The priests discussed what Rurik had done, and they all had different opinions.
Unexpectedly, the child came in person at night.
After all, it was his decision. Bona welcomed Rurik's arrival with a smile and had no intention of mentioning these things again.
"Rurik, why are you here so late?"
"Yes." Rurik looked left and right, and then deliberately sniffed the air: "Everything seems to be normal in soap production now."
This is the only thing that makes Poona particularly proud. She pinched her waist happily, "We try our best to buy whale oil. Whether it is the best spermaceti oil or the oil under the fish skin, I will try my best to buy it."
"Or manufacturing at a speed of forty yuan a day?" Rurik asked.
"Yeah, if you have special needs, I will find a way to speed it up. Maybe I still have to call the girls who are helping."
"No need." Rurik waved his hand. He really felt that this speed was okay.
In general, even if the priests can only earn 20% of the gross profit by purchasing the processing materials themselves and turning them into finished products, they still feel that this business is worthwhile.
Because only in terms of food expenses for ordinary people, two silver coins a month are more than enough. What's more, the priests are very special. They are a small group of people who never worry about eating.
Basically, each priest can earn close to one silver coin a day working without leaving home. They hardly consume, and few people in the Ross tribe take the initiative to produce consumer goods. No, many priests melted down silver coins to make silver bracelets and rings.
The maximum amount paid to them is ten silver coins every day, which is only three hundred in a month.
For this reason, Rurik's current most optimistic estimate is that he can get 1,200 dried sharp items a month.
Rurik firmly believed that when Gould, the big businessman who made a lot of money, returned, he would buy them all without hesitation.
He composed himself: "Bonna, I have no problem with your soap work. Now, I need something else."
"What is it?"
"It's those salt-like crystals precipitated from the plant ash solution. I need it!" At this point, Rurik suddenly thought, "All you priests do your best. I...produce one pound for me, and I will give you ten. silver."
"Really?" Bona's tired face suddenly trembled.
"I have made up my mind, and I hope you will make me a pound tomorrow morning."
The request was made, but Rurik did not linger.
She soon returned home and was forced to talk to her mother about what happened during the day.
Proud? Proud?
No, Rurik was still thinking about the glassware.
Early in the morning, Rurik went to check the plant ash precipitates he needed.
Bona's wrinkled face looked like she was wearing sunglasses, the dark circles under her eyes were shocking, and her steps became shaky because she had obviously not slept all night.
To make matters worse, Bonahun exudes a strong smoky smell, and the reason is very simple. These priests spent all night burning dead branches and leaves to get so many crystals.
"Rurik, this is what you want." Poona tremblingly carried the small linen bag and opened it immediately.
Inspection? certainly.
Rurik subconsciously stretched out his little finger to dip a little of this strange crystal, and touched it lightly with the tip of his tongue. The extreme bitterness instantly made his scalp numb and his whole body trembled.
"how do you feel?"
"That's the smell." Rurik said excitedly.
Bona looked confused, "This is another key to making soap. Do you think it...is delicious? It's obviously very bitter."
“It’s just because of the bitterness that I need it.”
Rurik happily got the bag of mixed crystals of potassium nitrate and potassium carbonate, regardless of whether it was a standard pound, and handed ten silver coins to Bona.
In the morning, train the children as usual. This time, Rurik ordered them to bring their own wooden bowls.
The fish is in the pot and the cooked meat is being fished out one after another. Today's situation is exactly the same as yesterday. The children used their own bowls to serve the meat, and then directly picked up the fish with their hands, devouring it like hungry wolves.
They will get more nutrients than others and their physical fitness will improve. Of course, this improvement is still not enough in Rurik's view.
Although they are children, if they train every morning, their physical energy consumption throughout the day may be 2,000 calories.
Even if they are children.
They finished eating the meat and walked back to their homes one after another.
Rurik held his waist and stayed in the "large-scale meat-eating scene", with Kanuf and Fisk still beside him.
He patted the small bag on his waist and said, "Let's go to the blacksmith shop with me. I hope Klavason succeeds."
