Amaya Blackstone (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
special_rabbit) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
fandomhigh2023-06-05 04:18 am
special_rabbit) wrote in fandomhigh2023-06-05 04:18 am
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Blacksmithing Basics; Monday, Second Period [06/05].
It was time to get started on the next lesson, so Amaya gave her gloves a tug and the class a nod. "Morning, everyone," she greeted. "At this point, most of you should have swords that resemble swords, and, with a little more sharpening, will probably work like swords, too, but we're not quite finished yet. Not unless you want a sword that's going to be less than pleasant to use by having a bare tang. Which is why today, we're working with hilts!
"Well," Amaya flashed them a faint grin, "we're going to get started on making some hilts; it's a bit of a process, which is why the idea of squeezing a whole sword project into essentially just seven days is a bit of a tall order.
"So! With that in mind, we're going to keep it simple and be working with wood for our handles and hilts, which should also be helpful for one of you," not naming names!, "who might be a bit behind this week. I've got a few types here for you to choose from, all of it either hardwood or what's called stabilized wood, which is wood that has been dried and hardened with a variety of chemicals. If you need help choosing, I can break down the benefits of the different types we have here, but they're all good choices, and, at this point, it'll mostly be about aesthetics than anything else.
"Once you've picked out your wood, we'll get started with how to make the handle! First thing you'll want to do, obviously, is measure out what you'll need against the tang--that's what we call the metal handle part, remember--of your sword..."
Amaya continued, breaking down all the dimensions and cutting they'd need to take at first...and then the measuring and cutting they'd need to do after that...and then the measuring and cutting they'd have to do after that, until they had a nice block of wood that had plenty of room still to work with that would match the tang nicely.
"Once you're at that point, you'll be boring some holes into your wood to create a nice little niche for the tang to fit into. Of course, with the drill," all hand, by the way, no power tools in this workshop!, "you're going to create a circular hole, but you've got a rectangular tang, so with the help of a nice serrated broach to carve out our space. And this is the part where you have to be careful, because it's a lot of work, but you've got to get it just right, and if you don't? Well! Back to the woodblocks, and it's a good thing we've got a lot of 'em, because it definitely does take some doing!
"Once you actually do have a good fit," Amaya said, reaching for one she prepared earlier so that they wouldn't all be waiting on her drilling and carving, "you'll have this," she held up a blade stuck into the large block of wood, "ridiculous looking thing. Obviously, a lot of this is going to be cut away to make for a more reasonable handle. Which hopefully we'll get to before we leave today, depending on how well you all manage your holes." No, she didn't hear it. "I'll definitely check your fit before we continue with that part, though, and then we'll go over how to check exactly where we'll need to carve, and then we'll get to cutting! And that should bring us to the end of our day and we can get to fancying it up next week.
"Any questions or anything to go over before I let you all get started?"
"Well," Amaya flashed them a faint grin, "we're going to get started on making some hilts; it's a bit of a process, which is why the idea of squeezing a whole sword project into essentially just seven days is a bit of a tall order.
"So! With that in mind, we're going to keep it simple and be working with wood for our handles and hilts, which should also be helpful for one of you," not naming names!, "who might be a bit behind this week. I've got a few types here for you to choose from, all of it either hardwood or what's called stabilized wood, which is wood that has been dried and hardened with a variety of chemicals. If you need help choosing, I can break down the benefits of the different types we have here, but they're all good choices, and, at this point, it'll mostly be about aesthetics than anything else.
"Once you've picked out your wood, we'll get started with how to make the handle! First thing you'll want to do, obviously, is measure out what you'll need against the tang--that's what we call the metal handle part, remember--of your sword..."
Amaya continued, breaking down all the dimensions and cutting they'd need to take at first...and then the measuring and cutting they'd need to do after that...and then the measuring and cutting they'd have to do after that, until they had a nice block of wood that had plenty of room still to work with that would match the tang nicely.
"Once you're at that point, you'll be boring some holes into your wood to create a nice little niche for the tang to fit into. Of course, with the drill," all hand, by the way, no power tools in this workshop!, "you're going to create a circular hole, but you've got a rectangular tang, so with the help of a nice serrated broach to carve out our space. And this is the part where you have to be careful, because it's a lot of work, but you've got to get it just right, and if you don't? Well! Back to the woodblocks, and it's a good thing we've got a lot of 'em, because it definitely does take some doing!
"Once you actually do have a good fit," Amaya said, reaching for one she prepared earlier so that they wouldn't all be waiting on her drilling and carving, "you'll have this," she held up a blade stuck into the large block of wood, "ridiculous looking thing. Obviously, a lot of this is going to be cut away to make for a more reasonable handle. Which hopefully we'll get to before we leave today, depending on how well you all manage your holes." No, she didn't hear it. "I'll definitely check your fit before we continue with that part, though, and then we'll go over how to check exactly where we'll need to carve, and then we'll get to cutting! And that should bring us to the end of our day and we can get to fancying it up next week.
"Any questions or anything to go over before I let you all get started?"
Sign In - Blacksmithing Basics, 06/05.
Re: Sign In - Blacksmithing Basics, 06/05.
Re: Sign In - Blacksmithing Basics, 06/05.
Re: Sign In - Blacksmithing Basics, 06/05.
Listen to the Lecture - Blacksmithing Basics, 06/05.
Re: Listen to the Lecture - Blacksmithing Basics, 06/05.
He would not be able to later if he explained what had happened in this class to anyone.
Class Activity: Handles and Hilts - Blacksmithing Basics, 06/05.
And then measure and cut some more!
A little more now, and when that's all done...it's time to drill and carve, and if you mess it up, you get to start all over again!
Look, blacksmithing isn't all just hitting hot metal with hammers, you know! And usually, she'd at least keep the forge down to a low roar during this lesson, but it's still nice and sweltering inside the shop thanks to someone being behind on their quenching!
Re: Class Activity: Handles and Hilts - Blacksmithing Basics, 06/05.
He had to make sure the wood was just right for his hand (or any other hands) and he wanted it to look appealing.
Talk to the Teacher - Blacksmithing Basics, 06/05.
OOC - Blacksmithing Basics, 06/05.