Rurik had a sword hanging on his waist, and there were two followers behind him. If he were not too young, he would look really impressive.
The three of them walked towards the beach, and the thick smoke from the chimney accurately showed the location of the blacksmith shop.
They couldn't help but get closer, and the sound of "ding-dong-dong-dong" reached Rurik's ears.
After a while, a bearded guy wearing a rough leather coat and two hairy arms appeared in front of them.
This person is none other than the senior blacksmith Clavarson.
From the corner of his eye, the old guy noticed Rurik approaching with a golden ponytail, and the work at hand never stopped.
Rurik walked over happily: "I thought you would stop working and say hello when I arrived."
"Oh, my little master, I'm very busy right now. You know." Klavason stared at the sword embryo tightly clamped by the pliers, but still had no intention of pausing his work.
Rurik looked around and saw that five swords had been placed vertically on the long wooden benches of the "blacksmithing workshop" with only a wooden shed roof for ventilation (spring arrived, and the windshielding boards were taken away).
In other words, they are still sword embryos.
To the naked eye, their lengths and colors are very consistent.
"The swords on your stool, are they about to enter the final stage?" Rurik chatted.
"No. They haven't been formed yet. They have only been forged ten times, which is far from the fifty times you requested. But..." At this time, Klavason finally stopped what he was doing and grabbed the pliers.
, put the red sword embryo aside and let it cool naturally.
Klavasen took his own wooden cup, picked up a glass of water from a bucket not far away, and drank a glass quickly.
"Ah! It's so comfortable. Rurik, you know what I'm doing, I've taken on a lot of orders! I'm very busy now and I have to try my best to make steel swords. If I just cut off ordinary iron swords, I found that I only need to forge twenty
One pass is basically enough.”
"I don't know about that." Rurik was a little surprised, because this Klavasen was obviously cutting corners!
"You understand now. But don't worry. Those brothers and I have already tried it. Twenty times of forging is enough. Finally, we will use grease to temper it one last time, and the sword body is done."
"The sword completed in this way is still worth sixty silver coins?"
"Of course." Klavason smiled with satisfaction, "That's how the price is set, including those people. If you sell a sword, six silver coins in it will be yours. I don't dare to be greedy for even one silver coin.
."
Rurik already knew that the blacksmiths had formed a guild spontaneously, and Klavason also spread the knowledge about the technology of making steel swords.
Technology must be spread sooner or later. If five professional blacksmiths can do one thing at the same time, the efficiency of producing steel swords will naturally be much higher. Since Klavason is now deliberately saving costs for the sake of practicality, the production efficiency of swords will also be higher.
will be higher.
They have completed nearly fifty orders, and he still has more than two hundred orders to be completed.
Klavasen was very honest about the orders of several other blacksmiths, including himself. The cumulative orders of all of them have reached up to five hundred! To complete them, the blacksmiths believe that even if they enter winter, the struggle will continue.
These struggles are certainly worth it, and that’s a huge amount of money!
Rurik estimated that from these orders alone, he should end up with 3,000 silver coins in his account.
Just making steel swords? No! Once you understand the benefits of carburizing and quenching, shouldn't you make some steel axes? According to the agreement, you will get 10% of the profit from the sale of any steel axe.
Rurik led his men over, and he ordered two of his men to gather around the small stove.
"Kanuf, Fisk, you all see, this is what a blacksmith does. Burning stone to make weapons."
"So that's it?" Fisk looked at the dancing flames, and watched helplessly as Klavason, with a white beard, held a sword embryo with tongs and placed it in the fire. Then, his son couldn't help him for the time being.
Clavarson personally operated the airbag blower. Every time the air was pressed, the flames shot up fiercely, scaring Fisker and subconsciously retreating.
"You're actually scared?" Rurik joked.
"No. This is my first time coming to the blacksmith shop. It turns out that our swords are all made this way."
"You?" Karavarson, who was squatting on the ground to press the air bag, frowned and said displeasedly: "My child, what I am making is not an ordinary sword. Are you free? Can you come over and help me press this? My child
, before you become a warrior, you must understand how your sword is born. Listen, from now on, you will use the steel sword I made like others. Now come over and help me."
Fisk thought for a while and felt that what this old guy said made sense, so he took up the role of blacksmith's assistant.
As for Kanuf, his hands were itchy too.
With the help of two child laborers, Klavason was able to have his hands free to add charcoal to the stove at any time, and his eyes could closely observe the condition of the flame.
Rurik watched the jumping flames with his hands behind his back, deliberately waiting until Klavason finished his work.