Rurik believed in the old guy's level. After all, he thought he had a good command of metallurgy, gem setting and other technologies.
Everything was as expected. Rurik saw carefully that Klavasen actually made the so-called "simple version of the manual stamping machine" according to the leak-picking drawings he provided.
This machine is placed in the blacksmith shop with ventilation on both sides. Since it was already completed, Klavasen continued the work of carburizing and forging his sword blank.
Rurik finally came. This time, Klavasen, who was eager to show off his results, not only stopped working, but was also eager to introduce his results.
It turned out that this senior blacksmith was a very professional copper smelter.
Just like casting a bronze axe, Klavasen used clay mold casting techniques to create two necessary components.
With the help of a leather bag blower, the blacksmith's small stove can reach a high temperature of one thousand degrees without any problem.
Tin and lead were added to the bronze, making the melting point of the alloy low enough.
It was precisely because there was still a need to smelt bronze that Clavarson dared to say that he had a large amount of lead on hand.
The two shiny bronze vessels can withstand at least a thousand degrees of heat. They are the core molds for pressed glassware.
The bronze vessel with the groove at the lower end is a container, a bronze mortar. The short and thick bronze rod above is processed to be close to a cylinder, which is the "punch" for pressing.
Although Klavasen is not particularly clear about the principle of leverage, he already knows its magical uses. After all, to push a newly built ship into the sea, a crowbar is necessary.
He machined some wooden poles with iron nails as latches at the lever joints. He made this lever system according to the drawings, so that the bronze punch can enter the bronze mortar quite vertically.
Rurik admired this ninth-century manual stamping press with wide eyes.
In fact, as far as the machinery itself is concerned, this type of machinery is not surprising at all.
Similar equipment was used for pressing grape juice in Eastern Rome. Equipment based on this principle has existed since ancient times. The southern part of the Frankish Kingdom has also been a grape-producing area since ancient times. The locals either used unmarried girls to press the grapes with their feet or used wooden mechanical presses. As far as preferences are concerned, nobles still hope to think of those girls when drinking wine.
Hundreds of years later, the Germans used this set of machinery and the engraving printing technique learned from the far East to usher in the printing era in the West.
Rurik's technique of pressing glass and directly making it into finished glassware was beyond the reach of countries that could make glassware in this time and space.
Because the biggest reason is their material problem.
Rurik had decided to add lead to the raw materials so that the molten glass would begin to melt at just 600 degrees and quickly become as viscous as honey.
As for the toxicity of lead, Rurik also decided to strategically ignore it.
After all, the toxicity of heavy metals such as lead is determined by measurement. Lead glass is indeed poisonous. If you don't use it to hold acidic substances or wine, but just use it as a water glass, its problem is not serious.
After checking the machinery, Rurik suddenly asked: "Maybe we can experiment with clay."
"I've already done it." Klavasen pointed to a strange pile of mud with a smile.
"Huh? Fisk, help me get that mud." Rurik ordered casually.
Because of the powerful shaping ability of clay, it was pressed into the shape of a cup.
At this moment, Rurik joked: "Haha, maybe we can produce a batch of clay cups like this? Can't it be done by firing them?"
"That's what I mean." Klavason said constructively, "Clay is easy to obtain, but the river sand you want is a little more difficult to obtain."
"So you have all the materials I need?"
"Yeah, I got everything you asked for. There's only the third thing."
Rurik patted his waist: "It's here. I didn't even think that the machine I asked for could also produce clay embryos."
After all, Rurik didn't believe that rough technology could make the glass very thin. Besides, compared to blown glass, the pressed production process made it necessary for the glass to have a very thick base, and even the glass walls had to be thicker. thick.
Rurik couldn't help but think of the cat claw cup he remembered. For this cute little thing worth 9, he also tried his best with his hand speed, but failed in the end.
However, the pressing operation of a small local glass factory can use cat claw molds to press out the same glass at a very low cost.
As a cup, of course high boron glass is the best. But with the current technology, Rurik feels that it is either impossible or that technology accumulation is still needed to achieve it.
