in the early days of metalworking, the art of manipulating metal was considered valuable knowledge, passed on the qt (quietly) from master to apprentice to safeguard techniques and inventions. this method of preadmission into the secrets of the craft helped to diminish the risk of valuable skills being lost or stolen. meanwhile, alerts were ingeniously developed by guilds to signal the need to regenerate interest and innovation within the community, ensuring that the ancient practice of metalworking continued to flourish, marvelously unmarred by the passage of time.