The quality of iron armor is guaranteed from the source - the selection of fine iron. The blacksmiths in Laizhou are adept at selecting high-quality ores and superior iron-making technology, and have accumulated enough experience to fire high-quality pig iron that is lively and moist.
Their furnace firing, equipment selection, and molten iron temperature management are all extremely precise, resulting in a high and stable quality of pig iron. This high-quality pig iron is soft and tough, which is conducive to the subsequent forging of iron armor.
In casting, Laizhou craftsmen used a more sophisticated tandoor method, which obtained cast iron with high clarity and few pores. In order to complete the casting, the craftsmen also made the metallurgical structure optimization design on the casting mold.
For example, the design of the iron-clad wing-style hand armor adopts a double-layer structure with a graceful curve, which not only reduces the weight of the armor as much as possible, but also leaves room for the bending movement of the arm.
The precision of the casting mold directly affects the fineness of the casting, and the craftsmen carefully knead the clay to create the exquisite "model" that needs to be shaped. The chamber is then sealed at a high temperature to ensure that the casting is not burned.
Finally, while the furnace is burning in the style of a golden sculpture, the craftsmen carefully pour the molten iron evenly into the model. This requires a strong grasp and precise judgment of the craftsmen.
After the cast iron solidified, the prototype of the iron armor was obtained. This is the whole process of precision casting by famous craftsmen. In this way, the iron armor has a clear mark of high quality, which is the guarantee of the success of the follow-up process.
When the cast iron armor parts are cooled, they enter the important process of forging. The thickness and curvature of these cast armor parts still need to be carefully carved in many places.
Therefore, the craftsmen chose to hammer it at high temperatures by dropping the hammer with fire to obtain the final desired shape.
In order to make the pig iron malleable at high temperatures, the craftsmen constantly control the furnace temperature during the drop hammer process. From time to time, they take out the pig iron to test its color – to see with their eyes whether it is in the best condition for forging.
Depending on the color of the iron and the grasp of its heat, the ingenuity of the craftsman is more certain. With a hammer and a blow, the iron armor parts changed from simple to strong, from distorted to standard, but the craftsmen were never satisfied with the status quo, and wanted to forge the iron parts more solid and smooth.
The forged iron armor has begun to take shape, but it is not enough to be used on the battlefield. The craftsmen also applied quenching, which quickly quenched the high-temperature iron armor parts with water, so that the internal microstructure of the iron armor was bridged, and higher strength and toughness were obtained, becoming a real iron armor that could withstand heavy damage.
This is also an important test of the success of forging.
After forging and quenching, these seemingly ordinary pieces of iron gradually develop amazing toughness and strong compression resistance. Behind all this, it is the craftsmen's unremitting 'tempering' and 'heat' grasp of the products! Such iron armor really dares to take on important responsibilities on the battlefield.
Cast and forged iron armor looks flat on the surface, but still hides small defects that need to be repaired. Before mirror polishing, craftsmen carefully trim every inch of surface with grinding tools to ensure its perfect workness.
The work is boring and meticulous, but the craftsmen's dedication to detail and the pursuit of perfection support their tireless polishing and finishing.
The polished iron armor glows brightly in the sun. Craftsmen also carefully carved intricate totems on the surface, and these patterns contain profound cultural connotations.
The armor is inlaid with gemstones, which shine in the refraction of the sun. The exquisite armor is like a work of art, and the craftsmen are proud of their work.
When the warriors put on the iron armor engraved with totems, it was as if the power of rebirth was surging through their bodies. They strode forward with their chests puffed up, vowing to defend with their blood all that these cultural symbols represent.
The excellent craftsmanship of the blacksmiths in Laizhou made the iron armor cast by them of excellent quality, light and fast, providing reliable protection for the soldiers. These iron armors are sturdy, light and maneuverable, and the soldiers' confidence increases after wearing them, as if their own strength has doubled.
They galloped away on their horses, their armor and horses becoming one, and they smashed their enemies to the ground.
The famous generals put on these iron armors, and they are even more invincible and victorious in every battle. The iron armor provided them with a reliable guarantee, and these iron cavalry generals only had to strategize and win a great victory.
The good health and strong fighting spirit of the blacksmiths also stem from the outstanding performance of their works. It can be said that the ingenuity and sweat of the blacksmith created countless iron-blooded generals in the Ming Dynasty, and they jointly wrote those legendary and magnificent battlefield legends.
At the moment of national crisis, it was these iron cavalry heroes who held up half of the sky in the Ming Dynasty.
Blacksmiths forged and refined pig iron into light and strong armor through their own skills, which multiplied the Ming Dynasty's military power due to the acquisition of high-quality equipment. The excellent armor-casting technique comes from the painstaking accumulation of generations of blacksmiths, which is the unique capital of the Ming Dynasty.
The long-standing craftsmanship of blacksmiths supported the foundation of the Ming regime, which had a strong military. The sophistication of armament has also become an important symbol of national strength.
Blacksmithing is an ancient and sacred profession that has lasted for thousands of years. The ingenuity and sweat of every blacksmith are intertwined to create the glorious civilization of the Ming Dynasty.
It can be said that without the excellent skills and persistent ingenuity of the blacksmiths, there would be no vast Ming Dynasty. However, the rise and fall of the world is also determined by the hearts of the people. In the later period, the blacksmith industry was in short supply, and the ingenuity was insufficient, and the military strength of the Ming Dynasty was declining day by day. The external danger is becoming more and more dangerous, and the sophistication of the iron armor is unsustainable.
Without this pillar, the huge empire of the Ming Dynasty was defeated in internal and external troubles, and finally could not escape the fate of destruction. It can be said that what the blacksmith has made is not only a piece of armor, but also the rise and fall of the world.
In the vast yellow sand Gobi, hussars galloped on flying horses. Their sonorous and powerful iron armor has endured hundreds of battles, covered with sword marks, but it is still as bright as new. These brave and daring iron riders, dressed in armor, galloped, vowing to protect the great cause of their home and country.
The Iron Armor bears witness to their bravery and fearlessness. It depicts the cavalry fighting bravely to kill the enemy, and the spirit of the place they go is terrifying to the enemy. The armor provides them with solid protection, allowing them to calm down no matter how powerful the enemy may be.
The iron armor of the Ming army experienced all the disasters on the battlefield, but it never damaged their spirit, but strengthened their belief in protecting their home and defending the country. At the Mongolian iron cavalry crossing, corpses were everywhere, but the Ming army iron cavalry was high-spirited.
The iron armor not only witnesses the bravery of the cavalry of the Ming Dynasty, but also carries the tenacious and unyielding national spirit and integrity of the Chinese nation. These iron armors followed the heroes who fought bloodily on the battlefield, and now lie quietly in the museum, telling the immortal history.
In the face of such a piece of iron armor that has gone through vicissitudes, people's hearts will surge with respect and pride. It is the spirit and memory of national heroes that inherit the glory of Chinese culture.