Remember my grandpa's old tackle box smelled like that for years after he cleaned it with vinegar. I mean, @mila_anderson72 is right about the oiling part, but sometimes that smell just becomes part of the thing's story. Like, his lures were shiny but they always had a faint pickle whiff next to the worm scent. It kind of makes me think of my grandma's cast iron skillet that she would oil after washing. Maybe it's the same idea, sealing it in. Now every time I smell dill pickles I just think of fishing and fried eggs.

Wait, they said the main character was dead the whole time? That can't be right.

Totally, the web back then was held together with digital duct tape. @patricia547 has it right, tricking sites into thinking you're their pal from 1998. My browser is so confused it probably dreams in blink tags. I saw a page that was all Comic Sans and dancing babies. At least the under construction signs make sense now. Fixing it with a user agent switch feels like giving your browser a time machine costume.

Actually, my friend found soot in her grandma's chimney and just cried.

Check, it's not that serious. You made a metal pretzel, which is kinda hilarious. Forging stuff is hard, and everyone has fails. That thing could be a quirky shelf ornament. You learned by doing, which is the point. Just heat it up and try again.