what is a blacksmith

A blacksmith is a person who works with iron and steel to create objects primarily from wrought iron or steel, but sometimes from other metals, by forging the metal using tools to hammer, bend, and cut. Blacksmiths produce a wide range of objects such as gates, grilles, railings, light fixtures, furniture, sculpture, tools, agricultural implements, decorative and religious items, cooking utensils, and weapons. The work of a blacksmith is physically demanding and often dangerous, as they have to be able to lift and move heavy pieces of metal, and they have to be careful not to burn themselves on the hot forge. The tools of the trade are the hammer and anvil, and the process of blacksmithing involves heating iron with a forge until it becomes soft enough to shape. Welding is also a skill that blacksmiths use to make different pieces of iron become one piece of iron. While there are many people who work with metal such as farriers, wheelwrights, and armorers, in former times the blacksmith had a general knowledge of how to make and repair many things, from the most complex of weapons and armor to simple things like nails or lengths of chain.