| Main Page | Tools | Materials | Techniques |
The blacksmith uses a wide variety of tools. Some you will need to buy, while others can be crafted. Here are a few of the basic tools to get started.
| Tools | Function | Method |
| Forge | This is used to heat the metal to the point where it is soft enough to be shaped. | You will be able to make this yourself. More on this later |
| Anvil | This is where you will work on shaping the metal. | You will need to buy this or find an alternative. |
| Hammer | You will need this to shape and harden the softened metal. | You will need to buy this. Without one, you can't shape the metal to make one. |
| Foundry | This is used to melt metal completely. It is useful for casting. | This is optional, but you can craft one fairly easilly |
A forge is an essential tool for blacksmithing, but it isn't exactly something you find lying around. Size of the forge will vary by what you intend to make as well. There is also the question of what kind of forge to use. Gas forges are an option, but plain wood or charcoal forges are recomended, as it makes it easier to control the flame. This is a smallVideo on how to make one by a Youtube channel called Swallow Forge, and it was honestly the best video I could find on the subject in my opinion.
The anvil will likely be the hardest tool to find, being that they can't be crafted and are highly expensive. An interesting thing I noticed is that while searching for any source on how to make one, I coudn't find a single method that didn't require another anvil. Anvil shaped objects or alternatives are discouraged, but not out of the range of possibility. In reality, any solid piece of metal will do. A piece of railroad track is the most highly recommended alternative I could find.
A hammer will require purchase if you don't already have one. The best kind for the job would usually be a ball peen hammer
A foundry isn't really necessary but it is useful. They are only really used along with a mold of some sort, which can be much easier to work with than pounding a block of metal the right shape. Simply melt the metal in the foundry, pour into the mold, and wait. Not exactly safe, but it is more reliable in terms of getting something to look the way you want it. As for how to make one,