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As an Albuquerque metropolis councilor, Dan Lewis’ process is to help in making coverage.
In his spare time, he additionally makes knives.
And it’s bladesmithing that has landed the West Aspect legislator on a well-liked actuality TV display. Lewis and his older brother, Tony, previous this 12 months filmed an episode of “Cast in Fireplace,” a Historical past Channel pageant display. It’s going to air on Wednesday, Aug. 31.
The display, now in its 9th season, describes itself as a discussion board the place “world-class bladesmiths recreate historic edged guns in a cutthroat pageant.” Each and every episode generally pits 4 contestants towards each and every different in a problem, with the winner incomes a $10,000 prize.
Lewis mentioned his episode is reasonably other, pronouncing it’s going to be promoted as two groups – one with him and Tony, the opposite with two pals from Colorado – going face to face, with the winners then competing towards each and every different.
Does that imply Lewis in the end squares off towards his personal brother?
He’s maintaining mum about that, and different main points. However the councilor mentioned filming – which came about in each New York and his brother’s store in Phoenix – used to be an “improbable enjoy” general, even supposing it used to be additionally on occasion traumatic.
“We had cameras that had been looking at our each and every transfer and we had been beneath time restraints. … It without a doubt used to be nerve-wracking from time to time,” he mentioned.
Bladesmithing has transform one thing of a “circle of relatives factor” within the Lewis global, the councilor mentioned. The brothers have a small corporate in combination, promoting their paintings beneath the identify Barren region Forge Knives.
Tony used to be the primary to get into knife-making, having advanced an hobby after a U.S. Military deployment to Afghanistan in 2008. He met a soldier who carried a knife that his father had made and it impressed him to soak up the craft.
He helped carve a trail for Dan Lewis, who adopted swimsuit about 4 years in the past after discovering a chisel whilst going via his past due better half’s father’s property.
“I took that and cast my first knife out of it and, masses of knives later, right here I’m,” Lewis mentioned.
The councilor, who works as operations director for an oil corporate, along with serving in metropolis govt, mentioned he pursues the craft in his spare time, on occasion toiling into the night time at the propane-powered forge in his house store.
As anyone who dabbled in woodworking prior to now, he mentioned he discovered bladesmithing interesting as it combines fabrics that won’t another way be helpful into one thing with serve as and aptitude.
“One of the crucial objectives I had used to be to take a look at to create a awesome searching knife for out of doors lovers,” mentioned Lewis, an avid hunter who mentioned he and his brother wish to make knives which might be each creative and helpful within the box.
Lots of the brothers’ knives promote within the $200-$400 vary.
Lewis mentioned he and his brother had been already fanatics of “Cast in Fireplace” when manufacturers reached out remaining 12 months and presented the risk to use to be contestants. After some vetting, they had been invited to movie an episode in February.
The episode’s unique 6 p.m. airing on Aug. 31 would be the first time Lewis has observed the general lower.
He mentioned the display in most cases makes a speciality of the camaraderie of the bladesmithing neighborhood.
“It’s no longer like numerous conventional actuality displays the place they center of attention on numerous the drama; it’s an actual pageant,” he mentioned. “This is a actuality display, however it’s decent within the sense they in reality spotlight the bladesmith neighborhood.”
https://www.abqjournal.com/2527083/abq-city-councilor-competes-on-reality-show.html
