What is a medieval forge?

The medieval blacksmith’s forge was the main hub of his workspace. It was usually constructed of stone and contained the fuel and fire required for heating iron. The blacksmith held metal over the fire until it was heated enough and used the following tools to manipulate the metal into an endless array of items.

What was it like to be a medieval blacksmith?

Blacksmiths were rarely without a job to do, and their work had been steady (and noisy) since antiquity. Business boomed, however, with the rise of knights. Not only did the knightly class require weapons and armour for warfare and tournaments, but they also needed horseshoes and defensive metalwork for their castles.

How does a medieval forge work?

forge, open furnace for heating metal ore and metal for working and forming. From earliest times, smiths heated iron in forges and formed it by hammering on an anvil. A bellows operated by an assistant or by a foot treadle provided the forced draft for raising the temperature of the fire.

What would a medieval blacksmith make?

Blacksmiths were central to medieval times, often setting up shop in a place of importance in the center of the village. They would make not just weapons but nails, furniture, locks, horseshoes, and armor. The blacksmith became essential to any town, and their techniques improved accordingly.

What is a forge building?

A forge is a type of hearth used for heating metals, or the workplace (smithy) where such a hearth is located. The forge is used by the smith to heat a piece of metal to a temperature where it becomes easier to shape by forging, or to the point where work hardening no longer occurs.

What are medieval weapons made of?

The swords commonly in use in Europe in the Middle Ages were made of steel. Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon, and iron heated properly over a charcoal fire becomes steel. But the theory behind the process was not understood until the nineteenth century, and not many communities knew how to make good steel.

What weapons did blacksmiths make?

A variety of weapons and instruments made by a medieval blacksmith included swords and daggers, door nails and knobs, locks and keys, knives, horseshoes, amours and arrowheads, and others. Sometimes he would also make jewelry items as well as torture devices.

How are medieval swords made?

The swords commonly in use in Europe in the Middle Ages were made of steel. Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon, and iron heated properly over a charcoal fire becomes steel. Iron smelters roasted ore in charcoal fires, and produced wrought iron, cast iron and carbon steel, depending on the heat and makeup of the ore.