Blacksmithing is an ancient skill and tradition that probably began approximately 3,500 years ago. Since the the first human forged hot iron, the "blacksmith" (what an iron-worker was traditionally called) has played an important role of the advancement of human technology and art. He was called a "black" smith because he works the "black" metal - iron (and it's main alloy - steel). To the ancient Romans, he was the ferrarius, or "the one who works iron" (iron is "ferrum" in Latin).
The blacksmith typically employs a variety of techniques to shape iron. The main technique used is forging, where the iron is heated up and then shaped by hammer on an anvil or other shaping tool. When hot, iron is quite "soft" and malleable - similar in consistency to clay. Blacksmiths are experts at forging and this is the heart and soul of tradtional ironwork. Forge-welding is also sometimes used to join two pieces of metal together. This is where the iron is heated to the point that it will fuse with another piece at the same temperature - and the two pieces are forged together into one. It requires years of skill and experience and our artist is an expert in reproducing this technique - just like on the originals. Also used, are techniques of cutting, drilling, punching, bending and heat-treating (hardening and tempering - typically for making tooling, cutlery and arms).
 
Traditionally, "pig" iron or "wrought" iron were the main materials used for blacksmithing. Over time, the Bessemer process and other innovations in steel smelting allowed smiths to use stronger and more consistent steels that contained more carbon throughout. Today "mild steel" is the principle material used for forging by smiths throughout the world. It is the material that most of our products here at The White Mountain Forge are made from. The "irony" (no pun intended) of this is that this mild steel alloy, once the more expensive material, is now the cheap and readily available one and true wrought iron is almost impossible to find anymore (outside of old recycled metals and specialized metal producers in Europe).

The smith of the ancient world was an extremely important person. He forged the weapons and the armor that waged war. He forged the plow that tilled your field, the tools that cultivated and harvested your crops. He repaired your wagon or the broken part of your mill that made your bread. He shod your horses that you depended on. The smith was the "king of trades" in the Middle Ages. Smiths' guilds were powerful and secretive organizations. There were few professions that were of as much value to a community or a people.

The 'beginning of the end" for blacksmiths could be seen as the early 18th Century. This was also the beginning of the "Industrial Revolution" and, with it, the days of the village blacksmith as a true manufacturer were beginning to be numbered. The success and specialization of the smith in the Renaissance had led to an increased emphasis on mass-production by the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. Large smithies(workshops) with many blacksmiths - and factories began to replace the small producer of ironwork with one or two smiths.

It is this fine hand-made work that we attempt to re-create here at The White Mountain Forge. There is no substitute for the beautiful handwork of the smiths of yesterday. Machines can out-produce the hand-worker any day, but there is a beauty and a degree of craftsmanship that comes with traditionally produced hand forged work that is missing from mass-manufactured items. The tiny differences from piece to piece, the small hammer marks that are left behind in the forging process, the lovely curves and flourishes; this is what old hand-forged iron is all about. Our products enhance your home or living history impression with their timeless beauty and bring a historical flair that is missing in a modern, machine-made piece. We hope you appreciate how special our ironwork is and that you return time and again for our fine products.