Post by Admin on Nov 1, 2014 16:48:20 GMT -5
(20:52:42 )
|The Blacksmith|
[PIC]
Exavier Exeter
|Minus - IC|
[ Commerce District . Blacksmiths ]
-At the Blacksmith's, where all manner of weaponry and slave accoutrements can be purchased or ordered, the stench of flesh and white hot metal ripe in the air....-
says to ALL: I exit the private tent that I rented and head down towards where all the blacksmiths are. I have rented the same booth, number 7, for three fair festivities in a row now. I have had tons of work branding slaves and repairing weapons at this particular fair but I have not yet had the chance to make anything. I was going to be heading to the Larius Exchange Point on the way back to Minus and thought about some things I could make for Panther Girls that might sell well. I would have my slave girl get some vegetables and chocolate candies since I was sure I could get rid of them. I had quite a bit of arrow heads with me to try to trade at the fair but I could not find anyone that was interested in them here at the fair, perhaps I could sell some at the LEP. I was dressed in a pair of soft form fitting grey sea sleen leather pants and boots, I'd worn them for quite some time so they settled on my huge frame comfortably. I was also wearing a grey linen tunic and my weapons belt. I took the tunic and weapons belt off once I reached the blacksmith, the light from the forge glinting off my heavily scarred torso. Muscles bulging from so many years toiling as a metal worker. The most noticable of the scars is a set of four claw marks that cross my torso, thick and ridged they were obviously old. To one that knew of kurii it would be quite obvious that was the only type of animal that could do such damage. One might wonder how I survived the attack. I pull my thick black hair into a leather strap at the nape of my neck and select a thick leather tunic. Pulling that over my head and tying it off at the waist I start to consider what I could make that might sell well to Panther Girls.
(21:02:55 )
|The Blacksmith|
[PIC]
Exavier Exeter
|Minus - IC|
[ Commerce District . Blacksmiths ]
-At the Blacksmith's, where all manner of weaponry and slave accoutrements can be purchased or ordered, the stench of flesh and white hot metal ripe in the air....-
says to ALL: Though I was not much of a goldsmith I thought that perhaps something made with gold would sell well, especially a piece of jewelry that was not a hindrance to someone that spent a lot of time hunting and such. I considered that for a moment, arm bands would be perfect. I had one of the 20 weight gold bars in my pack, and I consider that it would be quite an investment to make them in to arm bands, but worst case scenario I supposed I could melt them back down again. I go to one of the areas of the forges that is used often by jewelers and silversmiths and begin to look around at the molds that are available. After searching for quite some time I find a perfect one, it is a flat design that wraps around the arm several times and then has a snake head on it. I knew of one specific Panther Band that was often at the Larius Exchange Point, perhaps if I engraved it with their mark they would be even more likely to buy the whole set. I thought I would make a set of 10, this way many of the Panthers that are in leadership positions in the Lair could all wear the same one, yes this was going to work out well I thought. The mold is essentially two pieces of plaster that have been molded around an original blank. In this case the blank was probably carved from wood to make out the snake head and tail plus the other ridge details. I check with the forge master to be sure that it is acceptable for me to take the mold back to my forge. Old Ironsides says that he would not mind if I borrow it. Ironsides is a mountain of a man, with a horrifically scarred face. I'd met him when I came to my first recent fair several months ago. Setting the mold on my work bench I start to gather the other tools that I will need. A metal punch to do the etchings, a hammer to smooth out any ridges and a trough to use to melt the gold in. Each arm band would need to be around the weight of two gold pieces, I wondered if that would be enough.
(21:15:26 )
|The Blacksmith|
[PIC]
Exavier Exeter
|Minus - IC|
[ Commerce District . Blacksmiths ]
-At the Blacksmith's, where all manner of weaponry and slave accoutrements can be purchased or ordered, the stench of flesh and white hot metal ripe in the air....-
says to ALL: I set the mold out on the work bench and clamp it down. I then select a pair of heavy leather gloves and pull them over my hands. They come up to the middle of my forearms, one could tell where they ended even when I was not wearing them since that is where all the burn scars on my arms begin. I would need to do each of these individually, and I would need to be sure that I kept the gold at just the right temperature to keep it fluid but not burn the bottom of it. I used my normal obsidian trough, it was shaped much like a ladle, just with a flatter bottom, the end had a spout on it and the other side had a three foot steel bar that would allow me to pull it from the fire while keeping my hands back just a bit. I enjoyed the familiar sounds and scents of the forge itself, much warmer here than it would be anywhere else in the fair tonight I could already feel the sweat prickle on my arms and chest. I go to my pack and pull out the twenty weight gold bar that I'd retrieved from my stash in the northern forest. I set the entire thing into the trough and then move towards the fires of the forge. I pull some of the coke, which is the burnt down wood out of the fire, I would need a cooler fire tonight and would not even need to work the billows to heat the fires to what they would need to be so that steel could be forged and weapons made. Instead I just move the coals around some to get a spot to set the trough that will get the gold to the right temperature and keep it there. This way I could just return to the work bench and fill the mold again and again with the same batch. I did want to make 10 of them in all. Moments after the obsidian trough is set into the coals I can see some of the gold bar beading around the edges and then more of it begins to melt. I use the small steel rod that I have alongside of the forge itself to stir the gold carefully.
