It is designated by the term of smithy to the workshop or shop in which a blacksmith operates. And the blacksmith's trade will also be called blacksmithing. In the smithy, what is basically done is to work the iron material to make various objects, or to restore some elements that are made of this material.
Art of working iron and workshop in which this material is worked
Iron, the material that ironwork works par excellence, is the fourth most abundant metal in the crust of our planet, representing per se 5%, meanwhile, it is the most important in planetary mass since the earth in its core concentrates the greatest amount of iron. The core of the planet earth is made up mostly of iron, in addition to nickel, in metallic form, and for example, when it moves it generates a magnetic field.
Basic elements with which the blacksmith works: anvil, forge and others
While, The blacksmith is that individual who is dedicated to the elaboration of iron or steel objects using specific manual tools, such as the forge, the anvil, the hammer, the pliers and the molds, to be able to bend, hammer or make any other action tending to shape the metal when it is in a plastic state.
The forge is the physical place in which heat is applied to the metal, and for example the fire that is generated there must be controlled and be at a certain temperature.
And the anvil is a large block of steel that is used as a support for those pieces that are fused. They work on it.
Traditionally, metal is subjected to heat until it becomes incandescent, red-hot, as one might say, to later subject it to the forging process.
Bars, furniture of any kind, such as tables, chairs, armchairs, benches, sculptures, tools, weapons, kitchen utensils, bells and decorative elements, turn out to be the most common manufactures that are made and produced by blacksmiths in a smithy.
An ancient trade
Blacksmiths with a lot of experience, that is, who have been developing the trade for many years, are trained to make, investing very little effort, excellent quality products that will give a refined appearance to the place in which they are located.
The blacksmith trade is certainly millenary, it has been present in the communities for many years, even if we review the history of classical mythologies, such as Greek and Roman, we find that the figure of the blacksmith has been valued through deities who carried out the office, such is the case of the Greek Hephaestus and the Roman Vulcan. Both Hephaestus and Vulcan had an incredible and unique ability to work iron, even one of their great tasks was the construction of most of the weapons and armor that the gods carried.
The trident of Poseidon (Greek god of the sea), with which he stirred the waters, was built by Hephaestus.
Involved in the design, decoration and construction of buildings and infrastructure in cities
Currently, in the field of design and decoration, the products manufactured by a blacksmith have a special predilection on the part of both designers and the general public who consume them, on the one hand, for that touch of distinction that we mention. they possess, and on the other hand, because they are elements, objects and furniture that are made of materials as strong as iron or steel, their duration will be longer in time and they will not require extreme care. For example, an iron chair can be left out in the open without significantly damaging its structure, being able to withstand rain, cold, humidity, among other inclement weather.
On the other hand, blacksmithing is a fundamental activity when it comes to building, building the infrastructure of a city, because through them sheets, beams and rods can be produced that turn out to be vital to be able to carry out any construction project.
To build a house, a building would be impossible without the intervention of the smithy.
One of the specialties within the smithy is to place the horseshoes on the hooves of the horses. This type works with black iron, the color being due to the oxide layer that is deposited on the surface of the metal during its heating.
