Follow TV Tropes

Following

Context Main / TheBlacksmith

Go To

1%% New image selected per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1315664242074101400
2%% Please do not change or remove without starting a new thread.
3[[quoteright:241:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Blacksmith_hammering_2883.jpg]]
4[-[[caption-width-right:241:[[VideoGame/DwarfFortress This is an iron sword. All craftdwarfship is of the highest quality. It is encrusted with Dolomite and decorated with turtle bone and cave lobster shell. This object menaces with spikes of adamantine, magma, and kitten tallow.]]]]-]
5%% Image from ''Midgard'', a canceled MMORPG developed by Funcom.
6
7->''"Under a spreading chestnut-tree\
8The village smithy stands;\
9The smith, a mighty man is he,\
10With large and sinewy hands;\
11And the muscles of his brawny arms\
12Are strong as iron bands."''
13-->-- '''Creator/HenryWadsworthLongfellow''', ''The Village Smithy''
14
15Someone who shapes tools, weapons and other items 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]] "Goldsmith" and "Silversmith" are self-explanatory.
16
17The blacksmith was an invaluable member of the community until the advent of mass-production techniques in the twentieth century and is still plays an important role in less industrialized areas. The smith is often used symbolically to represent mankind's creative abilities by manipulating materials to advance technology. His tools, the forge, hammer and tongs, and the anvil are rich with metaphorical meaning. Swordsmiths were held in high regard in Japan, to the extent of attributing magical powers to their work: Masamune, it was said, made a sword that would 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.
18
19Due 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 [[WeaponsOfTheirTrade 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.
20
21While 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 techniques 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.
22
23Also notable is that historically, contrary to stereotypes, women were regularly involved in the trade. It was still male-dominated BUT several of the disciplines (nails, pins, chains) were almost exclusively women. Women owned blacksmith shops, took apprentices, worked the forge - all of the things that mark them as “real” blacksmiths. One anecdote is from William Hutton’s ''History of Birmingham''; he encountered a nailer’s shop in which he noted “one or more females, stripped of their upper garments, and not overcharged with the lower, wielding the hammer with all the grace of the sex.”
24
25Taken 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 into something useful. He prides himself in his work and treats them like children and the wielder as a father.
26
27You can still find blacksmiths working today. These days they tend to make specialist and custom items that are not economic for or require a level of attention to detail incompatible with mass production techniques. Such artisans will produce custom knives, film and theatre props, decorations, custom sized wrought iron gates, weapons and armour for WarReenactors, members of the UsefulNotes/SocietyForCreativeAnachronism, {{LARP}} enthusiasts etc. and farriers are still around working for hunts, the horseracing industry, horse owners and the leisure riding industry. Other smiths produce decorative items such as candelabras.
28
29He will generally be the star of a ForgingScene. A trope with similar connotations, but using a more feminine pursuit, is SweetBaker.
30
31----
32!!Examples:
33
34[[foldercontrol]]
35
36[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
37* The old man, Godo, who makes Guts' {{BFS}} and other gear in ''{{Manga/Berserk}}''. He likes the sparks that fly upwards.
38** [[spoiler:Rickert]] is becoming one as well, of the smaller variety.
39* ''Manga/VinlandSaga'': After giving up his BloodKnight lifestyle, Thors becomes a laughably bad blacksmith working in an Icelandic village.
40* In ''Manga/InuYasha'', Totosai is the old {{Youkai}} swordsmith who forged both the Tessaiga and Tensaiga.
41* Presea from ''Manga/MagicKnightRayearth'' is a special case. Each weapon she crafts is intended for a specific wielder, and while it's possible to borrow some of them in a pinch, the swords she makes for the heroines can only be handled by them alone. In addition, she forges the weapons through dance and her own will rather than with a hammer and anvil—in the middle of a forest known for canceling out all forms of magic, no less.
42** In the anime series, [[spoiler:Presea's [[AngstySurvivingTwin Angsty]] BackupTwin Sierra cannot make weapons, but she can repair them following a similar process.]]
43* Aries Mu from ''Manga/SaintSeiya'', the only person able to fix heavily damaged Saint Cloths... at very high prices. Not because he's evil ([[BigBrotherMentor he is]] '''not'''), but because [[spoiler:to repair a 'dead' Cloth is necessary to drench them in lots of ''blood'', and Mu won't give his [[SecretTestOfCharacter to see if the Saint requiring the repair is worthy]]. Shiryu does it to repair two, and almost dies.]]
44** [[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.
45* After the concluding of ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'', Arakawa made a side-story chapter where this trope applies. [[spoiler:After Al receives his old suit of armor in a package, he decides to turn the material of the armor into automail. In response, Winry takes him and Edward to the blacksmith, where Winry is acquainted with the men there. Who knew that the producing of automail steel actually had a back story? Huh.]]
46* ''Anime/QueensBlade'' has two of them: Ymir the dwarf (who isn't the same as the other dwarves), and Cattleya the 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 reasons Ymir had a FaceHeelTurn in ''Rebellion''.]]
