With Mu Qiaoqiao as a guarantee, Zhang Jiuya couldn't say anything more and could only nod and agree.
Zhao Ping asked Xia Gu about his daily ironmaking situation.
I learned that they used firewood to burn iron blocks red and then smashed them with hammers.
It is truly hammered out, and it is not an exaggeration to say that it has been hammered out for thousands of times.
As for pouring molten iron into molds to make iron, there is no such thing as that.
They don't even think it is possible for iron to turn into molten iron.
Although Zhao Ping doesn't know how to make iron, he also knows that in order to forge fine steel, the temperature must reach a certain level.
Otherwise, the weapons produced will be of inferior quality.
The weapons used by the bandits in Heifeng Village would often break after just a few cuts.
Only the ghost-headed knives held by the heads of the family are slightly better.
But only a little.
Didn't you see, the ghost head knife used by my brother-in-law has cracks.
It is estimated that after using it a few times, it will break into two pieces.
Those knives in previous lives were often made of high-carbon steel, and cutting the skin was like cutting tofu.
There are also kitchen knives commonly used at home, which will not break at all.
Zhao Ping didn't understand the principle either. He didn't know whether it was because the forging technology was immature or something else.
Anyway, it should be good to increase the temperature of iron-making.
How to increase the temperature?
Zhao Ping knows something about this.
The first one is to use coking coal.
It's just that that thing requires quite complicated craftsmanship, which is difficult to achieve at the moment, so Zhao Ping gave up directly.
The second is to use charcoal.
Charcoal combined with a bellows can raise the temperature to more than a thousand degrees.
Zhao Ping didn't know whether it could melt iron, but for forging, it would definitely be a qualitative improvement.
Back in Xiping Village, Zhao Ping went to find his second apprentice, Lu Xiu.
Lu Xiu is relatively relaxed now.
The textile machine parts were distributed to others to make, and the assembly was all handled by his father, Lu Dashan.
He began to study the drawings Zhao Ping gave him.
But still can't figure it out.
Seeing Zhao Ping, Lu Xiu said in surprise: "Master, you came just in time. I am thinking about making a gun now."
"I already understand the principle, but how do I get the alloy?"
"It can't be done."
Zhao Ping said: "The current iron-making technology cannot even produce ordinary steel, let alone alloys."
"Stop studying those things. It doesn't make much sense. It's better to study some institutions."
"organ?"
Lu Xiu smiled bitterly and said: "Master, you think too highly of me. Mechanisms are often mysterious and mysterious things. How can I possibly do it?"
"It's okay, we can do it slowly."
Zhao Ping patted Lu Xiu on the shoulder.
"Now I have something else I need you to help me with."
"what?"
"Bellows?"
"What's a bellows?"
"It's a device that blows air."
"Do you have a picture?"
"I'll paint now."
Lu Xiu took out a pen and paper, and Zhao Ping drew pictures on the spot.
The drawing of the bellows is not difficult, it is just a wooden piston structure.
There is an air inlet and an air outlet.
As you pull, suck the air in.
When pushing, push the air out from the air outlet, which can increase the oxygen content.
Can make charcoal burn fully.
This increases the temperature of the flame.
"What is this for?"
Lu Xiu asked curiously.
"For blacksmithing."
Zhao Ping gave a brief explanation and was shocked by Lu Xiu.
I feel that the things in Zhao Ping's mind are very advanced and not at all like a person of this era.
It's a pity that he has not read the novel, let alone watched the TV series.
Don't know how to time travel.
And Zhao Ping's appearance has not changed in any way.
He is the same age as Lu Xiu, and they have known each other since they were children.
Lu Xiu could only think that Zhao Ping had some other adventure, or as he said, he was dreaming about the old god.
All the knowledge that he didn't understand was told to him by the old god.
Lu Xiu didn't think much and started working immediately.
The bellows is not difficult to build, just some wooden boards are nailed together, and the air outlet is rolled with iron sheet.
On the second day, Lu Xiu presented this thing in front of Zhao Ping.
Zhao Ping said thank you and took his things to Xia Gu's home.
"This is the bellows? Does it work?"
Zhang Jiuya said curiously.
"It should work, let's try."
Zhao Ping is not particularly sure, but he thinks there is no problem.
He made a hole under the stove, put the air outlet of the bellows in, and then pulled the lever a few times.
Then he saw the flame in the stove beating a few times as he pulled it.
The firewood burned much more vigorously.
"It's really useful."
Zhang Jiuya said in surprise: "Is this thing easy to make?"
"What do you want to do?"
Zhao Ping became alert.
Only then did he remember that Zhang Jiuya was not one of his own, and he actually let him see such a wonderful thing.
"Afraid I'll learn it?"
Zhang Jiuya is also considered a human spirit, how could he not understand what Zhao Ping means.