Rurik untied his linen bag, showed these transparent crystals, and said to Klavasen: "This is the third raw material. What about the others? I want to see it immediately. Don't wait any longer, let's start right away. .Hopefully we can make it tonight."
"Okay!" Klavasen slapped his thigh and quickly went to get the materials.
Soon, Klavasen placed all the materials on a simple wooden table.
What's there?
A pile of sun-dried, crystal clear sand with some impurities from a nearby creek.
A pile of dry, whitish, processed quicklime.
There was also a pool of deliberately ground lead, specifically lead oxide powder.
Rurik nodded and finally put his own bag of potassium carbonate and potassium nitrate mixture on top.
"What to do next?" Klavason asked.
Rurik pointed with his little hand: "Put them into your hard clay pot, the one where you poured the bronze."
"In what proportion?"
A professional question, Rurik smiled and said, "Listen to me now."
Is glass a liquid or a solid? What is its essence? This matter could not be explained clearly even in the 2nd century.
But the principles for making glass easier to work with are already very clear.
Microscopically, as molten silica cools, the molecules do their best to arrange themselves into hexagonal crystals. The deliberate addition of various alkaline ions such as calcium, potassium, lead, etc. can interfere with its molecular structure.
This allows the glass to melt at very low temperatures, however it can never become a pure liquid.
When it begins to cool down and solidify, these impurities cannot destroy its stability. Some special substances can even make the glass more transparent and clear!
The main component of glass is silica. Rurik vaguely remembers that the so-called lead glass may have a lead content of up to 20%. As for other formulas, you also need to add some, so that the combined effect of a large amount of alkali metals will eventually make the glass easy to melt and become plastic.
In this regard, Rurik only had theories. He had never made glass himself, and now he was doing a bold experiment in Klavassen's blacksmith shop.
At least in the entire Viking world around the Baltic Sea, no one had yet attempted to make glassware.
Rurik informed Klavassin of the proportions of the recipe.
"Is this the ratio? Are you sure?"
"Yes." Rurik said cautiously, "Just try it like this. If the effect is not good, we will adjust the proportion."
"Okay. Let's start now."
Compared to Rurik's caution, Klavasen was really full of fighting spirit. Looking at the various raw materials he had obtained, no matter how he thought about it, he didn't think it could be related to natural crystals. But Rurik kept saying that people can make artificial crystals.
The hard pottery crucible used by Clavarson to smelt bronze was cleaned of debris. The next step is to put in all kinds of raw materials that have become sand and soil.
The crucible was placed in the furnace, and then he put a large amount of dry charcoal vertically, and all the operations were like burning bronze water.
The noble Rurik could not control the air bag blower, so Klavasen asked the curious Kanuf and Fiske to do this job. The two children were very happy to try new toys and pressed the huge air bag here.
With this strong air intake, the flames quickly burst out.
Rurik stood tall, staring at the condition of the crucible in the furnace.
I could see that the various raw materials inside really began to melt into a shiny paste.
Not only them, but the entire crucible was also glowing.
Rurik even felt like he saw white flames. He could estimate that his two followers, who were already sweating profusely, had helped the charcoal reach the limit of calorific value.
This is because Klavasen's so-called hard pottery crucible actually contains a large amount of iron. It has become a mixture of silicon and iron and has very good heat resistance.
Klavasen is always paying attention to the changes in the crucible. Until now, he doesn't think there is anything special about the changes in the material inside the crucible.
"Rurik, I think...the glass you mentioned reminds me of sticky slag."
"Yes, we can get it after removing the debris from the slag." Rurik tried his best to answer calmly.
"Really? But those slags are just a pile of brittle sand even after they have cooled down. Is it because of the impurities in them?"
"Of course. Now let the fire continue to burn! Klavasen, have you really studied the atomic theory I gave you? These debris contain a lot of carbon, we must burn them! Finally What you get is silica.”
Anyway, I have already come up with a set of atomic theory. Although this theory is not the truth, it is at least more reliable than people in other places who rely on subjective assumptions to judge everything in the world.
Besides, my theory is completely correct when it comes to general chemical reactions.
