History Main / TheBlacksmith

* [[IronMan Tony Stark]] learned traditional blacksmithing techniques on a trip to Arthurian times, and has used them every so often since.

* As in the [[IronMan comic book]], [[Film/IronMan Tony Stark]] forges himself a high-tech suit of armor [[MemeticMutation IN A CAVE! WITH A BOX OF SCRAPS!]] While it includes high-tech weaponry and an impossibly powerful arc generator, he spends a good bit of time pounding out the metal armor.

Due to the physical strength needed for pumping the bellows, hammering metal and enduring the temperature of the forge, most blacksmiths will be depicted as burly fellows; variations of this usually include StoutStrength, female blacksmiths with a WrenchWench vibe, and smaller smiths with wiry muscle giving them surprising strength. If forced into combat, most fictional blacksmiths can [[DropTheHammer use their hammers]] to devastating effect, but weaponsmiths will often use the weapons they specialize in making instead. The blacksmith may possibly be related to robot tropes as well in a sort of Technology, Strength, and Intelligence sort of way.

Taken [[UpToEleven to its fullest extent]], the blacksmith becomes the UltimateBlacksmith: the person responsible for weapon class {{MacGuffin}}s, he is the person who makes the demon-slaying sword or fixes it or purifies it so it will not consume the user's soul. Makes a weapon that the hero treats as his keepsake or turn the seemingly useless ore to something useful. He prides himself in his work and treats them like children and the wielder as a father.

* An older British comic entitled ''The Hammer Man'' featured a spectacularly strong medieval blacksmith called Chel Puddock who, over the course of the series, defeated knights, was himself knighted, led rebellions against corrupt barons and eventually rose to be a lord.

** A deleted scene for ''Film/RamboIII'' demonstrated this as well, and it is obvious why it was cut. The knife Rambo forges here (using soft, delicate lovetaps with a mallet) is practically a sword and features craftsmanship more suitable for someone who's dedicated their life to the trade, rather than a Vietnam vet living in a monastery. In a way, the two scenes contrast the differences between the commercial, glossy, and pompous ''Rambo III'' and the grittier, darker and simpler ''Film/{{Rambo}}''.

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

* The Armorer from ''Series/TheMandalorian''. In addition to forging their armor and weapons she's also shown to hold a position of high authority among the Covert, acting as a HighPriest who provides advice and occasionally breaks up fights between members. In the first season finale she also proves to be a capable ActionGirl when she takes out five Stormtroopers single-handed using her [[DropTheHammer forging hammer and tongs]].

* Myth/WaylandTheSmith (also known as Volundr) from Norse, Germanic and Old English legends was the creator of magic rings and the swords of heroes.

** Succeeded in the second game by: Charsi (Rogue Encampment), Fara (Lut Gholein), Hratli (Kurast), Halbu (Pandemonium Fortress) and Lazurk (Harrogath). The first two are females of the WrenchWench variety.

** The transcended class for Blacksmiths is known in the original Korean (and Japanese) versions of ''RO'' as "Whitesmith." Because the obscurity of that term [[EverythingIsRacist could have lead to unwanted controversy]], Gravity LLC changed the class name to "Mastersmith."

* ''VideoGame/TheSimsMedieval'': One of the ten available Hero Sims is The Blackmsith, whose duties are to craft weapons, armor, magic staves, and help the kingdom fend off occasional dance-crazed Golems.

* The Armorer from ''Series/TheMandalorian''. In addition to forging their armor and weapons she's also shown to hold a position of high authority among the Covert, acting as a HighPriest who provides advice and occasionally breaks up fights between members. In the first season finale she also proves to be a capable ActionGirl when she takes out five Stormtroopers single-handed using her [[DropTheHammer forging hammer and tongs]].

* ''Series/ForgedInFire'' is a competition show based around this trope. Typically, the show has four bladesmiths, with one eliminated each round. The first round consists of making a simple blade, and the second round of testing it. For the third and final round, the two finalists have five days to forge a particular historical weapon (anything from a medieval European arming sword to a Maasai lion spear), which is then subjected to rigorous testing. The winner receives $10,000.

