The Faithful Wanderer

Forged in Fire

A  few years ago, my husband and I started to watch a blacksmithing competition on the History Channel called “Forged in Fire.” Four blacksmiths use their skills to forge different objects, usually blades. Then their work is judged by a panel of weapon-making experts.

“Forged in Fire” is an hour-long show, broken into 5 stages.

Stage 1

Four blacksmiths are given access to a variety of used metal, such as:

1. 1. Rusted car springs
   2. Used bicycle chains.
   3. Metal from an old pinball machine.
   4. Thick chainmail.
   5. Old nails, nuts and bolts.
   6. Different sizes of ball bearings.

 

Their first task is to melt the metal down and forge a basic knife blade in three hours. The chunk of red-hot molten metal is hammered into a knife’s basic shape and then plunged into a container of oil known as “the quench”, which cools the red-hot blade very quickly, hardening the steel.

At the end of the first round, each newly formed blade is examined by the judges. Any flaws such as hairline cracks or warps in the blade are mentioned, along with each knife’s good points. After all four blades are critiqued, the blacksmith whose blade has the most flaws is sent home.

Stage 2

The remaining three blacksmiths are given time to correct the problems that the judges pointed out during the critique and also attach a handle so the blade’s quality can be rigorously tested. But there is a critical step in stage 2 which is never shown on television, because it’s boring.. Each blacksmith slowly heat-treats or tempers his creation.

More on that important step later.

Stage 3

The Strength Test

The blacksmith’s knife edge is tested for durability by repeatedly striking a hard object, such as:

1. 1. A large, heavy block of ice.
   2. A knight’s metal breastplate.
   3. An oak barrel.
   4. Green bamboo.
   5. Wooden posts.

 

Chopping the blade against a hard object tests the quality of the smith’s work. Is the knife’s edge hard enough to stay sharp? After the test, the judge examines the blade for signs of damage. On a poorly tempered knife, the edge chips or develops dull areas. Sometimes a flawed weapon will even break in half, which disqualifies the blacksmith, because his or her blade can’t be tested any further. If everyone survives the strength test, the judges then test the quality of the finished knives in a 2nd way:

The Sharpness Test

After the blades survive the strength test, another judge tests the knife to see how well it slices through a softer object. Some items they use on the sharpness test are: 

1. 1. A row of green apples.
   2. A piece of silk or cowhide, stretched tight.
   3. A long line of playing cards, facing forward and set edge to edge.
   4. Moving canvas bags, filled with colored sand.

 

If the edge has been damaged, the newly flawed weapon will not to cut as well. Is the silk slashed cleanly or did the cloth tear? Did the weapon cut open the canvas bags or bounce off? Soon a second blade-smith is set home.

Once more, a blade smith is sent home.

In stage 4, the remaining two smiths are given 4 days in their home forge to re-create an iconic weapon from history. Often, the judges;’ choice is a very challenging. One pair of smiths had to create functioning crossbows. In an episode featuring rescue workers, the two smiths forged a special tool that firemen use, called a Halligan bar.

Once more, their creations are tested, then a new Forged in Fire champion is crowned.

Some flaws do occur during forging, or while constructing the handle. But often it’s a bad heat-treat which dooms a contestant. So why is the tempering process so important?

An Important Step: Heat-Treating the Metal

In ancient times, knights needed their blades and metal armor to be both strong and durable.

First the blacksmith hammered the red-hot metal into sword shape and then quickly quenched it in oil or water. The resulting blade would be very hard, but brittle. Strike it against an opponent’s shield and the sword might easily shatter. Why? Because rapidly cooling the metal had locked the molecules into a rigid pattern. 

Because of this, the newly formed sword needed to be heat-treated.  The blacksmith would re-heat the sword to a much lower temperature for a longer period of time and then let it naturally cool to room temperature.

An Insight into Steel

Each type of steel is an alloy made up of iron plus some other metals. Modern metalworkers alter the composition of the steel and the tempering process based on what the finished product will be. A hammer or wrench needs to be very hard. These tools are heat-treated at a lower temperature, But steel springs need greater flexibility, so they are tempered at a higher temperature.

Knives are usually forged between 1922-1994°F (1050-1090°C .) The blacksmith needs to heat the metal until it’s red-hot and soft enough to be hammered into shape. But a good heat-treating temperature is much lower, between 347–662°F (175–350°C) for up to 2 hours

This process imparts flexibility. When striking another hard object, the sword would in a sense, “bounce back.” It’s still a hardened steel blade, but more flexible. Blacksmiths will often heat-treat the spine of a two-edged sword, but not the edges. Because for swords and other hand weapons, they want to keep the edge harder then the rest of the blade.

God takes Christians through a tempering process too.

I am a God-Tempered Soul

As a new believer I didn’t appear especially godly. But here are 4 ways the Holy Spirit has tempered me. and helped me be more like Jesus.

An Ignored People

1) One of my mentors, Alice, runs a homeless ministry. She lovingly greets her regulars by name. So I started to see the homeless as people instead of guilt-inducing interruptions. One day I walked 5 steps past a beggar, then turned around and asked what I could pray for him. The man broke down in tears. His sister, who’d always helped him had just died. So God chose to send him a comforting human touch. Slowly over time, through Alice’s example, God tempered me. I don’t always stop, but I no longer overt my eyes.

An Increase in Compassion

2) Back in the early 2000s, the Holy Spirit led me to start a compassionate ministry in my church, called Blankets of Comfort. Within the church, I matched people who could help with others who needed a ride to the doctor, or emergency babysitting, or basic home repair. I also started bringing meals and doing hospital visits, two things I’d never felt comfortable with. Doing extra acts of compassion and stretching myself, created in me a more compassionate heart. And it was all God’s idea.

A Ingrained Habit only God could Change

3) In college, I was the Energizer Bunny of arguing. It was an essential part of my nature. I couldn’t seem to stop, but it was a bad witness. One day an unsaved housemate said, “Maureen, if you’re a Christian, I don’t want to be one.” Her words hurt. I shut myself in my room and in tears asked Jesus to change me. Over the next few years, He did—and I still don’t know how. But I no longer argue my friends into the ground.

My Fiery Temper

4) My temper when it blows is like a erupting volcano. In June 2022, I wrote a short post about it entitled Elisabeth Elliot’s Insight about Marriage.

Last night, I asked my husband if he’d noticed any changes in me over the last decade. Immediately he said, “I can’t remember the last time Mount St. Maureen blew,” A teasing reference to Mount St. Helen’s eruption in 1980.

I can’t remember the last time I exploded in anger either.

My volcanic temper seems to have disappeared. Again, I don’t know how the Holy Spirit changed me, but I’m glad.

Following Jesus is always a good idea.

These images came from Pixabay.com.