How I Upgraded Hornet’s Blade in Silksong: A Pinmaster’s Oil Journey
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Even in 2026, with community maps and patch notes scattered across the internet, upgrading Hornet’s blade in Hollow Knight: Silksong still feels like coaxing a stubborn music box to play a new tune. I learned that the hard way. You can absolutely finish the game without ever sharpening your needle, but why would you? Every dodge, parry, and silk-bound strike matters in this metroidvania, and a stronger weapon is the difference between dancing through a boss and being flattened like a pancake under a falling bell. This is the story of how I chased down Pinmaster Plinney’s oil and turned Hornet’s trusty blade from a whisper into a roar. The Bellhart Detour My journey began with a detour. To even get the upgrade quest, I had to unlock Bellhart, the settlement west of Greymoor. I took the airlift from Far Fields and soon found myself staring at a town trapped inside a massive bell. The place felt like a locked music box with a spider inside—beautiful, eerie, and completely hostile. Clearing Bellhart meant defeating the Widow, a nasty creature lurking in the attic, stringing her silk and holding everyone hostage. My first visit to Bellhart was useless; I could barely do anything, so I pushed deeper into Shellwood. The more I explored, the closer I inched toward the top of the bell, until I finally climbed into the attic and faced the Widow. After the fight, I dropped from the ceiling and watched the trapped residents stumble back into their lives. One of them was Pinmaster Plinney . To reach him, I wall-jumped off the left side of Bellhart and climbed to the second house. Inside, Plinney offered me a free upgrade for my current blade. I accepted immediately—who wouldn’t? When I spoke to him again, he explained that another upgrade was possible, but it required a special oil found only in The Citadel. That meant waiting for Act 2. I marked the quest in my journal and moved on, feeling like I’d been handed a treasure map with half the map missing. Finding Pinmaster’s Oil Once Act 2 arrived and I stepped into The Citadel, the real hunt began. The Citadel is a filing cabinet designed by a mad architect: winding rooms, secrets stacked on secrets, and at least seven distinct areas. Only three mattered for this quest: Underworks, Choral Chambers, and Whispering Vaults. There are two entrances—one from Exhaust Organ in the south, linking to the Underworks and almost immediatel
https://dealnesthq.com
Even in 2026, with community maps and patch notes scattered across the internet, upgrading Hornet’s blade in Hollow Knight: Silksong still feels like coaxing a stubborn music box to play a new tune. I learned that the hard way. You can absolutely finish the game without ever sharpening your needle, but why would you? Every dodge, parry, and silk-bound strike matters in this metroidvania, and a stronger weapon is the difference between dancing through a boss and being flattened like a pancake under a falling bell. This is the story of how I chased down Pinmaster Plinney’s oil and turned Hornet’s trusty blade from a whisper into a roar. The Bellhart Detour My journey began with a detour. To even get the upgrade quest, I had to unlock Bellhart, the settlement west of Greymoor. I took the airlift from Far Fields and soon found myself staring at a town trapped inside a massive bell. The place felt like a locked music box with a spider inside—beautiful, eerie, and completely hostile. Clearing Bellhart meant defeating the Widow, a nasty creature lurking in the attic, stringing her silk and holding everyone hostage. My first visit to Bellhart was useless; I could barely do anything, so I pushed deeper into Shellwood. The more I explored, the closer I inched toward the top of the bell, until I finally climbed into the attic and faced the Widow. After the fight, I dropped from the ceiling and watched the trapped residents stumble back into their lives. One of them was Pinmaster Plinney . To reach him, I wall-jumped off the left side of Bellhart and climbed to the second house. Inside, Plinney offered me a free upgrade for my current blade. I accepted immediately—who wouldn’t? When I spoke to him again, he explained that another upgrade was possible, but it required a special oil found only in The Citadel. That meant waiting for Act 2. I marked the quest in my journal and moved on, feeling like I’d been handed a treasure map with half the map missing. Finding Pinmaster’s Oil Once Act 2 arrived and I stepped into The Citadel, the real hunt began. The Citadel is a filing cabinet designed by a mad architect: winding rooms, secrets stacked on secrets, and at least seven distinct areas. Only three mattered for this quest: Underworks, Choral Chambers, and Whispering Vaults. There are two entrances—one from Exhaust Organ in the south, linking to the Underworks and almost immediatel
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