"Using steel? It's hard to make steel. It doesn't seem to be much cheaper than copper."
Only then did Liu Yu realize again, well, this era is still on the eve of the explosion of science and technology, and many standards of later generations are not applicable at this time.
In fact, compared to copper artillery using black powder, the large-scale and cheap production of steel was Liu Yu's biggest concern.
The popularization and development of gunpowder weapons allowed the originally large regime with greater production potential to quickly train a large number of cannon fodder troops. Even if the cannon fodder soldiers were not as good as professional samurai in terms of personal bravery, they relied on the chemical energy of guns and cannons. They can be killed easily. As long as the political organization's organizational skills are not too bad, it will be difficult for any barbarian to defeat them.
Therefore, when large-scale copper materials are temporarily unavailable, Liu Yu has no way to reduce the cost of copper cannons on a large scale.
As a result, Liu Yu transferred his limited craftsmen and resources to the steel-making technology of the steel filling method and the crucible method. Although this steel smelting is more difficult, as long as a breakthrough is made, a large number of cheap iron can be widely used. Farm tools and weapons became achievable expectations.
Therefore, after entering winter, Liu Yu spent almost half of his time hanging out with his group of craftsmen.
After talking with these craftsmen from the Western Jin Dynasty, Liu Yu already knew that as early as the Qin and Han Dynasties, those blacksmiths who could be called ancient times already knew how to use coal to obtain a higher furnace temperature and melt pig iron compared to charcoal.
However, these craftsmen also know that the quality of most pig iron smelted from coal is far inferior to that of pig iron smelted from charcoal. This kind of pig iron not only has more impurities, but also has poorer castability.
What's more, until the Western Jin Dynasty, one of the biggest uses of steel products was to make weapons and armor. These were all important livelihoods. Who would dare to use coal to turn pig iron.
Liu Yu knew that the iron smelting process at this time was still at the end of its initial development stage, and even the removal of impurities in smelting steel was just being explored, not to mention impurities such as sulfur and phosphorus caused by the use of coal.
As the basis of the crucible steelmaking method, as a crucible to hold molten iron, there has been no experimental success, mainly because black talc, an important raw material for making crucibles, has not been found, and this kind of crucible steelmaking requires a furnace temperature of 1,600 degrees. It is a huge test for thermal insulation, fire resistance and fuel blasting.
In addition, Liu made a budget. If he wants to implement the crucible steelmaking method and obtain the best finished product, he must coke the coal. Although there are already developed coal mines near Linzi, this will require more coal. A lot of manpower and material resources.
In the end, because there were too many preparatory steps, Liu Yu simply gave up the high-quality crucible steelmaking method just now.
Instead, the technology used is relatively simple, and it is easier to implement at this time because there are not many technical barriers based on smelting in the Jin Dynasty.
In line with the idea of "teaching a man to fish is worse than teaching him to fish", Liu Yu explained all the differences and connections between pig iron, steel and wrought iron to his group of craftsmen. After all, these craftsmen were all capable of doing things. There are strong men in the world, but when it comes to steel smelting, they only learn from their predecessors and their own experiences, and they don't understand the essential principles.
After Liu Yu talked for most of the day about the principles of iron, carbon, temperature, oxidation, reduction, etc.
Liu Yu was pleasantly surprised to find that after his Dundun teachings, the group of craftsmen in front of him all looked confused and helpless. Liu Yu even felt that after his own efforts, many of them might not even be able to master blacksmithing that they were originally familiar with. Not anymore.
In the end, Liu Yu could only make a final conclusion in despair.
"You just need to remember that what is produced from iron ore is called pig iron, which has the highest carbon content; what you most commonly use by frying and refining is called wrought iron, which has the lowest carbon content; and refined steel has the lowest carbon content. It is more of pig iron, but more of wrought iron. The iron in it varies in softness and hardness according to the carbon content."
After Liu Yu said this, he found that among the group of craftsmen in front of him, one or two finally seemed to have some enlightenment.
For the other craftsmen who were still in a dazed state, Liu Yu could only make a desperate ending at the end.
"So smelting iron or steel means fiddling with the carbon content in the iron."
In the end, Liu Yu directly promoted the two craftsmen who vaguely understood the second and third flavors of it. Not only did he immediately reward them with silk, he also promoted them to the position of craftsman master, as his assistants and assistants in the implementation of the steel filling method. Practical operator.
