smithing???

[Fish]

Titanium is an element.  And alloy is two metals mixed together.  Titanium is usually mixed with aluminum to make the titanium aluminum alloy.  Steel mixed with chromium is what makes stainless steel.

[Monketh]

I knew I was wrong, of course, all I ever hear is \"titanium alloy\".  I learned something today!

[Drilixer]

I don\'t think we should use the usual element... we are ina giant stalagmiote for god\'s sake!!  we should create different \'elements\' (maybe not even elements...) to be mined... shards from the different magical ways are a possibility etc etc

[Fish]

Drilixer I totally agree.  However sometimes in coming up with brand new ideas it?s good to explore what has been done.  Saying that you have a new metal that his mind somewhere would be really cool.  It might even take special techniques to use it.  In fact being able to mine a particular metal maybe some areas claim to fame.

For instance, even though I?m not try to bust on ever quest, most every kind of smithing they do requires a mold.  In fact that?s not smithing at all it?s called casting.  Steel frying pans are cast.  It?s called cast iron.  In blacksmithing there are no mold at all, really just forms that the Smith pound things around.  So the concept of needing a cast to make a knife is preposterous.  Knives are pounded out on an anvil.

By knowing some of the basics smithing could be a really cool occupation.

[Drilixer]

I agree completely - molds are not smithing and for weapons etc etc are not allways the best way to go at things due to the lack of structural integrity - molds are good for some things but for large items are a \'no no\'

[Fish]

Sorry just to contradict you but molds actually work quite well for very large things.  Many large bronze statues used molds.  Smithing a very large object is a different matter.  He has to put it in the fire than you actually have the lift that metal onto an anvil.  Could you imagine trying to do that with a 300 lb. chunk of burning hot metal?  In fact anvils are mostly cast.  In the old days the top plate was the only thing made out of proper steel.  The top plate had to be welded onto the top of the cast anvil for nice working surface by heating up both sides red-hot and slamming them together with quite a bit of force( several smith?s with sledgehammers).  Sparks fly everywhere.  If you ever get to see this it?s a pretty dramatic event. If it?s a big item the smith needs help.

[Drilixer]

*grumbling* sorry, I\'m afraid my only knowledge with molds is of the rickety ole 13th century cannons

Anyways - I dislike molds in games because they are annoying - beat that reasoning!