asking for a cup of coffee!   :D

Def
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: Forged in Fire-Ray Kirk
Reply #19 on: February 28, 2017, 10:35:39 PM
And in case you aren't familiar with his work, be prepared to drool!  :D

http://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,52090.0.html

Def
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


us Offline Aloha

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Re: Forged in Fire-Ray Kirk
Reply #20 on: May 03, 2017, 04:25:21 PM
Ray Kirk was back on Forged in Fire as a fan favorite who was voted back onto the show.  He certainly knows his stuff.  Great watching him work as I missed him last time. 
Esse Quam Videri


pt Offline pfrsantos

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Re: Forged in Fire-Ray Kirk
Reply #21 on: May 03, 2017, 07:42:37 PM
Well, I think we all agree that Ray is... how sall I put it...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XadNMpvhkzA

 :salute: :tu:
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pt Offline pfrsantos

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Re: Forged in Fire-Ray Kirk
Reply #22 on: May 03, 2017, 07:53:04 PM
I just discovered something else: Ray used to be an actor.

 8) 8)
Young Ray.jpg
* Young Ray.jpg (Filesize: 102.27 KB)
________________________________
It is just a matter of time before they add the word “Syndrome” after my last name.

I don't have OCD, I have OCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ.

I'd give my right arm to be ambidextrous.

Eff the ineffable, scrut the inscrutable.

IYCRTYSWTMTFOT



ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: Forged in Fire-Ray Kirk
Reply #23 on: May 08, 2017, 01:01:48 PM
Ray Kirk was back on Forged in Fire as a fan favorite who was voted back onto the show.  He certainly knows his stuff.  Great watching him work as I missed him last time.

Yeah, I meant to mention that he was going to be on again.  I was told about it a while ago but I wasn't allowed to say anything about it until recently, but then I got busy and forgot to post about it.   :facepalm:

I am glad to see Ray back on the show- he's a great guy and I don't doubt that he could run circles around most of the competitors if he wasn't on a timer!

If anyone here has any of his knives, you know what I am talking about!

https://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,52090.0.html

Def
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


us Offline Aloha

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Re: Forged in Fire-Ray Kirk
Reply #24 on: May 08, 2017, 03:37:47 PM
What I was struck by is the genuine respect the other guys have for him.  I finally got to see the original episode he was one and the respect was demonstrated there as well.  He was up against Murray Carter in that episode which was a tall order.  Anyway its great to see Ray still having a blast making knives and showcasing his level of skill and endurance in the forge. 

Ray  :salute:
Esse Quam Videri


us Offline Old Boy

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Re: Forged in Fire-Ray Kirk
Reply #25 on: May 08, 2017, 04:54:48 PM
I love this show!! Mr. Ray is great on it as well. I saw on the internet one time an article that dissed the show as a example of reality TV showing a lack of imagination. I think people like that are missing the point. There is no greater respect than true craftsmanship and the show celebrates this. Hope they renew this for another season.


us Offline Poncho65

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Re: Forged in Fire-Ray Kirk
Reply #26 on: May 08, 2017, 06:18:49 PM
I of course missed it again :facepalm: love the show and need to track down the episode and watch Ray on both episodes :like: :like:

Also loved seeing the story of how CRKT and him met up and struck a deal with the Raker ring tool :tu: I have one from way back that I won in an anniversary GAW and that thing is awesome :tu: :like:


ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: Forged in Fire-Ray Kirk
Reply #27 on: May 08, 2017, 11:55:45 PM
Yeah Poncho, I love that story too, partly because I was in it, but mostly because I love to see our people succeed!  Of course, Ray was success prior to his involvement with MTO, and I am glad to see him continuing to do cool things.  :D

Def
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


us Offline LoopCutter

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Re: Forged in Fire-Ray Kirk
Reply #28 on: May 09, 2017, 12:40:53 AM
I love Ray's work on the fan fave episode.  Personally I thought he would win after his blade slice the hog in half with one swipe. 

What a bonus to learn he knows Def or vise versa and a member here. 

Great watching a master


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ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: Forged in Fire-Ray Kirk
Reply #29 on: May 09, 2017, 02:45:12 AM


I'm not sure who got in touch with who, but if I recall, Dave Bowen and Ray were talking about the forum at some point, and Dave introduced me to him.  Ray and I got to talking, then talked some more and some more and we never really got into doing any business together.  Then in 2012 Ray came to meet me in Las Vegas for SHOT and we had a great time, even though we didn't get a lot of time to hang out.

Since then we've done business together and talk fairly regularly.  He really is a great guy, one of those people that knows more about knifemaking than most knifemakers ever will, but is also not secretive in the slightest.  He does his best to help everyone who asks and he doesn't make you feel dumb for it.  It's no surprise that he's a Fan Favorite!

Def

Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


 

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