He did not wait too long, because Klavason knew very well that Rurik's sudden arrival must be to explain something, which might be related to that incident.
Klavason finally stopped what he was doing. After folding and forging the sword embryo, he put it directly in the fire to carburize it. Now he did not need the help of a blower. The two children, panting and sweating, also stood up.
Karavalson drank another large glass of water happily, turned around and asked, "Tell me, what do you want from me?"
"That's it! As for the great businessman Gould's cup, I think it's time. I need you to help me make it."
"You think it's ready? But, I don't know how to make it. But if you can give me some pointers, just like giving me instructions on how to make a steel sword, I think... I can satisfy you."
Rurik curled his lips slightly: "Of course, as long as you follow my requirements, you will definitely succeed. I will also sell glasses to make money in the future."
Here, Rurik directly calls it "boli" instead of "glas" in the ancient Germanic language.
Boli is glass, which describes a completely transparent substance with a stone-like texture.
However, Klavasen still didn't understand what he was saying.
Because the Germanic word glas also comes from Roman Latin, and the Romans also learned about the making of glassware from the Egyptians and learned about this term.
Although the Western Roman Empire fell, the craft of glass making did not cease.
The Frankish Kingdom could still make its own glassware, such as making some decorative glass gems or making glassware.
It's just that these utensils are mainly enjoyed by nobles. Their high prices and narrow market make it difficult for poor farmers to understand them.
The same was true in Eastern Rome, where all kinds of glassware were still enjoyed by dignitaries.
Therefore, the glassware spread to the Nordic world is so rare and the price is ridiculously high.
For this reason, Klavasen had never even seen glass, and neither "glas" nor "boli" were unfamiliar words.
Rurik described its beauty in great detail.
"It uses some special stones, adds special materials, and turns it into a lump of viscous and red substance like slag in the stove. Put this lump of substance in a container, and then press it with another instrument to make it.
Quilt shape.
When it gradually cools down, it becomes as transparent as ice. But such a cup is much harder than ice!
Gould spent a hundred silver coins for a transparent cup, so we don't ask for much. As long as we can produce it in large quantities and sell it at a price of ten silver coins, that's fine..."
Rurik tried his best to introduce the beauty of a glass.
He emphasized two points in particular: first, it is not difficult to obtain the raw materials for this item, and it is relatively simple to make. Second, this item can be purchased for at least ten silver coins each.
Undoubtedly, Klavasen attaches great importance to these two things compared to the unknown nature of the so-called glass.
Klavasen couldn't help but ask: "My little master, this is true. With just some stones, you can make a quilt relatively quickly. How can I still sell it for ten silver coins?"
"It's absolutely true." Rurik pinched his waist confidently, "You just have to do as I say."
After saying that, Rurik paused, looked around, and muttered: "It's just too late today. You can't collect the raw materials right away, and even if you have collected them, we still need some other equipment. Now...
…You find me a wooden board and give me a piece of carbon.”
"All right."
Soon, a wooden board that was supposed to hold blacksmithing equipment was carried over by Karavasin. He faced the flat back of it to Rurik, and handed over a so-called charcoal pen, which was actually a slender carbon rod.
.
Rurik knelt down and ordered Klavasen to squat in front of him.
He started drawing on the wooden board and talking about the details.
From the beginning, writing has been a kind of picture. Even the purely phonetic Pinyin writing of the Nordic counterpart, Rune, originated from the hieroglyphic modification of ancient Egyptian writing.
By drawing pictures, Rurik believed that Kravassin could understand.
Because what is painted on the wooden board is basically a view of the mold.
Rurik was in a state of professionalism and couldn't help but draw three views.
Ultimately, what he drew was a schematic diagram of a mold system.
Karavarson didn't know anything about the three-dimensional view, but this old guy knew the bronze casting process very well. With just a little hint from Rurik, Karavarson already understood it completely.
"Rurik, although I can't understand your drawings at all, don't worry that I don't understand. You want me to make two special utensils out of bronze, no problem."
Rurik clicked for a long time, maybe the old guy in front of him did understand: "Well, you should understand the meaning of these two bronze tools. If there is a ball of mud at that time, put it into the tool, and finally it will be
It is pressed into the shape of a cup. I also need you to make a wooden frame to fix the upper device to ensure the stability of the pressing."
Klavasen nodded, "It looks like, in a sense, this is a stone mortar for pounding onions."
"It's really similar. You have to pound onions many times. As shown in the picture, my device only needs one time."