47* ''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.
48* ''Manga/PokemonAdventures'' has Tsurugi Soudo, who is descended from a [[FamilyBusiness long line of swordsmiths]]. However, his knowledge only extends to ''repairing'' weapons, not making them. He applies it to fixing and enforcing the natural tools a Pokemon may wield to better aid them in battle, such as his Sirfetch'd's lance leek and his Grookey's stick.
49[[/folder]]
50
51[[folder:Card Games]]
52* Nahiri The Lithomancer, from ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'', specializes in crafting impeccable weaponry from stone. The Kor, of which she is one, have this as a racial tradition altogether.
53[[/folder]]
54
55[[folder:Comic Books]]
56* [[ComicBook/IronMan Tony Stark]] learned traditional blacksmithing techniques on a trip to Arthurian times, and has used them every so often since.
57* 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.
58* Fulliautomatix in the ''ComicBook/{{Asterix}}'' comics. Aside from his forge work, he considers it his duty to take a hammer to the bard should he threaten to sing.
59* John Henry Irons, a.k.a. ComicBook/{{Steel}} from the DC Universe, often invokes blacksmithing in addition to his folkloric image (see his first and middle names). He is notable for hand-forging the plating of most of his PoweredArmor.
60* Blacksmith Felix Quintero becomes the outlaw Moonstalker in Topps Comics ''{{Franchise/Zorro}}'' series. (He was intended to eventually become an ally of Zorro's but the series ended before that could happen.)
61* Iron Mask, a western villain from Creator/MarvelComics, was a blacksmith who built himself a suit of bulletproof armour. Originally appearing in ''ComicBook/KidColt'', he would eventually end up fighting ComicBook/TheAvengers.
62* ''Franchise/WonderWoman''
63** In the Golden Age Wonder Woman's lasso was forged by the skilled Amazonian blacksmith Metala, as shown in ''ComicBook/SensationComics''.
64** 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.
65** Hephaestus/Vulcan maintains his position as blacksmith of Olympus, and some continuities take the Amazon's more amazing creations and credit them to him instead, such as ''ComicBook/WonderWoman2011'' which has him as the creator of Diana's more hardy indestructible armor instead of Io.
66* Blacksmith "Boom Boom" Brown was the partner of Creator/MarvelComics {{Western}} character the Two-Gun Kid.
67* 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.
68* Blacksmith Smurf of ''ComicBook/TheSmurfs''.
69* Big Anvil, TheBigGuy of ComicBook/{{Tomahawk}}'s Rangers, had been a blacksmith before the war, and still sometimes performed blacksmithing duties within the Rangers.
70* After journeying to outer space and learning alien magic, including dwarven runework, ComicBook/DoctorStrange has his own forge to make new weapons and artifacts.
71[[/folder]]
72
73[[folder:{{Fairy Tale}}s and Folklore]]
74* In ''[[http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/books/slavonic/wratislaw/daughtervillas.html The Daughter of the King of the Vilas]]'', the smith advises the hero-- and gives him three iron shoes that he wears out on his quest.
75* In ''[[http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/authors/grimms/124threebrothers.html The Three Brothers]]'', the middle one becomes a ''very'' skilled blacksmith.
76* In ''[[http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/eastsunwestmoon/stories/norroway.html Black Bull of Norroway]]'', the heroine works for a smith for seven years, and he makes her iron shoes to get over a glassy hill.
77[[/folder]]
78
79[[folder:Fanfiction]]
80* 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 a special sword for [[spoiler:Luso]] while her dad made a custom-set of Parivir clothing for [[spoiler:Luso.]]
81* The fourth entry in the ''WesternAnimation/ChipNDaleRescueRangers'' 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.
82* Naruto in ''FanFic/AGrowingAffection'' knows a jutsu (designed for five people, not one) that lets him create weapons.
83* [[AlliterativeName Smithy Smurf]] of ''Fanfic/EmpathTheLuckiestSmurf''.
84* 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 UltimateBlacksmith as he has already greatly surpassed his father's level after attending [[HeroAcademy Beacon]] for less than a year.
85* Kay’la from ''Fanfic/VowOfNudity'' is highly proficient with blacksmith’s tools. All of her gear is self-forged and most of her adventures involve seeking out materials or recipes to craft stronger and rarer weapons/armor.
86[[/folder]]
87
88[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
89* Will Turner in ''Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean'' was a (surprisingly stringy) swordsmith, though he dumped the profession once an opportunity arose.
90* Balian (like Will, played by Orlando Bloom) was a blacksmith in ''Film/KingdomOfHeaven''. While he did do standard shoeing and such, he was also noted to be locally famous for his work in silver and had experience as a combat engineer as well. He dumped the profession after murdering a priest and fleeing to Jerusalem as a Crusader. He later picked it back up for good.
91-->[''on being asked if he is THE Balian of Jerusalem'']
92-->'''Balian''': I am the blacksmith.
93-->'''Richard the Lionheart''': I am the King of England.
94-->'''Balian''': [Beat] ...[[WeAreNotGoingThroughThatAgain I am the blacksmith]].
