I am a Primitive Man
Chapter 366 – Stone Weapons will not be regulated
Han Cheng set aside the iron rod, which was over fifteen centimeters long and about two centimeters in diameter and pointed at one end. Instead of immediately explaining the purpose of these items to everyone, he walked back to the furnace to watch Hei Wa and the second senior brother, who was working on the second iron tool that was nearing completion.
Forging iron was labor-intensive; otherwise, why would they say it required a rigid body?
In the Green Sparrow Tribe, Hei Wa, who specialized in pottery, was not particularly strong, and although he had some talent for forging iron, he still had some shortcomings.
Moreover, prolonged ironwork would make his fingers and arms stiff and less agile than before. This slight change might not be a problem for others, but for Hei Wa, it was different. After all, the more sophisticated the pottery, the higher the requirements for craftsmanship. Hei Wa’s development in this area would be affected if his fingers were not agile.
So, after the preliminary development of ironworking techniques, Han Cheng called the second senior brother to come and forge iron. He also had Hei Wa and the two “technical elders” assist him.
The second senior brother’s belly had shrunk significantly, and he seemed more energetic. However, his belly had shrunk too quickly, leaving some wrinkled skin.
But at this moment, compared to before, he appeared stronger, ranking first in strength in the Green Sparrow Tribe.
Handing the iron forging task to the second senior brother was the best choice.
“Ding ding dong…”
The second senior brother held the axe with one arm and swung it with force, equivalent to two strikes from Hei Wa.
“Alright, use a little less force and strike down here.”
Seeing that it was almost done, Han Cheng instructed the second senior brother to change his approach.
After this busy period, the second iron tool was also completed, using a considerable amount of materials, weighing one catty.
Han Cheng called over Lame, who chopped a wooden handle with an iron axe and fitted it onto the iron lump, creating an iron hammer.
Han Cheng lifted the iron hammer and struck a stone with it, causing the stone to crack open. The iron hammer was much more effective than the axe.
Amidst the crowd’s admiration, Han Cheng stood up with a hammer in one hand and an iron rod in the other.
No one spoke anymore, eagerly watching Han Cheng holding the two iron tools, waiting for the Divine Child to announce their purpose.
Everyone hoped that the iron tools they produced would be related to their expertise.
This was because previously manufactured iron tools, especially the chisel and saw, had almost become exclusive to Lame’s use.
Although the Green Sparrow Tribe still operated under common ownership, the surplus of goods gradually increased with the enrichment of the means of production, and people began to have different thoughts.
However, these thoughts were only a budding idea, and they still adhered to the joint ownership they were accustomed to.
The desire for the iron tools they produced to be related to their expertise embodied this budding idea.
The development of all things in the world seemed to follow specific rules, no matter how unpredictable they might be.
Like people scattered worldwide with different origins, they would eventually transition from standard to private ownership.
At some point in the future, perhaps they will transition from private ownership to joint ownership.
The transition from common ownership to private ownership and then back to common ownership was not a repetition of the past but a spiral-like ascent. In this process, productivity would experience significant development…
In the gaze of the crowd’s anticipation, Han Cheng walked up to the wooden figure standing on the outermost periphery, holding up the hammer and iron rod, and smiled as he explained their purpose to everyone.
This iron rod was an iron chisel that worked in conjunction with the hammer. Of course, it wasn’t used to make thunder like the Thunderous God’s rod but to chisel stones.
Using more than half of the iron collected this time to manufacture these two items was a decision made by Han Cheng after careful consideration.
Stones and wood are the most common and widely used materials found in many places. Handy instruments are necessary to turn these ubiquitous materials into suitable and useful tools. Otherwise, relying solely on primitive stone and bone tools won’t lead to significant advancements.
That’s why we saw the emergence of tools like axes, saws, chisels, and now, hammers and iron chisels. Hammers and iron chisels are the most essential tools for shaping stones. With these two items, woodworking skills are bound to advance, producing better stone tools.
There are already large stone tools that require wood to make. Otherwise, Han Cheng wouldn’t have rushed to create these two items. One such tool is the stone rolling mill used for threshing grain and the stone flail (not sure if the word is correct).
As the area of grain cultivation gradually increases, the traditional method of using sticks or wooden forks to beat grain from the stalks can no longer keep up. This method is not only inefficient but also exhausting. Without a change, threshing alone will become a huge burden when the grain planting area reaches several hundred acres next year.
Moreover, grain harvested and threshed in the field during irregular weather, particularly when it’s not sunny, may get spoiled if not done properly.
Combining harvesters and threshing machines is something Han Cheng could only dream of, but in reality, the solution he could provide was something ancient yet highly effective: stone rolling mills and stone flails.
When it’s time to sun-dry the grains in the field, harnessing a group of deer to pull the stone rolling mill and stone flail in circles on the threshing floor, all people need to do is lead them. Not only is it effortless, but it’s also efficient.
While grazing in the wilderness, the deer lord suddenly shuddered, its fur bristling. It lifted its head, stopped grazing, and looked around warily, prepared to bolt at the first sign of trouble. However, the surroundings remained as calm as ever, and even its companions, the lucky ones and the Five Little Fu Jiangs mingling among the herd, didn’t react unusually. After waiting a while, the deer Lord lowered its head and grazed…
Inside the Green Sparrow Tribe, Han Cheng explained the importance of the hammer and iron chisel in forging stone tools in simple terms, using the stone rolling mill as an example. This helped everyone understand his reasoning for creating these tools.
When Mu Tou received the hammer and iron chisel from Han Cheng, he appeared dazed and somewhat skeptical. He had never dreamed that the Divine Child would spend so much iron to create these two items, especially for making stone tools.
Mu Tou was a relatively quiet and unassuming person, not particularly confident. That’s why he stood on the outskirts while everyone else crowded around to watch the newly forged iron tools and discuss their uses. In his opinion, whether it was the iron needles desired by the women, the iron knives desired by the cooks, the iron arrowheads desired by Third Senior Brother, or the iron tips desired by Shang, which could be mounted on wooden spears to replace stone and bone, they were all of great significance to the tribe. They could all contribute to the tribe’s development.
As for his expertise in making stone tools, he didn’t overthink about it. Because the new iron tools were harder and sharper than stones, far surpassing what stones could offer. From the desire for iron axes, knives, and hoes expressed by people, he could sense the decline of what he was good at.
Stone tools would be replaced, and just like him, the person skilled in making stone tools would become even more obscure.
At that moment, the Divine Child suddenly appeared with precious iron-made tools, telling him they were for making stone tools. He told him that stone tools still had a very, very bright future, and their importance to the tribe would not diminish with the appearance of iron tools; on the contrary, it would significantly increase.
How could he not be excited? How could he not be stunned?
Unlike Shaman, like the second senior brother, like Lame, this person who didn’t speak much also had a strong sense of belonging to the tribe and a determination to do his best for the tribe.