Re-firing and Scripting the blade [The Arma'Drex]

by **Favchean Hronis** on November 16th, 2013, 2:23 am

83 Fall 513 A continuation of this thread Heat Strengthens

The morning light filtered in through the open door of the smithy when Favchean stepped in. His blue eyes were a bit bleary only because he had stayed late the night before to work on a dagger he had thought of. He was in early today to finish it, knowing it would take most of the morning to temper the steel blade and then let it cool enough to script it.

He moved immediately to the forge, raising a hand to the few other apprentices who were working. All were Akalak, there were probably a few other non-Akalak weapon smiths but Favchean felt sure they were probably guests rather then citizens. Only because people often came to learn from the Master blacksmiths that were Akalak.

He snags the leather apron once more, skirting around an Akalak with skin so lightly colored Magenta that Favchean knew immediately who it was. Not many Akalak's had as dark a tone as Favchean, but neither did they customarily had such light tones either. He simply nods in greeting not wanting to break anyone's concentration in here. The blade had been moved out of the bucket the night before, and laid up beside the leather bound hilt he had crafted.

He reaches up and gently grabs the blade that while it doesn't have an edge just yet, it does have a point and could still be harsh on his fingers. He brings it to the forge, and out of habit he checked the fires causing one of the others to look at him sourly, as if he meant to imply they hadn't did their jobs. There were three other blades in the forge, but this was common so Favchean simply settles the blade in and twists the clamp on. Once more waiting for the steal to turn the glowing hot hay yellow.

While he waited he moved over to the magenta Akalak looking over his shoulder "Mind?" He asked politely. The other was doing a little bit of leather braiding, which was something Favchean knew he needed to learn. At the shrug of hte magenta, the Dark green male moves to lean his hip against the counter.

"Why do you work with wet leather?" Favchean questioned, not rudely but simply out of curiosity. "Because wet leather soaks in the water, and traps it. Causing it to swell. When it dries it makes the braid tighter..almost impossible to release from the braid with bare hand."

The words are easily spoken, as much as Akalak's love competition, it was not unusual to teach each other and learn from each other. It is much more satisfying to beat another when they had the same knowledge as you.

Smiling his thanks for the answer Favchean watches for several chimes. Finally he moves away to check his blade, which was a brilliant yellow again. Smiling he grabs the tongs and untwists the clamps, lifting it out and dumping it immediately in the cold water in the bucket.

Steam billowed, and a few near by Akalak grumble with good natures, they all know the hazards of working in a Smithy. Favchean takes it out, after just a few minutes, and takes it back to the forge to secure it in once again. Three more re-firings to go.

by **Favchean Hronis** on November 16th, 2013, 3:34 pm

Favchean putters around the smithy while he waited his dagger blade to finish his three extra firings. The firings themselves will temper the steel, make it more resistant to breaking -though of course not impossible to break- and will make it look smoother and more polished. However it was time consuming, so he took the time to help with maintenance that some might forget has to go on in a smithy.

First he went outside to the pile of logs that the Masters kept in supply, they also kept a large supply of a black rock that was highly messy that they call coal but since that is not as readily easy to get or as cheap the Akalak's use wood more often. Wood burned slower, took longer to get the same heat that the coal would but was just an inconvenience when compared to the easy and expense of the other. Making several trips Favchean hefts the wood inside, to replenish the forge supply.

Then he made sure that the water buckets were full and cool, before snagging a rage that had seen better days. Before cleaning the stations, Favchean took the blade, thrusts it into the bucket of cool water and let the steam roll over him before securing it again in the forge. Then he took the rag and carelessly dips it in the water -that had grown significantly warmer thanks to the blade- and began to scour the table tops of metal fleck, wood flecks, and marks made by pencil and other tools.

The other Akalak took no note of his doings, nor showed him gratitude because it was not something that deserved praise. It was a duty, and he performed it. If he hadn't one of the others would have, simple at that. He didn't have to do much with the tools because the apprentices respected them too much to not put them away or to put them away messily.

Things straightened and cleaned, now Favchean returns to the forge and drops the blade in the water, then thrusts it back into the heat adding logs to the flames. This was the last time for firing. While the blade heats again, Favchean takes the pad and charcoal pencil once more.

by **Favchean Hronis** on November 16th, 2013, 4:45 pm

The dark green Akalak situates himself once more on the stool at the counter, taking the charcoal in his left hand. Now he tore a piece of paper from the pad, and then proceeded to divide that piece of paper into three sections. Each section is ripped from the others so that he has three pieces of paper about the same width as the dagger blade itself. Positioning the paper beneath his right hand Favchean begins to what looks like doodling. He is not drawing specific pictures, he was not very good at drawing those yet, instead his designs were a series of lines and swirls. Completely abstract but if small and delicately applied could possibly make the blade attractive for the feminine clientele.