95* Kate, the farrier from ''Film/AKnightsTale'', is the WrenchWench version. In a case of ShownTheirWork this is historically accurate. Blacksmiths of the time often trained their wives in their trade and the smiths' guild had a rule that a woman could continue to work in the profession if her husband died as a way of providing for herself and any children. This is why Kate briefly mentions [[TheLostLenore a late husband]] in one scene.
96* Dr. Brown in ''Film/BackToTheFuturePartIII'': "I'm a scient ... I mean, a blacksmith!"
97* Hattori Hanzo in ''Film/KillBill'' was the greatest swordsmith in the world until he promised God he'd stop; his breaking of that vow resulted in [[CoolSword the finest weapon he ever crafted]].
98* Domingo Montoya, the swordmaker from ''Film/ThePrincessBride'', whose [[YouKilledMyFather murder by Count Rugen]] would send his son Inigo on a quest for revenge.
99* John Franchise/{{Rambo}} seems to have picked up some metalworking 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.
100** 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/RamboIV''.
101* As in the [[ComicBook/IronMan comic book]], [[Film/IronMan1 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.
102* The titular main character from ''Film/TheManWithTheIronFists'' was a blacksmith who made weapons for the various clans in China.
103* GentleGiant Jack is a major character in ''Film/{{Gunless}}'', where the Montana Kid is insistent on challenging him to a gunfight, despite him not owning a pistol.
104* In ''Film/GhostTown1988'', Smithy, the town blacksmith, and his daughter Etta are too the four citizens who come forward to help Langley fight Devlin and his gang. The other two are [[MissKitty Grace]] and [[ProfessionalGambler Dealer]].
105[[/folder]]
106
107[[folder:Gamebooks]]
108* In the Literature/FightingFantasy book ''City of Thieves'', there is a blacksmith who works on ordinary everyday 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.
109[[/folder]]
110
111[[folder:Literature]]
112* ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'':
113** Jason Ogg, son of Nanny Ogg, who's so good at his craft that he's the only one [[AC:Death]] trusts to shoe his horse. The downside is, well, he has to shoe Death's horse. The price for being the best blacksmith in the world [[ShapedLikeItself is being the best blacksmith in the world.]] As in, being the best [[ThePerilsOfBeingTheBest obligates you to ALWAYS be the best]]. If someone brings him something and asks for it to be shoed, Jason must shoe it. He's even put shoes on an ant that some friends brought to him as a joke. He also shoes [[spoiler: a unicorn. He has to use silver shoes and nails, and remarks that they won't last very long.]]
114** Eskarina Smith's father in ''Literature/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.
115** In ''Literature/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.
116* As every self-respecting pantheon ''must'' have a God whose remit includes making and smithing, the Gods of Dunmanifestin have Dennis, Handyman and Janitor of the Gods. This is explained on the practical grounds that any big organisation must have somebody who can do all those fiddly little things, like unstick a jammed window or replace a dodgy light fitting.
117* 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?
118* Blacksmiths are specifically mentioned in ''Literature/TheToughGuideToFantasyland'' as a good source of allies - their daughters tend to be beautiful and any orphans they raise automatically become heroes with mysterious lost pasts.
119* ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'':
120** Gendry was a smith in training before being sold to the Night's Watch, and his craft comes in useful when travelling across war-torn 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.]]
121** Donal Noye is a retired smith with one arm [[spoiler:...who killed the King of the Giants.]]
122** One of the aspects of the "Seven" is that of a blacksmith. Although some septons (the Westerosi equivalent of priests) preach that "The Smith" can be seen in other occupations as well. The fact that the blacksmith is the general image for this deity speaks volumes about how important the trade is to this type of society.
123* Durnik was a smith who married Polgara in ''Literature/TheBelgariad''. He gave her delicate roses... of steel. Especially impressive when you consider [[spoiler:he only used magic to give them color, smell, and perhaps rust-proof them]] and [[spoiler:The ended up with a whole garden full.]]
124* In ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime'':
125** Perrin Aybara is an apprentice smith and CloserToEarth than the other Two Rivers characters. He frequently struggles to balance the life of a smith and the life of a warrior [[spoiler:-- and, later, the life of a lord]]. Robert Jordan actually researched blacksmithing, and depictions of Perrin working are meticulously accurate (except for a minor error or two that were corrected in later editions.)
126** 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.
127* [[spoiler: Charity Carpenter]] in ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'' is a smith and a former WrenchWench who worked on custom motorcycles before she got married. An unusual example, because her husband's high-risk job spurred her to work with titanium, Kevlar, and ceramic strike plates as well as steel.
128* Daja from ''Literature/CircleOfMagic'' is a blacksmith, and her magic is tied into her smithing.
129** This is specifically cited as a fetish by [[spoiler:Rizu, who says that part of the reason she's attracted to Daja is that she's so strong and makes beautiful things]].
130** Daja's teacher Frostpine is also a metalsmith, and one of the Great Mages in their world.