The blacksmith was an invaluable member of the community until the advent of mass-production techniques in the Twentieth Century and is still a substantial figure in less industrialized areas. The smith is often used symbolically to represent mankind's creative abilities and the advances of technology. His tools, the forge, hammer and tongs, and the anvil are rich with metaphorical meaning. Furthermore, swordsmiths in Japan were held in extremely high regard, culminating in the story of the legendary swordsmith Masamune, whose finest sword could cut everything sinful while not cutting that which was innocent. All of these are reasons the name "Smith" is so common not only in Anglophone countries but also, for example, in Slavic countries, where variations of the word "Kovač" are also one of the most common surnames, and also in Romance language with names such as Ferrari, Lefèvre, Herrera, Ferreira, and Fieraru.

Due to the body strength needed for pumping the bellows, hammering metal and dealing with the temperature of the forge, most blacksmiths will be depicted as burly fellows; variations of this usually include StoutStrength, female blacksmiths with a WrenchWench vibe, and smaller smiths with wiry muscle giving them surprising strength. If forced into combat, most fictional blacksmiths can [[DropTheHammer use their hammers]] to devastating effect, but weaponsmiths will often use the weapons they specialize in making instead. The blacksmith may possibly be related to robot tropes as well in a sort of Technology, Strength, and Intelligence sort of way.

While blacksmiths made many different useful items, in fiction you will generally see them specializing in weapons (especially swords), armor, fetters and chains (usually these smiths are depicted less favorably than other metalworkers) and horseshoes (a specialist in the last is often called a "farrier.") In actual history, bladesmithing and armor making were specialized professions that often had their own guilds, and the process involved a whole workshop of journeymen and apprentices rather than a lone smith at the anvil. The tools and expertise required to make arms or armor were also carefully guarded and not available to the average blacksmith or farrier, who would not be wasting his time making nails or horseshoes if he could instead be making blades or plate armor for higher profits. Blacksmiths could, in a pinch, produce rudimentary weapons and armor to equip a hastily-formed militia: this could involve modifying farm tools such as the [[SinisterScythe mowing scythe]] and [[EpicFlail threshing flail]] to work better as weapons, or beating out helmets that resembled cooking pots. In much fantasy, however, an "ordinary" blacksmith may be able to produce weapons of quality well above what he would realistically be capable of.

The blacksmith was an invaluable member of the community until the advent of mass production techniques in the Twentieth Century, and is still a substantial figure in less industrialized areas. The smith is often used symbolically to represent mankind's creative abilities and the advances of technology. His tools, the forge, hammer and tongs, and the anvil are rich with metaphorical meaning. Furthermore, swordsmiths in Japan were held in an extremely high regard, culminating in the story of the legendary swordsmith Masamune, whose finest sword could cut everything sinful while not cutting that which was innocent. All of these are reasons the name "Smith" is so common not only in Anglophone countries but also, for example, in Slavic countries, where variations of the word "Kovač" are also one of the most common surnames, and also in Romance language with names such as Ferrari, Lefèvre, Herrera, Ferreira and Fieraru.

Due to the body strength needed for pumping the bellows, hammering metal and dealing with the temperature of the forge, most blacksmiths will be depicted as burly fellows; variations of this usually include StoutStrength, female blacksmiths with a WrenchWench vibe, and smaller smiths with wiry muscle giving them surprising strength. If forced into combat, most fictional blacksmiths can [[DropTheHammer use their hammers]] to devastating effect, but weaponsmiths will often use the weapons they specialize in making instead. The blacksmith may possibly be related to robot tropes as well in a sort of Technology, Strength and Intelligence sort of way.

Taken [[UpToEleven to its fullest extent]], the blacksmith becomes the UltimateBlacksmith: the person responsible for weapon class {{MacGuffin}}s, he is the person who makes the demon slaying sword or fixes it, or purifies it so it will not consume the user's soul. Makes a weapon that the hero treats as his keepsake or turn the seemingly useless ore to something useful. He prides himself in his work and treats them like children and the wielder as a father.

** [[AllThereInTheManual Side material]] reveals that Mu isn't actually supposed to be a Clothsmith, as the job would fall to the Sculptor Saint and the Caelum Saint, whose Cloths include the appropriate tools. Currently there is no Caelum Saint, so Mu is possession of the Cloth and uses its tools for the job (and may be training his little brother for it), while the Sculptor Saint is never seen.

