The Secrets of the Skyforge
This will cover three basic reasons as to why the Skyforge made steel is better than regular steel.
- The way the forge was constructed
- Training and knowledge of those who use the forge
- Heat treatment process
The way the forge was constructed:
When you look at the forge three things stand out as to why it has a better construction than a regular forge: The forge is significantly larger than a regular forge, making it easier for the heat to spread out over a bigger area. The bellows are in an enclosed structure outside of the forge. This leads me to believe that there is a pipe, or series of pipes, positioned lower than those of a regular forge, which have a series of holes, angled towards the back (towards the hollow), made specially for more even distribution of the air and heat. There is a hollowed out space at the back of the forge. Made for a good distribution of the heat within, and to have a constant airflow. This is where the hardened steel would be put to be tempered after the quench.
Training and knowledge of those who use the forge:
The people who use the skyforge aren’t just regular blacksmiths. They’re specially trained to use it to its full potential. Which is also why the Dragonborn can’t make skyforge steel despite using the forge. Due to the series of pipes, and them being positioned lower, the carbonizing region of the forge fire would be much larger, and the smiths would know where it is, and to put the bars there. Once enriched with more carbon, the carbon would be distributed more towards the outside. Now using a technique passed down generation to generation, the smith would hammer the steel to evenly distribute the carbon load throughout the steel before putting it back in the forge. Due to having a more carbon rich steel, and having a smaller grain size due to the heat treatment process, the smiths could make the swords with a leaner grind, and thinner cross section, which would do two things:
- It would increase the cutting ability of the sword, while with the better steel, steel having good edge retention, and no fear of fracture propagation.
- Put the center of mass closer to the handle, which would make them much more wieldable, and easy to use.
Heat treatment process:
Now, the heat treatment process is made only using the forge, which is what the skyforge was designed Putting the sword in the carbonizing area once again (this time without hamering it out, to make a slightly harder outside, and softer core), and heating it up to glowing red hot, the smith dunks it in water (putting a small piece of hot steel in the water before, to increase the temp of the water). After making sure the blade is the same temperature as the water, the smith takes out the blade, and puts it in the hollow part at the back for tempering. The smith does this three times, each time slightly longer than the previous, to make sure that the steel ha softened, and became much tougher, while still remaining very hard, and with the hammering techniques he has a very tough steel, with a very fine grain.
Hollow in the middle bellow the eagle, bellows across it… Eorlund is gone.