131* [[Creator/GamesWorkshop Black Library]] novels:
132** In Nick Kyme's novel ''[[Literature/{{Salamanders}} Salamander]]'', Dak'ir does blacksmithing to purge his soul after troubling events.
133** A talented blacksmith shows up in the novel ''[[Literature/GreyKnights Hammer of Daemons]]'' by Creator/BenCounter, and is commanded to provide [[TheHero Alaric]] with equipment. Given that he has the Black Carapace and is dark-skinned, it's implied but not outright said that he was ex-Salamander, a Chapter renowned for their smithing skills.
134* Creator/JRRTolkien knew the importance of the blacksmith in legend and used them a lot.
135** In ''Literature/TheSilmarillion'', pretty much any given Elf will have forged some weapon at some point or another in their career. The Noldorin elves in particular are noted for their ability at smithing. Most notable is Fëanor, who created the Silmarils, forged the first weapons in Valinor, and was even trained by the God of Smithcraft Aulë. Sauron was also trained by Aulë (before transferring his allegiance to Melkor) and had his fair share of metalworking. The Dwarven race, having been created by Aulë, also fits this trope, almost even more so than the Elves. The go-to guy for ''really good'' blades seems to have been Telchar the Dwarf: he forged both Narsil and Angrist, the knife which cut the Silmaril from Morgoth's crown.
136** 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]].)
137** In ''Literature/SmithOfWoottonMajor'', Smith himself.
138* In the ''Alfred'' series by Creator/BernardCornwell, the protagonist/narrator Uhtred wields a pair of loving crafted swords, made for him by his Northumbrian castle's blacksmith, Eadwulf.
139* In Lloyd Alexander's ''Taran Wanderer'' (fourth in ''Literature/TheChroniclesOfPrydain''), Taran briefly stays with a blacksmith who fits this trope description to a T. He teaches Taran how to forge his own sword, and, like the weaver and potter that Taran also stayed with, offers Taran his own philosophy of life.
140* Rhunön from ''Literature/InheritanceCycle''.
141* Smithmaster Agella from the ''Literature/{{Shadowleague}}'' books.
142* [[MeaningfulName Hammersmith]] in Creator/NeilGaiman's ''Literature/{{Neverwhere}}''.
143* ''Literature/TigerEye'': Heroine Dela is a rare and peculiar modern smith. She sculpts in metal as well as making commission weapons, and the plot kicks off when one of her weapons is discovered to have been used in a murder.
144* Cavallo takes this role in the Conn Iggulden's ''Literature/{{Emperor}}'' books; the Romans do have blacksmiths, but Cavallo is the one who shows them how to make steel.
145* Two major characters, and several minor ones, in L.E. Modesitt's ''Literature/TheSagaOfRecluce'' practice blacksmithing as their profession. Not just weapons, but tools and various other odds and ends. One of the most [[ShownTheirWork realistic depictions of the craft]] in fiction.
146* ''The Dwarves'' by MarcusHeistz features a blacksmith as the protagonist.
147* In Creator/DevonMonk's ''Literature/DeadIron'', the father of the kidnapped boy.
148* Belisarius in ''Literature/BelisariusSeries'' wishes he was a blacksmith. Instead he is forced by his position to take up [[FourStarBadass another profession]] that uses iron a lot.
149* Karis in the ''Literature/ElementalLogic'' series is an accomplished blacksmith. She's also an earth witch, and she's aware of what happens to every tool she makes (which is why she makes weapons only for her TrueCompanions).
150* Marunde in ''Literature/SomeoneElsesWar'' fits this trope in role and attitude but instead of swords, he's making grenade launchers.
151* Joe Gargery from ''Literature/GreatExpectations''.
152* In the ChivalricRomance ''Sir Isumbras'', Isumbras [[FallenOnHardTimesJob is reduced to menial work]] as the blacksmith. However, he makes himself armor, and when some characters, as a jest, give him a horse, he distinguishes himself at the tourney.
153* Saaski's adoptive father Yanno from ''Literature/TheMoorchild'' is the local blacksmith. This leads to some problems, because Saaski, as a [[ChangelingTale changeling]], is terrified of iron.
154* The heroine of the Meg Langslow mysteries by Donna Andrews is a modern-day blacksmith.
155* Sir Derek's brother Baldric in Literature/SirDerekAndTheFaeries is known to be one of the best smiths in the kingdom.
156* ''Literature/TheReynardCycle'': Isengrim No-Father. He explains that the blood-guard must forge their own swords before they are considered members of the order.
157** The majority of the priesthood of Fenix are smiths of one sort or another. Their HighPriest carries a ceremonial hammer.
158* Conor, of ''Literature/{{Hobgoblin}}'', is blacksmith to a historical castle. His strength and skills let him keep up the castle more or less singlehandedly. His levelheaded nature let him become a father figure to Scott.
159* The Iron Sisters from ''Literature/TheMortalInstruments'', are a whole order of them. They're the only ones who can handle adamas, the heavenly metal from which Nephilim weapons are forged.