* ''Anime/QueensBlade'' has two of them: Ymir the dwarf (who isn't the same as the other dwarves), and Cattleya the [[GagBoobs supremely-endowed]] human. They had a duel to decide who is the UltimateBlacksmith, and Cattleya came as the better one. [[spoiler:This defeat seems to be one of the reason Ymir had a FaceHeelTurn in ''Rebellion''.]]
* ''Manga/SengokuKomachiKurouTan'' has Kinzo, who sometimes verges into UltimateBlacksmith territory. A simple village blacksmith who can build various modern farming machines, weapons and other devices from Shizuko's vague descriptions.

* The 1940s ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'' NewspaperComics had a storyline in which Bruce Wayne was handcuffed to a kidnapping victim. Fortunately they were able to find a friendly female blacksmith who was quick on the uptake when gangsters followed the couple.
* Fulliautomatix in the ''ComicBook/{{Asterix}}'' comics. Aside from his forge work, considers it his duty to take a hammer to the bard should he threaten to sing.

** Io from Greg Rucka's ''ComicBook/WonderWoman1987'' run is the Amazonian blacksmith. She forges weapons for Wonder Woman out of not only metal, but also the essence of truth.

* John Franchise/{{Rambo}} seems to have picked up some metal working skill during his 20 years of residence in Thailand, as he is shown making the blade for a boat rotor and later on smashing a leaf spring into a large knife in the latest movie.

* In the Literature/FightingFantasy book ''City of Thieves'', there is a blacksmith who works on ordinary every day items. He also has a secondary business of making chainmail. Your character can buy a set from him, which he takes from a hiding spot in a hayloft. Alternately you can murder him and take his money lying about, but you won't find his chainmail and you lose some luck because the blacksmith was one of the few good people living in Port Blacksand.

* Theros Ironfeld in the ''Literature/{{Dragonlance}}'' novels. Blacksmith of the town of Solace, gets his smithing arm cut off by a sadistic hobgoblin. When next he shows up, Theros has a magic arm made of silver to replace it, and forges dragonlances for a living. Cool, huh?

** Gendry was a smith in training before being sold to the Night's Watch, and his craft comes in useful when travelling across wartorn Westeros, as it makes him a valuable prisoner when taken to Harrenhal and he's later able to assist the Brotherhood Without Banners with their weapons. He mentions he was an armorer's apprentice specifically, rather than an ordinary blacksmith, so his ability to forge weapons and armour for various characters is more realistic than most versions of this trope. [[spoiler:He's also a perfect example of the secret legacy variant mentioned above, as his skill with a smith's hammer is an allusion to the fact his father was actually King Robert who was known for his legendary skill with a war hammer.]]

** Blacksmiths are given special eminence in the culture of the Aiel, a ProudWarriorRace. They're the only members of the society not expected to take up arms in a fight, and are similarly immune to attacks from a rival clan. Killing a blacksmith is possibly the most heinous crime the Aiel recognise, except possibly for killing a child.

** The blacksmith in ''Literature/FarmerGilesOfHam'' is a morose man who always predicts everything will fail and is only happy when his doomsayings come true. Pointing out that he is just a village toolmaker, not an armourer, he is unable to make real armour or a shield for the AntiHero Giles. He cobbles together some sort of rings attached to a leather coat, however. (Giles doesn't need a weapon--it's that [[EmpathicWeapon damned magic sword]] he was given that [[ResignedToTheCall forces him to become a dragonslayer]].)

* Marunde in ''Literature/SomeoneElsesWar'' fits this trope in role and attitude, but instead of swords he's making grenade launchers.

*** Ferrus Manus of the Iron Hands was an excellent smith who forwent hammers and used his fists (covered in some sort of living metal) in his forging. For the Heretics there was Fulgrim, who challenged Ferrus to a forging competition to see who could make the better weapon. In the end they called it a draw, though Fulgrim went on to use the sword Ferrus made [[spoiler:to cut off Ferrus' own head in a duel.]]