The first line was horizontal, and he presses deep with the charcoal to make sure that the line was black and dark. The second line was lined up beneath the first and follows the same path, though just a centimeter lower. The third line was vertical and slashes through the first two. Smiling, he got up and checks the dagger for that straw-colored yellow. Taking it from the forge he plunged it into the water for the last time, leaving it to cool so that it would be manageable.

Favchean moves back to the paper and sets the first aside, and takes a second paper. He draws the same pattern on the second, so that he could etch both sides of the dagger with identical markings. Once this was down, the second paper drawn just as darkly as the first, he carefully sat it aside as well. Standing he goes to retrieve the scribe that he would be using to etch the steal. This particular scribe was the Master's, and it was valuable because the very tip was a small diamond chip. It wasn't a valuable diamond chip, of course, flawed and imperfect but diamonds were hard. Harder then steel, so made fine etching points.

Now that he was ready, he retrieved the hilt he had finished the night before and the jar of adhesive again and placed them at his work station as well. Then it was simply a matter of waiting a few bells so that the blade was cool enough to not bend with pressure, and be able to be held with bare hands.

by **Favchean Hronis** on November 16th, 2013, 6:04 pm

A few bells later Favchean returns to the water bucket and takes the blade from the water. It had cooled to a silvery gray color, the tip was okay but Favchean had envisioned a deeper curve, he made a mental note to ask the Master how to create that. He thought he had cut it out properly, but perhaps it happened with his clumsy hammering.

No help for it now, with the steel being tempered it was not going to be cut by the metal sheers any further. This was why the scribe had a diamond tip, for etching. Having Brought the blade over to the counter again, Favchean retrieved two clamps to secure it well. Favchean picked up the piece of paper with the designs he had drawn and placed it carefully upside down onto the blade. Before he laid it though he ensured that the paper was precisely over it with none of the charcoal hanging off the edge. Then he used a large thumb to trace the design firmly on the back. This caused the charcoal to smear on the blade.

Carefully removing the paper, Favchean grabs the towel and brings it close before picking up the scriber. Leaning over, he places the diamond tip against the steel and bears down. He puts a good amount of pressure on it, to force the diamond to bite into the steel and slowly he traces the design. Some area's he goes back over it again because he didn't dip deep enough. It was a pain staking process that caused his fingers to ache but he kept going. Eyes the color of ice beneath snow concentrated on the design, his slightly pointed ears trying to ignore the slight scratch of diamond into steel.

Every once in a while he would take his towel and wipe away metal fragments and the charcoal until finally the design lay etched into the blade. Putting down the scribe he swiftly unscrewed the clamps and turned the blade over to repeat the process. His fingers shook only once or twice, probably from trying to keep them controlled too much rather then just enough. But finally the blade, other then sharpening, was finished. Now he just needed to insert it into the hilt and give it an edge.

The dark green Akalak unscrewed the clamps from around the blade, and lifted the metal from the table. His right hand reaches for the hilt, that he had crafted out of wood and leather, and he deftly inserts the blade's base up to the collar. Then he takes an eye dropper full of the adhesive and pours it around the blade into the slot of the wood. The rawhide lacing that he had sewn into criss-cross pattern, leaving extra at the top and bottom. He had already tied the bottom laces together to form a loop for ladies wrist to rest in. The top he now wrapped tightly around the top of the hilt and base of the bald, helping the adhesive keep the blade within the hilt.

He finished up by getting the whet stone out and working the bottom edge of the dagger. A slow smooth motion from top to bottom of the stone. He only went one way, not up for that would just weaken the blade. He tried to make sure that he used the proper angle, too much and the blade's edge would dull too quickly, not enough and the edge would not arrive. It was a precise work, but one he had done since he was old enough to get his first dagger. Favchean inspected his final product, and while it was not the highly decorated nor was it finely crafted as a Master would, it wasn't all that shabby. He doubted that the Master would want to sell it as is, but he wanted his opinion on it anyway.

by **Magpie** on November 30th, 2013, 11:46 pm

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Favchean :

Notes :

If you have any questions or concerns about what was awarded, please don't hesitate to PM me.

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Solo Re-firing and Scripting the blade [The Arma'Drex]