160* ''Literature/GuardiansOfGaHoole'':
161** Bubo is the blacksmith of the Great Ga'Hoole Tree, big, burly, and having a good sense of humor. He's also strangely colored for a great horned owl, being a ruddy orange instead of brown like other great horned owls, due to spending nearly all his life near forges and fire.
162** There are other blacksmiths throughout the series besides Bubo, sometimes living with other owls and others on their own. They often fly out on their own to gather their own coals and make weapons like battle claws.
163* In the ''Literature/FairyOak'':
164** Hortensia Pollimon is not only a smith, she's also an artist and can create beautiful crafts using iron, which "has no secrets to her".
165** Lilium Martagon is a mountain of a man and very good at smithing.
166* In ''Literature/TheSacredBlacksmith'', Luke (who isn't the main character) can magically forge [[KatanasAreJustBetter katanas]]. These break after a few uses, though.
167* Ghim the dwarf from ''Literature/RecordOfLodossWar''.
168* This is the Winkies' [[CultureOfHats hat]] in ''Literature/TalesOfTheMagicLand'': despite not being all that great at fighting, their weaponsmithing and jewelry, not to mention intricate machinery, is top-notch.
169* ''Literature/TheToughGuideToFantasyland'': A good source of allies. They'll often serve as foster fathers to a young Tourist and or [[KingIncognito Missing Heir]]. Also their skills are useful in being able to teach reforging a sword. However, often they will have a sexy young daughter who will attempt to seduce her foster brother, requiring that they leave on a quest with haste to avoid her father's rage.
170* ''Literature/WagonsWest'': Ted Woods was a Hoosier blacksmith who had been in jail for 10 before joining the original wagon train. He was an important supporting character in the first four novels and would make appearances off and on in the rest of the original series.
171* ''Literature/WraithKnight'': The forging of magical items is an important part of the setting with this trade being something that a lot of magicians have to learn. A handful of wizards have also ascended to become UltimateBlacksmith types like Co'Fannon, Tharadon the Black, and [[spoiler: Jacob Riverson]].
172[[/folder]]
173
174[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
175* ''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.
176* ''Series/GameOfThrones'':
177** Gendry was an apprentice smith before leaving King's Landing, and as such, he upholds his father's family tradition of wielding hammers.
178** The Smith is one of the male aspects of the God of the Seven, symbolizing industry and craftsmanship.
179* Burt Reynolds played blacksmith Quint Asper for three years on ''Series/{{Gunsmoke}}''.
180* In ''Series/HerculesTheLegendaryJourneys'', Princess Atalanta is a blacksmith instead of a huntress for some reason.
181** Probably because she's played by former [[AmazonianBeauty Ms. Olympia]] Corey Everson.
182* 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 forging hammer and tongs.
183* ''Series/TheLordOfTheRingsTheRingsOfPower'':
184** In Numenor, one must have a blacksmith guild crest to be a blacksmith.
185** Celebrimbor is the greatest of the Elven Smiths and is therefore sought out by Elrond, on instruction from High King Gil-galad, to begin work on a "special project". However, he feels his mastery of his craft is vastly inferior to that of his grandfather, Fëanor, whose Silmarils were said to have captivated the Dark Lord Morgoth and almost moved him to repentance. He also mentions that he respects the Dwarves for their smithing skills, in contrast to most other Elves who are largely apathetic to the Dwarf race.
186** Halbrand shows a great interest in blacksmithing and seems to have a great yearning to do so, even claiming that his smithing skills are unmatched, to the point of begging a blacksmith to let him help out in any sort of forging and even attempting to steal a guild emblem so he can be allowed to forge. He later demonstrates that he is indeed quite a capable smith, forging fine weapons with ease that impress the other blacksmiths. In Eregion, he gets to work with Lord Celebrimbor, and mentions being an blacksmith apprentice in the past, [[spoiler:he talks about Aulë]].
187* Gwen's father on ''Series/{{Merlin|2008}}''. There's also an official royal swordsmith mentioned.
188** Apparently her [[InformedAbility brother Elyan is also a smith]], though he's never been shown doing it.
189* ''Series/ResurrectionErtugrul'': Deli Demir, and he's a pretty badass one at that, considering he fights alongside Ertugrul a few times and is shown to be just as capable as defending himself as he is with crafting the weapons he uses. [[spoiler: Following his death partway through season 2, Turgut Alp fills this role]].
190[[/folder]]
191
192[[folder:Mythology]]
193* Hephaestus, blacksmith (as well as redsmith and goldsmith) to the [[Myth/GreekMythology Greek gods]]--and his Latin counterpart, Vulcan.
194** Zeus' thunderbolts were forged by three cyclopes in gratitude for his having freed them from imprisonment: Brontes (thunder), Steropes (Lightning), and Arges (Bright).
195* [[OurDwarvesAreAllTheSame Most fantasy dwarves]] have this in their makeup somewhere, though they also often work in much more exotic materials. This goes right back to Myth/NorseMythology, the dwarves Brokk and Eiti who forged treasures for the Aesir, including Thor's hammer.