* ''VideoGame/{{Patapon}}'' has a former Dekapon (The MightyGlacier class) who would help the player turn ore to alloys (useful) or mythical ores to powerful weapons and armour. In the sequel he demands some kaching to forge nicer items.
* Dojima the blacksmith from ''VideoGame/WayOfTheSamurai 1 and 2''. He also fights with his hammer and tongs, which you can take from him, if you kill him.

** Suceeded in the second game by: Charsi (Rogue Encampment), Fara (Lut Gholein), Hratli (Kurast), Halbu (Pandemonium Fortress) and Lazurk (Harrogath). The first two are females of the WrenchWench variety.

* Every ''VideoGame/RuneFactory'' game has a blacksmith, all but one of which is talked about as though they're a master craftsman. The one who isn't praised is more into building golems, and does smith work on the side. Only one of the smiths who is praised can actually make decent weapons. He's also the only dwarf smith. [[OurDwarvesAreAllTheSame It's his only]] [[SubvertedTrope dwarven trait]].

** In ''VideoGame/FireEmblemFates'', ''anyone'' in the playable cast save for the Avatar and Lilith can take up the blacksmith role if the Avatar has a Smithy building in My Castle, goes in there and has not only weapons to spare, but some specific type of ore. (i.e., a Nohrian sword and some rubies, a Hoshidan katana and pearls, etc.)

* In ''VideoGame/SakuraWars2019'', Tekkan Amamiya is not only the father of the main heroine Sakura Amamiya, but is also a skilled blacksmith who has forged her favorite sword, the Amamiya Kunisada. He's also friends with the main protagonist Seijuro Kamiyama.

* ''WebVideo/ManAtArms'' is more or less this trope brought to life. The cast make fully functional versions of various items from many, many different media covering anime, video games, comic books and movies. Mostly swords but also other weapons and armour as well. As has been noted that Ilya from the ''Reforged'' second season has become something of an expert at making massive, oversized blades (read {{BFS}}) thanks to the many, many ones they've made over the course of the show.

* A ''[[WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons Simpsons]]''-episode with Bart and a girl as fugitives from prison, features a blacksmith that frees them from their cuffs. [[spoiler:(By forging a fitting key!)]] And it's a very stereotypical blacksmith, his character design would probably fit for any of the guys in this article's folklore section: Muscular, with thick grey beard, and even rousing music accompanying his scene!
* Bengali from ''WesternAnimation/{{ThunderCats|1985}}'' was a blacksmith, and one of the few people who could fix the Sword of Omens. He also made his own magic hammer. Bengali is also regard as one the physically strongest Thundercats next to Panthro.

* The ''Javanese'' [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kris keris]] usually have it in their myths about how their blacksmith must perform a spiritual act (usually involve fasting and meditating in remote places) before they can begin forging. It only strengthen folk beliefs about how the keris are magic blades (of the "possessed by a powerful entity" variety).
* Many modern artisans from all over the world make armors and weapons for ornation purposes. Their skills are invaluable for small scale production of weaponry or machinery of utmost quality and a price to match, like some modern hunting firearms and bladed weapons. It's simply impossible to manufacture in an industrial environment a device which needs months or years of careful fitting and finishing.

* Blacksmiths in Scotland actually performed marriage ceremonies for couples, especially younger couples who fled from England against their parent's wishes. When the smith struck two interlocking bands on his anvil, the couple was married, often to the consternation of their respective parent sets. (Ancient Scottish law said that a marriage was valid if the vows were recited before a reliable witness an both parties were over 14; this was for communities in the Highlands and Islands that were too small to have a full-time clergyman, and to assure that couples didn't have to wait until the circuit rider came around. The blacksmith, although not a gentleman, was considered a 'reliable witness' because he was a skilled craftsman. In England the requirements were more strict--the parties had to be older and/or have parent's permission, the 'bans' had to be announced three Sundays running, and the ceremony had to be performed by a clergyman. English eloping couples would go to Gretna Green, a village just on the Scottish border, and exchange their vows before the blacksmith.)
* Modern blacksmithing took a huge leap in popularity with ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'', where the DVD BonusMaterial showed how detailed and authentic the production went into recreating the weaponry of the movie. The heroes' swords, the villains' weapons, the hand made chainmail-- all influenced many fans into going into the craft.

