A Blade Worthy of its Name

[Garza]

Bang

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The slamming down of a hammer on steel was rhythmic and powerful. Each strike made to forge a sword of power. The hammer within the hand was solid and well built. There seemed to be an abundance of the sounds that filled the forge of metal pounding on metal. Tongues of flame crackling over the coals that heated the metal to a white light. Only to be beaten again and again. The might of my arm brought down this hammer. Shaped awkwardly for a reason. The hammer was being used in the creation of a curved sword. Many existed. Names of Katana, Odachi, Tachi, Daisho, Tanto, and Wakizashi. All curved variations of the same sword. One most notably used is the Masamune. A very long form of the Katana. Straighter in its blade length, and curved at the end. A very fine blade to look at and to hold. For its size, they were quite light.

I intended to make one of these. While I used an Echani Vibrosword for a while, I wanted something that would be more reliable. Having the ability to stand up to the test of time, and war after war. Hence why I was working on the blade. Smashing down the hammer onto the flat blade. However, I was not making the blade outright in one shape. No. I wanted a blade that could last through anything thrown at it. One of the strongest types of armor was layered armor. As such, I had done some research beforehand. These blades mostly used a style of layering called, Maru, or Kobuse. I however wanted something stronger. Something that would have enough layers to be considered a top tier weapon. This style was called Soshu Kitae. Or also called in basic, “Seven layers”

The sword blade was made out of three types of harnesses of the same metal. Soft, Medium, and Hard. Soft metal was made with a higher Carbon content, while hard was just the opposite. Having a lower carbon content. As well, soft steel was soft. The blade would dull quickly, and can easily be broken. On the other hand, the hard steel would be strong and sharp even when in a multitude of battles. What I was doing now, was the creation of the soft steel. Forging the center into a rectangle shape. All being cut from a metal named Tamahagane. A very high processed form of steel that was tougher and made in the use of old short swords when lightsabers were a fantasy. Now it was rarely used. However, I would be using it here for practice. Taking a hand full of rust and soot residue, I shook my hand over the top of the almost rectangle shape of a weapon. Letting the hot metal burn up the concoction of material to melt into the metal. Taking my hammer once again, I slammed down on the square. With precision and accuracy of years of making simple swords, I impregnated the soot and rust into the square. Getting rid of the impurities of air pockets and the like.

I continued to work like this. Continuing the process of heating up the blade to a white hot. Folding it over and layering it. Impregnating it with rust and soot until the blade became a dull orange. This process took a good three hours to work on this single layer. Even then I was nowhere near done. I still needed to refine the process to be quicker and to be more efficient. I continued to beat down on the metal. Imposing my will upon it with the might of my arm.

I continued to layer the center rod. Seemingly for hours on end when I decided that after it was nearly impossible to keep the rust and soot within the blade, I grabbed the tongs and quenched it in oil. Letting the burning tongues of fire leap up at my arms. Taking a few minutes to soak into the blade the oil removed the access rust and soot, as well as the small bits of clay that had not yet flaked off. Removing it from the trough, I set it down on the table. Looking at how long the piece was. Taking out my measuring tape, it went up to a meter. A good sized katana. However it was straight. But for good reason.

I then moved over to the medium steel. By taking the same type of steel, I would quench it at different times with a stronger oil to rid it of impurities. Layering it more than I would with the Soft steel, this would be instead of a few layers up to a good thirty, up to a good eighty or so. Maybe even more depending on how strong I want the blade to be, as well as flexibility. Setting the ingot of steel in the forge, I walked over to the sink to clean off my hands enough to handle a datapad. Flipping through the pages of information and books of more information of forging weapons, I began to read. Looking at more information of how the clay to coat the metal would be. As well as the level of viscosity that the oil should be. Even the slightest thing down to the right tools and spacing of them. I continued reading when the forge I had made a ding sound.

Standing up, I continued to read as I walked over to the forge. Saying out loud, “At this stage, it is only slightly curved or may have no curve at all. The gentle curvature of a katana is attained by a process of differential hardening or differential quenching: the smith coats the blade with several lay- OUCH!” Stubbing my toe onto the side of the table, my hammer fell on top of my foot. Yes I was a big guy, but a 1.5 kg hammer slamming down on your toes hurts like hell. In reaction I threw up my hands, and with it the datapad. Only for it to fall right into the open forge…

“Feth….”

I whispered to myself. Wishing I had not done that. Looks like I will have to go from memory and see from experience what is the best way to forge the blade that I desire.