196* Myth/WaylandTheSmith (also known as Volundr) from Norse, Germanic, and Old English legends was the creator of magic rings and the swords of heroes.
197* Seppä Ilmarinen from Literature/TheKalevala. Seppä translates to Smith.
198* In Myth/PersianMythology, Kaveh the blacksmith led an uprising that overthrew the evil demon king, Zahhak. The Derafsh-e Kaviani, used as a battle standard and as a symbol of Iran, is said to be based on the design of Kaveh's apron. Ferdowsi retells the story in Literature/TheShahnameh.
199* Yoruba mythology (and by extension its American derivatives, such as voodoo) has Ogun, a particularly fiery deity whose favorite libation is burning rum.
200[[/folder]]
201
202[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
203* Anyone with high Craft (Fire) in ''TabletopGame/{{Exalted}}'' would qualify. This subset of the Craft skill is used for everything from horseshoes to [[{{BFS}} daiklaves]]. The setting also contains other, weirder smiths, such as the notoriously unreliable and sex-crazed demon-dwarves known as heranhal, or Alveula, Keeper of the Forge of Night, a powerful demon who smelts humans into equipment and carries a hammer about the same size as herself.
204** Also Autochton, a Primordial (godlike being older than gods) also known as the Great Maker or the King of Craftsmen and whose classical representation is a one-eyed smith hammering a daiklaive.
205* Anyone in ''TabletopGame/MageTheAwakening'' with at least middling skill in Matter can become The Blacksmith, verging on UltimateBlacksmith at higher proficiency. Materials can be shaped and reinforced; [[MundaneUtility alloys can be formed]] that would not naturally hold together; and, with other arcana included, alchemically perfected metals can be produced and forged into intrinsically magical alloys. Special mention goes to the Forge Masters legacy[[note]]In ''Legacies: The Ancient''[[/note]], who make equipment for the Adamantine Arrow shock troops.
206** The Smith kith in ''TabletopGame/ChangelingTheLost'' are all about this, naturally.
207* Creator/GamesWorkshop games:
208** In ''TabletopGame/WarhammerAgeOfSigmar'' Skullgrinders are the warrior-smiths of the Bloodbound Warhordes, crafting brutal but effective weaponry for Khorne’s chosen warriors. Unlike most fictional blacksmiths, Skullgrinders don’t fight with a hammer, instead attaching their [[ImprobableWeaponUser Brazen Anvils to a length of chain]] and swinging them like [[EpicFlail a brutal flail]].
209** ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'':
210*** Vulkan, the primarch of the Salamanders was raised as a blacksmith on his home planet, and his chapter has kept this tradition alive in the millennia since. In addition to forging and maintaining their own gear, The Salamanders also tend to favor [[KillItWithFire flamethrowers, meltaguns]], and energized hammers in combat. This has practical applications to their role as defenders of humanity as well; they are the only chapter able (and [[ThePaladin willing]]) to help rebuild essential infrastructure when the fighting is over.
211*** 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.]]
212* The huge skill list of ''TabletopGame/BurningWheel'' means one can learn to be a blacksmith, whitesmith, or coppersmith, as well as an armorer or weaponsmith. Dwarves have special crafts in Black and White Metal Artifice; Elves have the skill-songs of Smithcraft and [[ShoutOut Riddle of Steel]].
213* Many versions of ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' include crafting rules, which naturally leads to this. Many races, including dwarves, azers, and salamanders, are noted to be particularly good smiths, and there are many classes or abilities that make the players better at it, including the Artificer (a magic item craftsman). In 3rd Edition, it was explained that the majority of blacksmiths are Experts, an NPC class that lacks any particular abilities but can pick up all the relevant crafting skills. To commemorate this, Moradin the dwarf god is statted out as having fourteen levels in Expert.
214* ''[[TabletopGame/{{Champions}} Golden Age Champions]]'' includes a trio of Soviet superheroes known as the Bolshevik Boys. All three were members of a Red Army cavalry unit who were inexplicably given powers by an alien spaceship. Red Hammer was the unit's blacksmith, and he became the team's brick and wields [[CarryABigStick a sledgehammer as his primary weapon]].
215* The Kaiu Family in ''TabletopGame/LegendOfTheFiveRings'' are an entire family of blacksmiths and engineers. The greatest Kaiu smiths can forge weapons that are said to never dull or break, and swords forged using advanced Kaiu techniques are coveted throughout the empire.
216[[/folder]]
217
218[[folder:Video Games]]
219* ''VideoGame/NineMonkeysOfShaolin'' has the Shaolin Temple's smith, Liu Haibo, a former soldier taking refuge in the temple after losing his family in the past. Preferring to stay out of combat, he will create and upgrade weapons for you at the start of each level instead.
220* In the ''VideoGame/AtelierSeries''' ''Arland'' trilogy, Hagel can make weapons and armor for the protagonist if she brings him the proper metal or cloth.
221* ''VideoGame/BoundByBlades'' has badger blacksmiths in most areas, from your starting village to Fangsfate City, where you can ask them to build new weapons or upgrade your equipments provided if you have the right materials.