The so-called "steel pouring method" was invented by Qi Wuhuaiwen in the Northern Dynasties in later generations. The steel pouring method is to select relatively high-grade iron ore to smelt high-quality pig iron, and then pour the liquid pig iron into the wrought iron and smelt it for several times. , carburizing iron into steel. Because pig iron and wrought iron are allowed to "sink" together, the steel produced is called "sink iron."
Although this steel-filling method also requires a significant increase in furnace temperature, it is much lower than the crucible steel-making method. Today's materials and methods are enough to cope with it.
This steel filling method requires high-quality iron ore. Fortunately, Linzi, as one of the first iron official cities established by Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, has high-quality iron ore here, and it is also very close to Linzi City, which can save money. The cost of bulk transportation is high.
The principle is actually clear at a glance. Once the most responsible craftsman fully understood it, Liu Yu completely became the hands-off shopkeeper.
After all, even though it was already a snowy winter, there were still many things that he needed to do in person, and he couldn't just spend time in the workshops of these craftsmen every day.
In the next period of time, except for the head craftsman who came to report the progress and ask about some methods, Liu Yu only went to take a look occasionally.
Because, compared with these arrangements for the future, the current things need to be dealt with quickly, and the biggest one is to recruit and accept Bingzhou refugees from Jizhou and Yanzhou.
However, due to the repeated battles between Liu Yu's Qingzhou and the center of the Jin Dynasty, many of these refugees were still on the sidelines. After all, these Bingzhou refugees were previously under the command of Sima Teng, the younger brother of Sima Yue, King of the East China Sea, and even if Even now, several groups of refugees are still supporters of Sima Yue, such as Longxiang General Li Yun, who just participated in the killing of Emperor Sima Chi's cronies in Luoyang. He is a refugee commander from Bingzhou.
Regarding this matter, Liu Yu also knew that there was no need to rush. After all, these refugees from Bingzhou still had illusions about the emperor and the court of the Jin Dynasty. They were not Liu Yu. They had the convenience of a prophet and knew that Sima Yue was about to "cross the river with the Clay Bodhisattva." There’s no guarantee.”
However, Wu Xin, the new general of the Qingzhou Army, was quite concerned about this matter. He took the initiative to ask for orders to lead a small number of confidants to Jizhou to recruit the refugees from Bingzhou who were entrenched there.
Because Wu Xin told Liu Yu that these Bingzhou refugees were all from border states and counties. They were not only hard-working, but also good at riding and shooting. As long as they could recruit some of them, they could immediately form a cavalry army.
After just getting the horses sold by Wang Jun of Youzhou, Wu Xin's desire to form a cavalry finally had a foundation. For latecomers like himself, Wu Xin always wanted to find an opportunity to show off his talents and give those who came from Donglai County You country bumpkins, take a look and see what a man from Yanzhao is who can ride a bow, horse, and shoot.
Liu Yu finally agreed to Wu Xin's repeated requests, but kept telling him to be vigilant at all times. After all, there were bandits and bandits along the way from Qingzhou to Jizhou, and from time to time there were also Wang Mishile and other Huns and Han troops.
After sending Wu Xin away, the head craftsman in the workshop suddenly came to see Liu Yu.
Seeing the happy look on the craftsman's face, Liu Yu knew that the steel filling method was probably successful.
After getting the craftsman's affirmative answer, Liu Yu immediately rushed to the workshop.
When he arrived, he happened to catch up with a furnace that had been soaked and soaked for two days and had just come out of the oven.
When a red iron sword was taken out.
These craftsmen made the weapons out of wrought iron before pouring the steel, and then poured the pig iron repeatedly. Although the man-hours were many, they still saved a lot compared to the superimposed forging of hundreds of steel smelting.
With a hissing sound, the iron sword was quenched by cold water, quickly forming a harder and sharper surface.
Under the attention of many craftsmen, when all the processes were completed, the leader of the craftsmen, Jiang Zuo, presented the iron sword to Liu Yu with solemn hands.
Liu Yu grabbed it and tried it. The iron sword was considered a steel sword. However, after Liu Yu chopped the armored wooden stake with force, the iron sword broke.
"General, although this sword has a steel blade and an iron core, it is still brittle. I haven't figured out how to improve it yet."
