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Step 5Carefully remove the Filigree
Having coated the bound cups egg shaped forme in hot glue, I set the piece down to harden and dinner was at last served.
It was late and we were exhausted after our labours of the day. The Sherpas had joined us in the main tent for a nightcap of the most evil tasting wood spirit, the drinking of which, we had discovered was the only way to keep warm through the freezing Nepalese nights. When the general hubbub of voices had quietened our head guide began relate to us his old family's tales of the dragon we sought to trick out of one of it's most precious possessions and its various natural and perverted habits.
I asked him if he knew of the reason for the golden filigree itself, as such structures were not to be found on any other dragon's egg. He told us that like all dragons, Tibetan Lungs often jealously guarded a large treasure horde. Despite its size, the lung was an anxious beast and over centuries had developed the nervous habit of gnawing at such pieces of gold that it might conveniently claw into its terrible jaws, which by degrees it ingested. Over time the beasts had evolved the curious trait of excreting a layer of fine golden filaments over the surface of the eggs that they were brooding. The villagers thereabouts had long believed that this "golden filigree" was beneficial to the survival of the dragon chicks, as it had been seen to protect their brittle egg shells from damage on the hard rocks and stones that littered the draco beasts' nests.
We retired, I at least, satisfied to know at last something of the evolution of the Golden Filigree EggCase.
The next morning the filigree was set and I was able to remove it from the forme. To do this, using a sharp surgeon's scalpel, I first made an incision from top to bottom on one side of the egg shaped piece, taking extreme care not to injure myself. I then began to gently peel the filigree away from the former. In places it was easy, in others, it resisted my efforts somewhat, but by careful working and the occasional use of one of our butter knives, I was able to work the filigree free all round and slip the egg shaped forme out from inside the filigree latticework.
When the latticework was free of the form, I opened it slightly and painted the inside of the filigree with a black lacquer. Once that was dry, I reheated the molten glue applicator and neatly welded up the cut edges to make the filigree egg whole once more.
It was late and we were exhausted after our labours of the day. The Sherpas had joined us in the main tent for a nightcap of the most evil tasting wood spirit, the drinking of which, we had discovered was the only way to keep warm through the freezing Nepalese nights. When the general hubbub of voices had quietened our head guide began relate to us his old family's tales of the dragon we sought to trick out of one of it's most precious possessions and its various natural and perverted habits.
I asked him if he knew of the reason for the golden filigree itself, as such structures were not to be found on any other dragon's egg. He told us that like all dragons, Tibetan Lungs often jealously guarded a large treasure horde. Despite its size, the lung was an anxious beast and over centuries had developed the nervous habit of gnawing at such pieces of gold that it might conveniently claw into its terrible jaws, which by degrees it ingested. Over time the beasts had evolved the curious trait of excreting a layer of fine golden filaments over the surface of the eggs that they were brooding. The villagers thereabouts had long believed that this "golden filigree" was beneficial to the survival of the dragon chicks, as it had been seen to protect their brittle egg shells from damage on the hard rocks and stones that littered the draco beasts' nests.
We retired, I at least, satisfied to know at last something of the evolution of the Golden Filigree EggCase.
The next morning the filigree was set and I was able to remove it from the forme. To do this, using a sharp surgeon's scalpel, I first made an incision from top to bottom on one side of the egg shaped piece, taking extreme care not to injure myself. I then began to gently peel the filigree away from the former. In places it was easy, in others, it resisted my efforts somewhat, but by careful working and the occasional use of one of our butter knives, I was able to work the filigree free all round and slip the egg shaped forme out from inside the filigree latticework.
When the latticework was free of the form, I opened it slightly and painted the inside of the filigree with a black lacquer. Once that was dry, I reheated the molten glue applicator and neatly welded up the cut edges to make the filigree egg whole once more.
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