222%%* Zappa from ''VideoGame/ChronoCross'' (his wife has a similar build).
223* In ''VideoGame/DarkestDungeon'', the blacksmith is one of the buildings in the Hamlet that can be upgraded between each quest. This is one of the most essential buildings, as the Blacksmith is the only way to upgrade a hero's base health and damage by purchasing better quality armour and weapons from said smith.
224* The Black Hammer of ''VideoGame/DarkSiders'' is an immortal who forges weaponry for anyone if he feels up to it. Usually the forces of Heaven or the Horsemen.
225* ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'' has numerous smiths, from the sorcerer-blacksmith Rickert of Vinheim, to the unnamed Giant Blacksmith of Anor Londo, to the skeleton smith Vamos. The most prominent, however, is Andre of Astora, a good-natured, friendly man who even makes a re-appearance in ''VideoGame/DarkSoulsIII'', still smithing away.
226%%* Griswold in the first ''VideoGame/{{Diablo}}'' game.
227%%** 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.
228%%** Haedrig Eamon from ''VideoGame/DiabloIII''.
229* In ''VideoGame/DiceyDungeons'', Ned can use his anvil and forge to upgrade or replicate any item, even when it's an obvious ViolationOfCommonSense. [[spoiler:Unlike the other shopkeepers, who refuse to do business with you if you're transformed into a bear, he'll still upgrade all items exclusive to that form.]]
230* ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'' and the Awakening expansion pack has Wade, who much prefers to be an UltimateBlacksmith when you can find him the materials he needs to craft exotic equipment. He crafts more normal equipment only grudgingly, much to the distress of his partner, Herren.
231* Every fort in ''VideoGame/DwarfFortress'' values its skilled smiths. There are Blacksmiths, who make large objects and furniture from metal, Metalcrafters, who make smaller trade goods, and most importantly, Weaponsmiths and Armorsmiths. Players tend to cultivate these, letting no other dwarves do any smithing work and producing obscene amounts of weapons from crappy metals in order to train a smith up to Legendary skill, at which point the smith cranks out high-quality items (which do more damage or provide more protection) at an impressive rate. Because it takes so long to train a smith to Legendary, these dwarves are highly valued and protected. Of course, once they're legendary and have made masterwork equipment for all your troops, there's not much more for them to do but make replacement equipment for when [[ArtificialStupidity your dwarves inevitably dodge an attack and fall off of a bridge into the fortress's lava moat]].
232** Also, the "[[MadArtist strange moods]]" of DF cause a dwarf to produce a legendary artifact in some craft that they have skill in, even dabbling skill, and become legendary in that skill. A lot of players exploit this and assign all peasants to make a few weapons or armor so that they'll have dabbling armor- or weaponsmith skill. Then they go back to farming or hauling crap around, skills which do not tap into strange moods, and if they get a mood they'll be guaranteed to make an artifact weapon or armor and become legendary.
233* Hewg from ''VideoGame/EldenRing'' acts as the game's primary blacksmith. He's a Misbegotten who was cursed by Queen Marika and bound to the Roundtable Hold, forging weapons for the Tarnished. Though trapped in his post, he doesn't seem to mind the work and grows increasingly focused on his mission of forging a weapon capable of killing a god. [[spoiler:Even after burning down the Erdtree and his servitude lifted, he remains in his post smithing. Being bound to the Hold, his mind deteriorates along with it as it burns and he forgets everything other than the fact that he's a blacksmith (and he even briefly forgets that before noticing he's hammering away at an anvil and assuming he must be one based on that)]]. There's also Iji, a Troll blacksmith in service to the Carian royal family, who treats you to the comical sight of him gently tapping away at your dinky weapons with his bus-sized hammer. [[spoiler:However, should you complete Ranni's questline, he ends up assassinated by Black Knives, leaving Hewg as the sole remaining blacksmith in the game]].
234* ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls''
235** Throughout the series' lore, [[OurOrcsAreDifferent Orcs]] are renowned across Tamriel for the skill as blacksmiths, forging some of the best and most sought-after heavy armors in the land. Young Orcs, male and female alike, are trained from a young age to mine and smith ore, particularly the rare metal [[FantasyMetals Orichalcum]].
236** Throughout the series, most major (and some minor) settlements have at least one blacksmith, with many of the larger settlements having several. (Which in this case, they tend to either specialize in different types of weapons/armor or are rivals.)
237** In ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim Skyrim]]'', for the first time in the series, the PlayerCharacter can create new weapons and armor out of raw materials (rather than repairing already-made good in past games). As a result, he/she can become a Blacksmith without peer with the ability to create armor out of high-tier ''dragon bones and scales''.
238* Archer from ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'' is described as a "blacksmith hero" at one point. [[spoiler:His Noble Phantasm, a [[FisherKing Reality Marble]] called Unlimited Blade Works, is essentially a gigantic workshop that eternally cranks out weapons of war he can then manifest in the real world.]] While it is possible for him to create his own unique weapons, he has never applied himself in this way -- all his creations are duplicates of other weapons.