Klavasen seemed to understand somewhat, but at least he had thoroughly understood one thing. For example, flame is not a substance, but "a violent reaction when substances are recombined."
Compared to sea sand, Rurik feels that river sand is most suitable for making glass. Of course, it would be great if you could get a lot of natural crystals, break them into pieces and melt them to make glass. The reason why sea sand is not good is precisely because there must be a lot of tiny shells in it, and it is troublesome to remove these debris.
The crucible has been heated, and Klavasen has filled it with new charcoal to support continued heating.
He gently shook the crucible with the tongs, and gradually noticed that the substance that looked like molten slag was indeed very different from real slag.
It is definitely not the kind of viscous molten slag, and it is no longer the shiny and high-heat "water" like bronze water.
"Rurik, do you think this thing is like honey?!" Klavasen deliberately teased.
"Huh? It looks a bit similar. It's that kind of warm honey. I really didn't expect it to become so runny after adding lead."
"Is it okay now? It's been a long time." Klavason urged, "Your two followers also seem to lack the strength to press the air bag."
"Then let's get started!"
Rurik held his breath, and Kanuf and Fisk stood up panting. The three of them watched Klavasen holding the crucible with pliers and walking towards the "simple manual punching machine" that had been made.
Isn't this the first time Klavason has done this?
He carefully tilted the crucible and stared at the paste-like molten substance falling freely into the bronze mortar.
"Start? Rurik?" he asked.
Rurik hurriedly approached. He gently poked his head and saw that the molten material in the bronze mortar was obviously cooling down rapidly. "Let's do it! Once it cools we can't plasticize it."
"Okay." Klavason removed the lever handle: "Ah! It's in contact. There is really a force that prevents me from continuing to press it."
"Keep pressing. Until it reaches the level I designed." Rurik urged.
"Then I'll use my strength." With a dull roar, Klavasen pressed the bronze punch to the designed limit.
Rurik was surprised to see that the still red molten substance, like butter, was squeezed out along the reserved annular gap.
Seeing this, Rurik drew his steel sword without hesitation.
The sharp steel sword began to cut through the molten material, and Rurik suddenly felt like cutting through sticky and hot ginger candy. He completed the circular cut on the bronze punch rod, cutting off any unnecessary scraps.
"What should I do next? Should I lift it up?" Klavasen asked, and before Rurik could answer, the old guy was already on the rise.
Rurik hurriedly ordered a ban.
"What's wrong?"
At this moment, Rurik suddenly thought of something. In a panic, he suddenly thought of annealing. Otherwise, the cooled glass will easily crack itself.
"Klavasen." Rurik ordered suddenly.
"What are your orders?"
"Now let go and light a pile of firewood. Well...just let the firewood burn naturally. I need the hot ashes inside."
"Ashes? Okay."
Starting a fire is as simple as taking some briquettes from a still-burning stove and lighting a firewood outdoors. When the flames began to light up, Ryuri ordered his two followers to start tending to the pile of firewood.
Klavason came back and asked, "Is that okay now?"
"Okay, just lift the lever. I don't think there will be any resistance."
Rurik estimated that as the glass shrank, the bronze rod responsible for stamping would not have any resistance, but this was the result.
Now, the bronze mortar is no longer a red molten substance. It has completed its plasticity. Rurik is satisfied to see that it has become transparent!
Although its temperature is still over 100 degrees, ordinary touching, like picking it out with tongs, will not cause it to deform or disintegrate.
That's what Klavason did. When he used pliers to pick out the glass, everyone was shocked!
"Ah?! This? Is it a crystal? Rurik, we made a crystal cup like this? Oh, it's even wonderful. I'm going to put it in the water and see how it fills the water."
"What? You want to quench it? Never!" After Rurik blocked it, Klavasen took the thick-bottomed and thick-walled pressed glass with a light brown color and put it into the bucket. Indeed, the glass cooled instantly, but when Klavason took it in his hand and saw the horrific cracks on it.
Rurik stomped his feet in regret, and shouted loudly: "How can you quench the fire? This is not blacksmithing, it must not be quenched. Otherwise, why do you think I asked you to light a bonfire? I want it to cool down slowly. Only That way it won’t fall apart.”