Seeing that the iron sword that presented the treasure was cut off, the leader of the craftsmen broke out in cold sweat and hurriedly said remedially.
Liu Yu listened to his words and did not return. Instead, he confidently checked the break of the sword.
From here, it can be clearly seen that this sword is a standard iron-spine steel blade, but the steel blade is not strictly evenly distributed. It seems that there is not enough technology to achieve this during the carburizing process. Complete homogenization, after all, pig iron is not perfectly carburized and extruded.
However, the blade part of this sword is already good enough. After all, its cost has been far reduced compared to Baidu Steelmaking.
"It doesn't matter, this is not a problem of smelting, it should be a problem of quenching."
Liu Yu had already thought of this problem, and he immediately ordered the guards who followed him.
"Go get the two buckets of stuff I asked you to prepare in advance."
After a while, several guards came in carrying two large buckets. When the two large buckets were opened, an overwhelming smell of horse urine rose into the sky.
In this hot room, many craftsmen almost staggered.
There were a few timid craftsmen who couldn't help but think, God, what is this going to do? Could it be that because the weapons they made were substandard, they would be punished by drinking horse urine?
But no, the other bucket was obviously not horse urine.
Liu Yu didn't say anything, he just ordered the leader of the craftsmen to take out another iron sword from the furnace.
He personally took over the quenching work. Liu Yu took the iron sword and quickly quenched it twice in the horse urine bucket, and then quickly inserted it into another bucket. After being heated at high temperature, in the second bucket, The aroma of grease rose.
After the quenching was completed, Liu Yu took the iron sword and went to the armored wooden stake to experiment.
This time, during his violent slashing, the blade of the iron sword chipped, but the sword body remained unbroken.
At this time, all the craftsmen present were stunned again.
"Two tempering methods."
Liu Yu said he was very satisfied with his work. After all, it was impossible to make a real Sutie sword by only using the steel filling method without the two tempering methods.
;;;;;
Just when Liu Yu was about to explain quenching and tempering and other technologies, a guard suddenly came to report that Wu Xin had sent someone to deliver urgent information.
Liu Yu could only ask the craftsmen to wait. After all, Wu Xin's recruitment of refugees was an urgent matter.
During the Western Jin Dynasty where Liu Yu lived, internal strife in the Jin Dynasty corrupted the place and caused excitement in all directions. However, in essence, the Han people in the Central Plains still inherited the martial tradition of the Qin and Han Dynasties very well.
However, because of the internal strife that has lasted for more than ten years from the court to the prefectures and counties, all the powerful people and the common people are frightened and do not dare to come forward easily.
After the Yongjia Rebellion, the peaceful Sima Rui repeatedly disappointed the people of the Central Plains, and these Han people hiding in Wubao had to compromise or even cooperate with various Hu regimes.
Whether it is the Jiehu, Murong, Diqiang, or Tuoba people who successively established political power, the reason why these various Hu people accepted the powerful Han people to share power was not because these Hu people admired poetry, books, etiquette, and felt that the Han people were refined and knowledgeable. It's because of the thousands of Wubao barriers on the northern land, and even more because of the millions of Han people inside these Wubao barriers who are still passionate and dare to fight.
Although many powerful people in Wubao are also divided into factions, and no one is willing to take the lead easily, they are not easily eaten by the barbarian regime.
In short, Liu Yu knew that the Han people at this time could still be said to be full of martial virtue.
As long as a dynasty with strong organizational power appears, the Han people at this time are enough to defeat the surrounding barbarians.
I'm definitely still that strong, I can challenge a group of you all by myself.
It is a pity that the general trend of the world today is becoming more and more divided. Not only the barbarians in the north are in turmoil, but even the refugees in the hinterland of the Central Plains are frequented by strongmen, and various refugee commanders claim to be kings and rebels. There are already too many to count.
These refugees are not a simple group of bankrupt farmers. Compared with the general mob, the refugees in the late Western Jin Dynasty were mostly based on powerful families and gathered a large number of relatives of the township party. Although they left their hometowns due to natural disasters and man-made disasters and lost their land foundation, as long as they Rectification is a semi-military group that fights bravely.
For example, the famous "Begging Army" in history was formed after the refugees from Bingzhou migrated to Jizhou and Yuzhou.
The intelligence brought by Wu Xin was about the begging army.