Rurik had already drawn very clearly on this wooden board. He drew a sketch of a manual punching machine and ordered Karavasin to follow this principle.
Rurik didn't care at all how exquisite the so-called pressing machine was.
Exquisitely made by a machine? That's impossible. In the final analysis, what Rurik wants is the finished product of the glass, even if the glass has many impurities and irregular regulations.
Of course, crude machines naturally have their great value. In the final analysis, technology is constantly accumulated and developed from generation to generation. Even if there are rapid innovations in the process, after all, generations of people are constantly transforming based on the original machines.
"That's it. Since you can make the machine as shown in the diagram, I'm relieved. Now please listen carefully to the materials I need."
"Yes." Klavasen straightened his nerves, "The raw materials are the most important thing, tell me. I know these are all part of Odin's wisdom."
"Hehe, so be it." Rurik said solemnly: "I want you to prepare four things. First, those pebbles that are as transparent as possible, including sand from streams. Second, pure white lime.
.Third, it is ashes, just like boiling salt. I want the crystals inside. Only this, I can ask the priests to help me make it. Fourth, I want lead powder."
Clavarson did understand these four substances, including the third one, ashes. He now knew that the precipitate after the ashes melted into water was the key to making soap.
"Rurik, among these four things, I have to collect sand and lime myself. It would be best if you could help me get the essence of the ash. As for the lead, I have it here ready-made."
Rurik thought for a while and said: "Okay, I can wait. At the beginning, I just wanted to do an experiment to prove that I can do it. You don't need to collect so much material, as long as we succeed, then we will try again
Increase production.”
"Oh! My child, you really think highly of my old bones." Klavasen laughed, "I am a blacksmith, maybe I don't have that much energy to help you make cups, or other things."
"Of course. Even so, I still need your help. I came here today to tell you this. Klavason, I will come back the day after tomorrow. By then, I hope you have completed my request. You must complete it as soon as possible,
No matter what the result is, I will pay you..." Rurik thought for a while and said casually: "Fifty silver coins!"
"What?! So much money?" Klavasen was startled.
"What? You think you don't have enough money?"
"No! That's enough, that's enough." Klavasen's excitement was written on his face, and he felt comfortable when he mentioned the coins. "This is better than business. By the morning of the day after tomorrow. No! By the time the sun goes down tomorrow, you will be
But come to me and I will definitely succeed."
"It'll be the day after tomorrow. I hope there won't be any problems along the way."
Rurik did not stay any longer. He had already informed them about all the requirements for making glass, raw materials and processing equipment, and promised a huge sum of money after the completion of the work.
Did you really start trying to make glass like this?
Once a decision has been made, one must go all the way to the end.
Asking himself, Rurik admired his decision.
Quite a few peoples learned the technology of making glass thousands of years ago. The technology of glass blowing came from ancient Egypt 2,000 years ago. The technology soon spread to the Mediterranean coast, and was finally carried forward by Rome.
The technology they use is still blowing, which is really a technical job. If a glass blower is not technically qualified, he can blow out his own cheek.
People from Russia who have barely even seen what glass is, expect that a few words of advice can make a small number of people learn to blow glass? It is really unrealistic. Even if you try it, you will follow the hot heat of the copper pipe.
The airflow can completely burn the worker's throat, causing him to become mute.
But another processing method, the technology of pressed glass, can be fully implemented.
After all, glass, due to its magical molecular structure, makes people confused whether it is a liquid or a solid. It does not have a solid-liquid decomposition temperature. When the temperature increases, it starts to become viscous, and finally turns into a lump.
A hot and red paste like ketchup.
The temperature of a ball is not too extreme, just like a paste of plasticine placed in a mold, and of course it can be pressed into the desired shape.
That is, compared to glass blowing, this pressing technology is more suitable for making window glass and wide-mouth quilts. If bottles are made industrially, the industrial blowing method is astonishingly efficient. In later generations, a beverage company's global factories were completed in one day.
Can blow out two million glass bottles.
The most critical point is that the process of pressing glass is simple, which is its advantage. To make glassware quickly, Rurik could only think of this pressing method that had the possibility of rapid implementation.
After all, it's still just a possibility right now.
Theoretically, the possibility of success is very high! Rurik firmly believed that even if he could not create purely transparent glassware, it would be enough to create colored translucent products.
As for the toxicity of lead-containing glass, Rurik didn't care. Anyway, the purpose of lead is to lower the melting point. If it is glassware and tableware that you use, of course you cannot use lead glass.