"How can you be so particular about it?" Klavasen played with the quilt with three cracks in his hand. Then, he placed it lightly on the wooden pillar and felt its stone-like texture. With just this knock, it suddenly completely shattered and fell to the ground into many transparent and beautiful fragments.
Rurik knelt down and picked up the debris on the ground. Although it was a pity, when he looked at these fragments carefully, for a moment, a sense of trance that spanned time and space suddenly occupied Rurik's mind.
Regardless, the shards were indeed glass. Although it is not completely transparent, it has a light brown color. But this texture is also a kind of beauty!
Rurik was no longer angry. After all, he was not well prepared and didn't even have the original annealing equipment.
"Child, don't be angry. Please forgive my recklessness." Klavasen's tone was obviously coaxing Rurik, as if he was really coaxing an eight-year-old child.
Rurik smiled and nodded: "For our ultimate success, we will always fail once or twice. Now that we can make up for our mistakes, let us consume all the materials."
With that, Rurik carefully picked up all the pieces so as not to scratch his hands.
With the experience of failure, the next work becomes easier.
Since Klavasen prepared so many materials, especially the lead, Rurik suspected that this old guy was also engaged in exchanging silver for lead.
The new work of pressing glassware began, with the old but powerful Klavasen still the main force.
The old guy couldn't help asking his soul question: "Rurik, I remember what you said, it is easy to make things with lead, and people will become stupid? Since you asked me to put so much lead powder into the raw materials, what if we use it?" Wouldn’t he also become a fool?”
"No." Rurik shook his head, "Lead is also put in bronze vessels. I saw the high priest drinking water from a bronze cup for so many years. She has miraculously lived to be seventy years old. But she is still the wisest. people."
"That's true. But as you said, lead is poisonous."
"Its toxicity is absolutely true, but if you just use it to fill water, the toxicity can be ignored. Besides, maybe a person will die of illness before he becomes an old fool because of an illness. Anyway, we don't put lead powder It’s okay, the cup is still a cup, but it requires you to burn it longer and use more force to suppress it.”
"Oh?" Klavason smiled, "Then, I would rather use more strength than to make you a fool by drinking from a glass."
"Haha? Are you worried about me? Thank you. I have decided that the price of glass with lead added can be sold at a lower price, just one silver coin. As for the glass I use myself, of course it does not add lead. Klavasen, I You will be paid. And you blacksmiths have formed a guild, so you can take on the work of making glass on the side. As usual, we will sign an agreement, you will divide your hands to make glass, and we will discuss how to share the money."
"Okay! At least make this, even if a cup is sold for one silver coin, it will be faster than me making a steel sword. Haha, I think if it comes to what we are discussing, you will never agree to sell a cup for just one silver coin."
"That's true." Rurik suddenly thought that in this era, glass bottles were a luxury product for the nobility, and they were mainly consumed by them.
Poor yeoman? What they need to solve most urgently is the problem of metal farm tools. Wooden cups and barrels are enough for daily use.
Since the buyer's market is like this, it is indeed ridiculous to say "one silver coin and one cup" without thinking.
No matter what, you have to trick those big players, isn't it ten silver coins for a cup? As long as it’s cheaper than Gould’s glass bottles!
Soon, Klavasen ran out of all the raw materials, specifically all the potassium carbonate and potassium nitrate that Rurik was the first to use up.
The glassware has not yet become a real finished product, at least they have become quite transparent. They are still hot enough to blanch raw meat!
A pool of firewood gradually turned into the last embers, and its temperature was still four hundred degrees! This temperature is not enough to soften lead glass, but this firewood is the simplest "annealing furnace" Rurik can think of.
A total of twenty glasses were buried in ashes as Kanuf and Fisk watched in shock.
Klavason asked: "Rurik, what next?"
"We'll wait!"
"What's the right time to wait?"
"When the embers are completely out, we take the cup out so it doesn't break easily."
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Chapter 154 Let the lead glass poison other people’s heads while we count the money