(OOC: I will be doing a word count for each post. )
Word Count - 1054

 

[Garza]

Taking a hold of the hammer again, I started to slowly experiment on making the medium metal, I continued to use the hammer and the rust and soot to try and find a way to get the right amount of folds within the metal. Making the material stronger. The idea for the blade was to have a soft core to have flex, and reduce the amount of shock being sent up your arm should you hit a very solid object, followed by medium to have a stronger surface, and then by hard to create a very strong, durable and sharp blade. I continued to hammer away on the metal. Forging from what I could remember of the datapad having on the information. Otherwise, I would have to travel a good week or so to the right planet of Eshan in the core to find another Datapad on the information I needed.

Taking the hammer I slammed down another time only to watch as the metal on the anvil broke in half. I gasped trying to reach for it but stopped as I realized the metal was still hot. Clanging against the ground, the metal landed hard and sent sparks everywhere. I cursed at myself for not noticing how thin the metal had become. Using the force, I picked up the metal on the ground and moved it to rest on top of the existing piece. Grabbing both now with the tongs, I dipped them in oil. Cooling them down. I needed to in order for me to forge the two metals back together. While I could have gone through the long process of trying to keep them straight on one another. I opted for a better version.

After the two pieces had cooled down, I pulled them out and set them in a vise. Cleaning them up just a bit before I grabbed a welder. I then spot welded at three points along the side, and only flipped it over to do the same to the other. I then grabbed it with my hand and threw it into the forge again to melt together. I walked to the other side where I already had half forged Soft steel, not the earlier piece that was ready for the actual blade, and began the process again in forging the soft steel into medium steel. It didn’t take me long to get back where I was. Stopping only for a moment to grab the white hot metal from the forge, I sat it down off to the side to be used later on. It was here that I continued.

Slamming down on the new piece of medium steel, I began to simply press the pieces together by brute force and the might of my arm. It was here that I slowly began to use the soot and rust again to create a stronger alloy of a steel. Each fold making the metal stronger and stronger. I pounded it down slowly to the thickness that was about what I wanted it. And then used a chisel in the center of the bar. Cutting it in half. While it was thinner than the core, it was also longer. I needed to cut some pieces off to prevent it from getting too long. I took my time as I separated the two pieces. Placing both of them off to the side, I looked up through the small window that was in the room. Seeing that it had almost been an entire day. I put up my tools. Looking out into the sky as I wiped my hands with a rag. Getting most of the oils off of my hands. It was not that long when I had put everything away, and walked up the stairs to see Jax, my pet Night hunter, which I had forcefully imposed my will upon, sat on the ground just a few feet away from the door. After opening it, he started to growl at me. Clearly he was out of food. I shook my head as he started to come towards me. Threatening to eat me. However, As he charged me, I balled up my fist and slammed the Nighthunter smack in the nose.

There was wining sounds that followed as it tried to say sorry. Slinking over to the corner and curling up its tail between its legs. Chuckling, “That’s right you little bastard. Dad is the boss. Not you.” I rubbed my hand a little from the force of the punch, as well as the constant hammering today. I walked into the kitchen and reached into the meatlocker. Pulling out an entire rack of ribs, I then tossed it behind me on the floor. In less than a second the Nighthunter had sprinted across the floor, grabbed a hold of the rack, and ran away with it before I could pull out my own meal. I shook my head as I pulled out leftover noodles and cheese with some ham, a mug of bear, and a half rack of ribs from the fridge.

Setting them on the table I heated them up one by one and began to eat. Alone at the moment, my student was probably out doing work or still trying to act like the good Jedi she was supposed to be. I smiled at the thought as I finished my dinner. Putting it all up, I then headed to bed, where I would sleep for the night, and refresh my body for the hard work I was going to put it through tomorrow.

Taking a hold of my face, I tried to rub out the groggy feeling from my body. Yawing rather loudly, I moved from under the covers and got dressed in the same clothes as yesterday. Standing up, my feet bounced back up from the ground as it was rather cold. I reached over, grabbing and putting on a pair of wool socks, I then began to walk around the house. Going into the kitchen to grab and apple, I grabbed my boots as it was in my mouth and tied the laces on them. Once that was done, I headed down into the forge as I finished eating the apple. It only took a few bites when I felt it was good enough to wake me. Once reaching the forge, I threw in the apple core to let the smell of burning apples fill the room.

I smiled as I grabbed the materials once more. Hammering away for another day. I began to continue working on the medium steel. Once more coming into the problem with it getting too thin. Working for hours on end, I continued to refine the process until I thought it was the right size for me to use. I then sat it aside as I grabbed the welded together pieces of medium steel. Now these are the pieces that I will be using for the hard steel. Putting it into the forge, I began to look through the datapads of information I had. Going nowhere near the forge with them, I read up on how to create the steel in the first place by using a combination of books about smithing normal swords, long swords, and scimitars.

After this was done, the metal was hot enough to mold with. Taking it out with the tongs once more, I grabbed onto my hammer and beat down on the metal.

Bang

Bang

Bang

Word Count - 1244