(21:22:46 )
|The Blacksmith|
[PIC]
Exavier Exeter
|Minus - IC|
[ Commerce District . Blacksmiths ]
-At the Blacksmith's, where all manner of weaponry and slave accoutrements can be purchased or ordered, the stench of flesh and white hot metal ripe in the air....-
says to ALL: Used to working with bronze and steel which were not nearly as valuable as the gold I found myself making exaggerated motions to be sure that I was careful with the trough and with the stirring of the gold itself. Within a few ehns the gold and melted into a perfectly smooth liquid, I had the fire at just the right temperature, it was not bubbling nor was the fire hot enough to burn the gold. It was just the right temperature to melt it down. I finally pull the trough out of the fire by the steel handle, the heat of the fires washing over my massive form. I take the two steps from the forge to the work bench and line up the spout on the trough with the hole in the top of the mold in one practiced movement. I begin to pour the gold, watching closely as the mold fills up. I make sure I get it just to the right spot and then I stop pouring the liquid gold. There is a wisp of steam coming from the top of the mold itself. Once I am satisfied that it is full to the right spot, I return the trough of melted gold to the fires and I turn back towards my work bench. I needed to wait for the gold to cool just a bit, but I wanted it still to be malleable when I removed it from the mold. I was never known as a patient man but this part of the process required patience and so I gave it several ehns to cool down before undoing the clamps on the mold and pulling the two sides apart. A perfectly formed arm band falls out, complete with ridge details and a head and tail. I look it over, impressed that it worked as well as it did. There was a blemish on each side of the arm band where the edges of the mold were but that would be quite easy to fix. Then there was the matter of the etching.
(21:31:30 )
|The Blacksmith|
[PIC]
Exavier Exeter
|Minus - IC|
[ Commerce District . Blacksmiths ]
-At the Blacksmith's, where all manner of weaponry and slave accoutrements can be purchased or ordered, the stench of flesh and white hot metal ripe in the air....-
says to ALL: With the arm band sitting on the work bench I take it up in my hand. It was still hot but not hot enough to burn me through the thick leather gloves that I wear, I roll it over slowly in my hands and then turn towards the anvil that is right behind me. Every anvil has one squared off end and one rounded end. The rounded end would work perfect for me. I take out one of my smaller hammers and slide the arm band around the end of the anvil. Swinging the hammer down again and again with practiced form, smoothing out the gold so that both the inside would be clear and smooth so that it would be comfortable to wear and the outside would be smoothed down so that it would look good. The muscles in my shoulders bunching each time I swing the hammer, beads of sweat forming on my forehead and dripping down into my thick shaggy beard. My arms glistening a bit in the light of the fires as I continue the work. I did quite a bit of detail work on my weapons, wanting each of them to be original, so this was not all that difficult. Of course gold is much easier to shape than steel so I did not need to use nearly as much force with the hammer when I swung it. The steady beat of the hammer coming down again and again on the arm band rang out into the forge and blacksmith area. The gold heated had a unique smell, unlike that of steel or even bronze or silver. I then move back towards my work bench again to do the etching part of this. I would put CoT on to each of the arm bands, perhaps this would make them more valuable to the Panther Girls.
