Limits Chapter 211

The next day, I went back to the workshop, and started my work from preparations, to create my own daggers . I needed to create moulds, as well as a tiny hole in my dagger, that would later be used to attach a string to . The problem was balance . If I added a hole at the back of my dagger, the balance would suffer . Not by a lot, but it wouldn't be perfect anymore .

I also had to take under consideration, the material my daggers would be created from . 'I have to redesign my daggers . If I continue using the same mould, I will only degrade them . I need an improved version of my daggers' I thought . This was not easy, I had to figure out the new balance, and the shape .

I took some wood, that was lying around in the workshop, and started carving . 'I need something, that will have a greater penetrating power . The dagger has to be perfectly balanced, and it needs to be useful for both, close combat and as a hidden weapon . It will weight more, due to the materials used, so the size can stay relatively the same' I thought, as I carved out the new shape . I carved like this, but to no avail . All my tries, were either out of balance, or I didn't like the feel of my newly designed dagger .

'I need to focus more, and focus on the aspects that I need to improve' I thought . The carving knife in my hands, began moving on its own . I didn't stop, but allowed my instincts to shape my new dagger . After a while, the new shape of my dagger emerged . It felt out of balance at first, but then I added a small hole, at the handle of my dagger . 'Now, it's perfectly balanced . My body seems to know what it wants the best' I thought, and took a more detailed look at my dagger .

The main blade of the dagger was even more wavy now, but the most important thing, was that the wave of the blade allowed for the balance . It also stayed in line with the small blade protruding from the handle . It had a very small hook blade, incorporated into the main blade . 'My dagger possesses three blades now . Not only is it great for throwing, it's also perfect for close combat fights' I thought . All sides of the dagger had a blade, which would allow me to damage my opponent, however I attacked . The handle on the other hand, was now a bit more curved, to align the front and back blades .

'I can even use this dagger, as a kind of knuckle blade . If I chose to fight that way' I thought . My new dagger had much more potential, then the previous version . Not only was it more versatile, it was also created with the Stringed Hidden Weapons skill in mind .

'Good, I just need to make a new mould, and cast it . Then, take care of the polishing and sharpening process . I can't wait to get my hand on those daggers' I thought, and went straight to work . Creating mould, was not that difficult . I had to use the clay, and imprint the wooden dagger in it . The mold was one time use only item, therefore I would need 10 mold, in order to create 10 daggers .

I got to work, and created my moulds . It took me a while, as I decided to make 20 moulds . I didn't create more on purpose, as casting, polishing and sharpening that many of them, would still take a while . Just the process of preparation, took me some time . I decided to cast my daggers next time, as I wanted to finish those Azurite Ingots .

As usual, I made two Azurite Ingots, then took a break, before working on the last one . After a while, I had all three Azurite Ingots ready . When I visited the room at the back of the workshop, the old Lizard was there, sitting on his chair and going through some sort of paperwork . I said "Here are the three ingots" . He nodded his head and asked "What would you like to learn now?" . I thought about it for a while, then said "Can you teach me, how to create daggers? It seems that this is your race's specialty" .

He nodded his head, and said "Yes, we do like to use daggers, it seems you do too . No wonder you want to learn how to make them . There are some advantages, when creating a weapon, without using moulds" . I asked "What advantages are there?" . He explained "Although your daggers are quite good, as you were able to design them very well, and carve out the original . But, those daggers are not as sharp, or as sturdy as they can be, when using the moulds . If you compare the work of a smith, with a dagger from a mould, then the weapon forged by smith will be much better, of course provided the smith is experienced" .

He then continued "I will teach you how to make simple daggers first . If you want more lessons, you know what you will need to do" . I nodded my head and said "Sure" . He was referring to my work, at the workshop . Money was not really what interested me the most, but the knowledge . He knew that perfectly . That was why, he taught me something each time, I finished my task .

We went to the workshop, and he started the demonstration . "We will use Steel again, for the purpose of this lesson . When creating a dagger, a whole Steel Ingot, would be too much, so first, we will need separate the ingot into half" . He started heating up the Steel, until it became red hot, then using a special hammer, separated the Ingot into two halves .

He then continued "First step is called Shaping, as you already learned with swords . I will be striking the bar, until I get the general look of a dagger" . He struck the metal with a hammer, from left and right . Sometimes flattening the piece of metal, and sometimes thickening some parts . In the end, he created a general shape of a dagger . It wasn't as intricate as mine, but it was still a curved dagger .

The old Lizard then said "Now that I have the general design of the dagger created, I will show you the next step, which is called Tempering, it will be a bit different, than before" . He cooled down the dagger in a barrel of water, then heated it up again . When the dagger was red hot, he bagan flattening it, then returning it to the previous state . He repeated that five times, then cooled the dagger to a greater degree, until it was only hot to touch .

With all of that done, he said "I now need to Shape it, for the last time . I will give it a more defined edge, as well as create the handle piece, to which we will attach the Holder" . I nodded my head and watch the process . He heated up the dagger again, then flattened one side of it, to create an edge of the blade . When he was done with the Shaping, he then flattened the back side of the dagger, to create a very thin handle .

The old Lizard said "This is a Flattened Style handle . You can slide a more comfortable and well design handle on top of it . The advantage, is that the handles can be exchanged that way . I will now show you the second method" . He started reshaping the dagger a bit . The dagger became a bit smaller, as he had to borrow the materials, in order to build up the handle . He created a rounded handle, that could be used, without any sort of materials strapped around it .

"This is called Complete Style handle, where you can add some sort of string, rope or material, for better comfort, but the shape will not change . You wouldn't be able to attach a handle, like you could with the Flattened Style handle" he said . I nodded and asked "Which one is better?" .

The old Lizard said "That depends, on what you are going to do with that dagger . If you want to fight in close combat, a thick metal handle is better, because it's more durable, and the dagger has less probability of breaking . On the other hand, if you are going for the lightness and agility, a Flattened Style handle would be better" .

He then continued "Now we cool the dagger completely . This is simple Steel, so water is fine, but more rare and unusual ingots, require different tempering baths . For example, if you were to create a dagger from Black Steel Ingots, you would need to use distilled water . A water that has been cooked couple of times, then cooled down, and sieved from all the impurities . This is to make all the minerals inside, disappear" .

I nodded, and asked "So, now we sharpen and polish the dagger?" . He replied "Yes, the next process is Sharpening, then we do the last process of Polishing" . He demonstrated that to me as well . He showed me how to properly sharpen the blade, as well as how to polish the whole dagger . When he was done, he passed me the dagger and said "This is a dagger created by a smith, without using a mould . If you make a mould of this dagger, and cast that using Steel, your dagger would be twice if not three times worse than mine" . I was a bit stunned and said "That is really good improvement" .

He replied proudly "Of course! Smithing is not as simple as you may think . Yes, the ingots require a lot of strength, but making ingots is not the whole profession, that smithing is . If you want to call yourself a smith, you must know how to make armors and weapons, not how to cast them" . I nodded my head and thanked him . He returned to his room, while I went back to the tavern, in order to rest .

Chapter end