He said bitterly: "Mr. Zhao, if you can tinker with the bellows and increase the temperature of the flame, I have lost the bet."
"Don't worry, even if I learn it, I will only be blacksmithing in Xiping Village and will never return to Qingzhou."
Is it so refreshing?
Zhao Ping was a little suspicious, "It's very troublesome to make the bellows, and you won't be able to learn it in a while."
"Let's use it first."
"Uncle Xia Gu, put out the fire in the stove and let's replace it with charcoal."
Xia Gu did as he was told, and soon replaced the firewood in the stove with charcoal. After lighting it, Zhao Ping began to pull the bellows continuously.
The flames shot out higher and higher.
Zhang Jiuya held the iron block and placed it on the flame to burn.
Soon the iron block turned red, much faster than before.
Just as Zhang Jiuya was about to take it and hammer it, he was stopped by Zhao Ping.
"Master Zhang, don't fight yet."
"Do not hit?"
Zhang Jiuya was stunned for a moment, frowned and said: "Mr. Zhao, although you fiddled with the bellows, you also succeeded in raising the temperature of the flame."
"But you still don't understand the blacksmithing business like I do."
“You have to strike while the iron is hot.”
"Otherwise, if you wait for the iron to cool down and then hammer it, you won't be able to hammer it at all."
"The temperature can still rise further."
Zhao Ping explained: "And the harder the iron is burned, the easier it is to hammer."
"It can even remove impurities from iron blocks, making the iron purer."
"Impurities?"
Zhang Jiuya didn't understand.
Zhao Ping didn't know the specific thing, so he could only explain vaguely: "Yes, you look at this iron block as if it is a whole, but it is not. It contains many things."
"Only high-temperature calcination can burn those things out."
"Coupled with constant hammering, the iron can be made purer and harder."
Zhao Ping didn't know if this statement was correct, but he believed that it would definitely scare Zhang Jiuya.
Sure enough, Zhang Jiuya was stunned when he heard these words.
He has forged countless weapons in his life, but some weapons are so durable that they will not break no matter how much they are cut, let alone have any gaps.
But some weapons don't work.
If you cut it twice, it will break and there will be a gap.
Zhang Jiuya never understood the principle.
Now hearing Zhao Ping's words, he thought of a possibility.
Those irons that are easy to break contain too many impurities, causing the iron to be impure and easy to break.
Zhang Jiuya didn't speak anymore, but took out a small notebook from his arms, flipped through a few pages quickly, and then read it carefully.
Zhao Ping was curious and stretched his head to take a few glances.
It records Zhang Jiuya's iron-making experience.
This page is about the classification of iron.
As the weapons supervisor, he used iron ore to make iron.
After constant hammering, weapons are made.
Some weapons made of iron ore are very durable and very sharp.
And some weapons made of iron ore were thrown away as scrap metal after being used a few times.
Zhang Jiuya calls the iron ore that can be made into durable weapons heart iron ore. It is taken from the depths of the iron ore and is very rare.
The kind of iron ore that is easy to break when made into weapons is called peripheral iron ore.
They can be seen everywhere outside the iron ore mines.
The weapons of the soldiers of the Dawei Dynasty were often made of the kind of peripheral iron ore.
Seeing that Zhao Ping was also reading his notes, Zhang Jiuya pointed at the two types of iron ore and asked, "Sir, you said iron contains impurities."
"Is it because the iron ore on the outside has more impurities, so the weapons made are of inferior quality."
"The iron ore close to the core has fewer impurities, and the weapons produced are excellent."
"That's pretty much what it means."
Zhao Ping didn't understand either, so he could only follow Zhang Jiuya's words: "When we make iron now, we need high temperature, and then high temperature, to remove the impurities."
"Then when forging is carried out, the weapons produced will be of excellent quality."
"sure?"
Zhang Jiuya's eyes shone brightly.
"Sure."
Zhao Ping nodded.
Definitely bullshit.
This is the blind spot of his knowledge and he is completely amateurish.
You can only rely on experience to bluff people.
Zhang Jiuya didn't know this, so he rolled up his sleeves and worked hard.
After the iron block was heated to a certain level, he took it out and hammered it.
Not to mention, the effect is very good.
Iron blocks are more susceptible to deformation.
Even so, it took two days to build an iron pot.
When Mu Qiaoqiao learned that the iron pot was ready, she begged Zhao Ping to teach her how to cook.
Zhang Jiuya had nothing to do, so he tried to hit a knife. He also wanted to see if what Zhao Ping said was true or false.
If it is true, the weapons Zhang Jiuya will create in the future will definitely be of the highest quality.
The reputation will become louder and louder, and it may even be immortal.
Zhang Jiuya was so motivated that he didn't even take a break. He found a suitable piece of iron and asked Xia Gu to help him light a fire and continue forging.
