Blacksmith

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Blacksmith

Picture of Vince J. Heilman (1918–2000) taken by the local newspaper around 1970
Occupation
Occupation type	Profession
Activity sectors	Vocation
Description
Competencies	Physical strength, conceptualization
Fields of employment	Artist, Craftsman
Related jobs	Farrier

A blacksmith is a metalsmith who creates objects primarily from wrought iron or steel, but sometimes from other metals, by forging the metal, using tools to hammer, bend, and cut (cf. tinsmith). Blacksmiths produce objects such as gates, grilles, railings, light fixtures, furniture, sculpture, tools, agricultural implements, decorative and religious items, cooking utensils, and weapons. There was an historical distinction between the heavy work of the blacksmith and the more delicate operation of a whitesmith, who usually worked in gold, silver, pewter, or the finishing steps of fine steel.^[1] The place where a blacksmith works is called variously a smithy, a forge or a blacksmith's shop.

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.