* Anna and her father Gofannon are both in the business of crafting battle equipment in ''FanFic/TheTaintedGrimoire''. A notable example of what Anna made is special sword for [[spoiler:Luso]] while her dad made a custom-set of Parivir clothing for [[spoiler:Luso.]]
* The fourth entry in the FanFic series "Gadget Getaways" [[http://rrdatabase.dyndns.org/written/dave_white/dw_getaway_4_purple_penance.html The Purple Penance]] reveals the origin of [[GadgeteerGenius Gadget Hackwrench's]] last name.
* Naruto in FanFic/AGrowingAffection knows a jutsu (designed for five people, not one) that lets him create weapons.

* Both Jaune and his father are Blacksmiths in ''Fanfic/ForgedDestiny''. Jaune's father has a [[RPGMechanicsverse very high level]] for a member of the Labor Caste at 25 while Jaune himself may be well on his way to becoming an Ultimate Blacksmith as he has already greatly surpassed his father's level after attending [[HeroAcademy Beacon]] for less than a year

* Iron Mask, a western villain from Creator/MarvelComics, was a blacksmith who built himself a suit of bulletproof armour. Originally appearing in ''Kid Colt'', he would eventually end up fighting ComicBook/TheAvengers.

** Eskarina Smith's father in ''Discworld/EqualRites'' was a blacksmith. He's described as nodding to a wizard, one professional in an arcane art to another. It's not clear if the wizard agrees.
** In ''Discworld/UnseenAcademicals'', smithing is one of Nutt's many talents. He needs to the Horseman's Word to keep from frightening off the horses, but he's very good.

* Modern blacksmithing took a huge leap in popularity with ''Film/LordOfTheRings'', where the DVD BonusMaterial showed how detailed and authentic the production went into recreating the weaponry of the movie. The heroes' swords, the villains' weapons, the hand made chainmail-- all influenced many fans into going into the craft.

While blacksmiths made many different useful items, in fiction you will generally see them specializing in weapons (especially swords), armor, fetters and chains (usually these smiths are depicted less favorably than other metalworkers) and horseshoes (a specialist in the last is often called a "farrier.") In actual history, bladesmithing and armor making were specialized professions that often had their own guilds, and the process involved a whole workshop of journeymen and apprentices rather than a lone smith at the anvil. The tools and expertise required to make arms or armor were also carefully guarded and not available to the average blacksmith or farrier, who would not be wasting his time making nails or horseshoes if he could instead be making blades or plate armor for higher profits. Blacksmiths could help in a pinch by producing simple weapons—often modified versions of agricultural tools—to arm a hastily-formed militia. In much fantasy, however, an "ordinary" blacksmith may be able to produce weapons of quality well above what he would realistically be capable of.

Someone who shapes things out of iron and steel, so called because iron is a "black" metal. This craft has been around since humans first learned to shape iron and iron alloys. Metalworkers specializing in bronze or copper are sometimes referred to as "redsmiths",[[note]]A more common word historically was "coppersmith"[[/note]] and those that work with tin or pewter (or who finish and polish metal goods in general) are known as "whitesmiths."[[note]]Historically also "tinsmith" and "tinker", although the latter became a derogatory term for UsefulNotes/IrishTravellers (since their main trade historically was itinerant tin-working)[[/note]]

While blacksmiths made many different useful items, in fiction you will generally see them specializing in weapons (especially swords), armor, fetters and chains (usually these smiths are depicted less favorably than other metalworkers) and horseshoes (a specialist in the last is often called a "farrier.") In actual history, bladesmithing and armor making were specialized professions that often had their own guilds, and the process involved a whole workshop of journeymen and apprentices rather than a lone smith at the anvil. The tools and expertise required to make arms or armor were also carefully guarded and not available to the average blacksmith or farrier, who would not be wasting his time making nails or horseshoes if he could instead be making blades or helmets for higher profits. In much fantasy, however, an "ordinary" blacksmith may be able to produce weapons of quality well above what he would realistically be capable of.

* In ''VideoGame/ShinSakuraWars'', Tekkan Amamiya is not only the father of the main heroine Sakura Amamiya, but is also a skilled blacksmith who has forged her favorite sword, the Amamiya Kunisada. He's also friends with the main protagonist Seijuro Kamiyama.