where thoughts materialise.

So we're into the sixth version of my blog after the last version hung around for a year or so.

Now, a bit of info on this image. This photo was taken one lovely spring afternoon, featuring the iconic Old Well from the UNC Chapel Hill campus. I would like to think of this image as a tribute to my time in UNC Chapel Hill, the awesome friends I made and the memories I now hold dear.

A milestone in my life indeed.

I've dropped the tagboard cos its useless and taking eons to load. But thanks to Angela who helped me set it up, I still do like and will miss the pink interface.

So yeah, it's the sixth one you fellas!

Yours.

27 April 2008

you know you miss my older entries

October 2004 November 2004 December 2004 January 2005 February 2005 March 2005 April 2005 May 2005 June 2005 July 2005 August 2005 September 2005 October 2005 November 2005 December 2005 January 2006 February 2006 March 2006 April 2006 May 2006 June 2006 July 2006 August 2006 September 2006 October 2006 November 2006 December 2006 January 2007 February 2007 March 2007 April 2007 May 2007 June 2007 July 2007 August 2007 September 2007 October 2007 November 2007 December 2007 January 2008 February 2008 March 2008 April 2008 May 2008 June 2008 July 2008 August 2008

Monday, February 11, 2008

A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from iron or steel by "forging" the metal; i.e., by using tools to hammer, bend, cut, and otherwise shape it in its non-liquid form. Usually the metal is heated until it glows red or orange as part of the forging process. The techniques of blacksmithing may be roughly divided into forging (sometimes called "sculpting"), welding, heat treating, and finishing.

On relationships.

Forging
Forging is also referred to as sculpting because it is the process of shaping metal. It includes the process where depth is reduced, the width narrowed, or both the piece is lengthened or "drawn out".

It really all begins with the individuals, our past and present - circumstances which mould us to what we have become, the face everyone comes to know. It remains the essence of our being, the invariable caught in a moment of time.

Welding
Welding is the joining of metal of the same or similar kind such that there is no joint or seam: the pieces to be welded become a single piece. The pieces are heated to what is generally referred to as "welding heat". Any foreign material in the weld, such as the oxides or "scale" that typically form in the fire, can weaken it and potentially cause it to fail. Thus the mating surfaces to be joined must be kept clean. The smith will also carefully shape the mating faces so that as they are brought together foreign material is squeezed out as the metal is joined. To clean the faces, protect them from oxidation, and provide a medium to carry foreign material out of the weld the smith will use flux -- typically powdered borax, silica sand, or both.

And then we meet, carrying with us baggages of all kinds, some that we are less proud than others. The initiation is an inertia to overcome, pretty much getting through the formalities and the inevitable but necessary process of simply spending time trying to figure the other out - sussing out points of interests and the less than desired ones. It is a tough and cumbersome process nonetheless, but absolutely crucial in the directionality these relationships take.

Heat treating
Other than to increase its malleability, another reason for heating the metal is for heat treatment purposes. The metal can be hardened, tempered, normalized, annealed, case hardened, and subjected to other processes that change the crystalline structure of the steel to give it specific characteristics required for different uses. This is usually done to increase the toughness of the piece and reduce its hardness.

And with time, something seems to work out. The increased time spent reinforces and build upon a foundation cemented as certain perculiar dynamics are set into motion - the fuel that would propel this relationship into the future. Each experience shared strengthens the ties and you're ready for take off.

Finishing
Depending on the intended use of the piece a blacksmith may finish it in a number of ways.

* *

It's amazing how this parallel came into my head as I was trying to get to sleep at 4:30am, just 5 hours ago. And I figured this is probably one reason why my immediate social circle extends not beyond my jc days - the whole process is simply too time and effort consuming - leaving people I would have wanted to know better at bay, with some exceptions of course.

Else, I'm just too comfortable with you fellas, authorized readers. In these years, you have given me your best, and for that, you get the best of me too.

nimgnoy let the night fall at 10:37 PM

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