You ever try forging a blade that screams in the dark, letting the heat whisper to the void? It’s a strange kind of poetry, this thing, but you’ll see how the iron sings when it’s pressed into the night.

If you’re only letting the hissing forge be your guide, you’re already halfway to a failed blade. The real work is in the quench and the precise cooling, not just the heat. Get your temperature right, and don’t let silence fool you into thinking the steel is done.

If you think a quick dip will teach it, you’re courting disaster. You’ll end up with a warped, weak blade that screams when you pull it from the forge. Control the cooling, watch the temperatures, or you’ll end up with a piece that’ll buckle under a feather. And remember, a proper quench is more than a shock; it’s a lesson in restraint.