(21:37:37 )
|The Blacksmith|
[PIC]
Exavier Exeter
|Minus - IC|
[ Commerce District . Blacksmiths ]
-At the Blacksmith's, where all manner of weaponry and slave accoutrements can be purchased or ordered, the stench of flesh and white hot metal ripe in the air....-
says to ALL: I had another implement on the work bench that would allow me to clamp down the arm band without damaging it. This would hold it in place so that I could etch it. The gold was still quite warm to the touch but not enough to burn my hands now so I go ahead and remove my gloves. I would want to be sure that I got this just right. Finding a stool to sit on and then hooking my feet over the first wrung of the stool legs I lean over the work bench. I reach to one side and select the steel punch that I wanted to use, the tip was razor sharp so that it would be able to punch through sheets of steel when I used it in my normal projects. I hold it carefully in my left hand, since I am left handed, and then press it down against the gold. I have to press hard but it makes a minor indentation, I then begin to drag it across the face of the gold, leaving a furrow that is perhaps a few millimeters deep but would be plenty to be visible. I had another step of this as well that would make it even more noticeable. Once I have etched in the CoT lettering I set the steel punch to the side and then take another item out of my bag. This is a long silver rod that could be used to make etchings like these stand out more. I set the tip of the silver rod into the fire and allow it to begin heating, once it is fluid at just the tip I turn to the arm band. Slowly drawing the tip of the silver rod against the gold where it is furrowed I am able to leave the furrow full of the silver. Once this was buffed out it would almost look like it was part of the gold to begin with and would create an interesting effect. I keep setting the silver rod into the fire and then spreading the liquid silver into the furrow I created until it is full through the entire etching. I allow the silver rod to cool and set it aside and then get ready to move on to the buffing step of the process.
(21:47:35 )
|The Blacksmith|
[PIC]
Exavier Exeter
|Minus - IC|
[ Commerce District . Blacksmiths ]
-At the Blacksmith's, where all manner of weaponry and slave accoutrements can be purchased or ordered, the stench of flesh and white hot metal ripe in the air....-
says to ALL: The buffer that I would use on this project was much smaller than the one that I used for steel buffing but it was still the same concept. There was a stone wheel in the middle with peddles to either side of it that I could work with my feet and this would cause the stone wheel to turn faster and faster. Covering the stone wheel was several thousand strips of rep cloth, dragged over the gold at a rapid pace they would clean it and buff out any imperfections. An addition to this particular buffing wheel was a conical protrusion on the right side that would allow me to buff the inside of the arm bands as well. This would also spin with the motion of the wheel so that it would allow me to keep peddling and merely lean off to the side a bit to do the insides. I begin by pumping the peddles until the wheel gets to the right speed and then I begin to set the arm band down against it. I am careful not to take any of the gold off, merely to smooth it out and bring out its natural shine. I am very careful working over the etching, going back and forth several times. When I am done it really does appear as though the silver is part of the gold, worked down so that it is even all the way across. The CoT etching would be very visible now and was a part of the overall snake arm band. I then turn the arm band on its side and lean over to the other side of the buffing wheel, sliding the arm band over the conical projection it allows me to bring the inside of it to the same shine as the outside. Satisfied with the work I allow the wheel to stop spinning and look over the piece that I have created. This is one of the first times I have worked with gold in this way but I can say confidently that it came out perfect, exactly as I had imagined it. Now I only had nine more of them to do to make the entire set.
(21:53:33 )
|The Blacksmith|
[PIC]
Exavier Exeter
|Minus - IC|
[ Commerce District . Blacksmiths ]
-At the Blacksmith's, where all manner of weaponry and slave accoutrements can be purchased or ordered, the stench of flesh and white hot metal ripe in the air....-
says to ALL: The gold at just the right temperature and still sitting in the fires I clamp the mold back together and start on the second arm band. Repeating the entire process of pouring the gold, and then hammering out imperfections. I then made the etching and buffed it off. I continue to do this over and over until I have made all 10 of the arm bands. I had just the right amount of gold to finish the job, pouring out the last drops in the trough to make the last one. I then quench the obsidian trough in the barrel of water next to the fire, making sure to collect any last remnants of gold that flake off, it was valuable after all. I look over the ten arm bands and then begin to carefully wrap each of them in a leather cloth and put them into my pack. I knew my slave girl was collecting some vegetables and chocolates that I also thought would sell well at the LEP. I also had over 200 arrow heads available from when I had Christof clean out the weapons cache in the northern forest at that old logging camp. I figured I could make some serious coin or perhaps trade for some interesting items when ariana and I visited the LEP tomorrow night after leaving the fairgrounds. Everything packed up I wipe myself down just a bit and then pull off the leather apron hanging it on a hook near the forge. I was covered in sweat now, and a bit dirty from the ash of the fires but it had been some time since I'd made a specialty piece and it was fun to be active in the forge doing something like that again. Pulling my linen tunic over my head and then strapping on my weapons belt. I had a hammer at my left hip, short sword at my right hip and dagger at the small of my back. Grabbing my pack, I head towards our rented tent to see how my slave girl made out with her shopping.