Per judge David Baker, the meat that gets cut up during the challenges is donated to a wolf sanctuary in upstate New York.
Canister Damascus challenges are popular for the difficulty of the technique. When the clock is ticking and cameras are rolling contestants often do not or forget to let the white out dry all the way. (Honestly cannot blame them given the unique circumstances!) This often results in a poor quality surface layer on the new billet and difficulty removing the can. The time it takes to let the white out dry is much less than that of resurfacing a billet and or fighting a canister that is partially welded to your billet.
Per New York state law, the bladesmiths cannot keep their weapons, hence they must "surrender" their work when they fail and also if they win the challenges. As a result, winning blades are mounted on the walls of the forge if the smiths are victorious.
Filmed in Brooklyn, New York, USA.
Doug Marcaida's infamous catch phrase " It will kill" is actually, "It will K.E.A.L": Keep Everyone Alive Longer.