239* There are at least a couple of blacksmiths in the ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' series, starting with the dwarf who forges Excalibur in [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyI the first game]]. ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'' also allows players to become a Blacksmith as one of the many crafting professions they can pursue to create gear and other items.
240** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIIRevenantWings'' has Cu Sith, perhaps the cutest version of this ever. She's a tiny little [[SummonMagic Yarhi]] who works as the party's chief mechanic and Master Artificer to forge weapons on their airship.
241** There are a total of three playable smith classes in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'', the blacksmith who specializes in weapons, armorsmiths who create armor, and goldsmith who create various accessories.
242* ''Franchise/FireEmblem'', from ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemPathOfRadiance Path Of Radiance]]'' onwards, has the [[http://fireemblem.wikia.com/wiki/Forge Forge]] game mechanic where some characters can become blacksmiths and forge all kinds of pre-existing weapons (swords, knives, axes, lances, bows, magic tomes, etc.) into stronger versions:
243** ''VideoGame/FireEmblemPathOfRadiance'' and ''VideoGame/FireEmblemRadiantDawn'' have Daniel from the Merchant Convoy.
244** The DS remakes of ''VideoGame/FireEmblemShadowDragonAndTheBladeOfLight'' and ''VideoGame/FireEmblemMysteryOfTheEmblem'' plus ''VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening'' have [=NPCs=] (and in ''Awakening'''s case, the Merchant Annas who show up randomly) that double as merchants and blacksmiths.
245** 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.)
246** In ''VideoGame/FireEmblemEchoesShadowsOfValentia'', some towns have [=NPCs=] that will forge weapons in exchange for Silver and Gold marks.
247* Every ''VideoGame/HarvestMoon'' game is guaranteed to have an old guy ([[CoolOldGuy cool]] or [[CrustyCaretaker crusty]]) who will upgrade your farming tools for the right price.
248* In ''VideoGame/InfinityBlade'' ''III'', Isa rescues Jensen the blacksmith from his tower prison in the third act. Jensen can upgrade mastered equipment, improving their stats and allowing them to be mastered again. He also repairs [[spoiler:the Redeemer, which Siris uses to erase the Worker's memories in the final battle.]]
249* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'':
250** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast'' has the two dwarven blacksmiths of Kakariko Village.
251** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheMinishCap'' has Smith, Link's grandfather. He and King Daltus are good friends.
252** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess'': Mostly offscreen, but Link's mentor, Rusl, is a blacksmith. He forged the Ordon Sword as an offering for the Hyrulean Royal Family.
253** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkBetweenWorlds'' has the Blacksmiths of Hyrule and [[DarkWorld Lorule]].
254** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask'' has a blacksmith and his partner who improve Link's sword twice. The first upgrade, the Razor Sword, is a temporary one that is lost whenever Link travels back in time. The second upgrade, the Gilded Sword, requires valuable Gold Dust, but it is a stronger weapon that remains with Link even if he goes back in time.
255** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaPhantomHourglass'' has Zauz, a blacksmith who resides on his own island in the northwestern sea. He helps Link forge a new Phantom Sword after the former [[AccidentallyBrokeTheMacGuffin lost it in some way]].
256* ''VideoGame/{{Mabinogi}}'' and its prequel ''VideoGame/{{Vindictus}}'' both feature blacksmith Fergus. In the latter, he's the only blacksmith available to craft weapons and armour. In the former, he's one of several; and is the worst, clumsiest, least-reliable of the lot.
257** In both games, the character has the opportunity to learn blacksmithing skills. In ''Vindictus'', the character has to specialize in a particular type of blacksmithing -- weapons or armour, not both. In ''Mabinogi'', the character not only learns to craft both weapons and armour, but also everyday tools (including the hammer required to practice the skill).
258* ''VideoGame/{{Minecraft}}''. As long as you have the right materials and a Crafting Bench, you can basically make any tool or armor the game allows you to.
259** Villagers have three different blacksmithing "professions," armorer, toolsmith, and weaponsmith. They will sell you tools and refresh their stock after working at their respective workstations[[note]]blast furnace, smithing table, and gridstone, respectively[[/note]]. Before the villager revamp, their was just the generic blacksmith who handled all three of the current professions.
260* ''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.
261* In ''VideoGame/PotionPermit'', Opalheart and her daughter Runeheart run the smithy in Moonbury Town. You can go there to upgrade your tools.
262%%* ''VideoGame/QuestForGloryII'' has [[JerkJock Isurr]], ''VideoGame/QuestForGloryV'' had [[SuspiciouslySimilarSubsitute Pholus]].
263* ''VideoGame/RagnarokOnline'' has its own variety of the Blacksmith as a class, derived from [[IntrepidMerchant Intrepid Merchants]]. Blacksmiths are capable of direct combat via [[StatusBuff Status Buffs]], [[ItemCrafting forging weapons]], and refining metals. In battle, Blacksmiths can either wield an axe or a mace as their weapon of choice. It also has a few [[UltimateBlacksmith Ultimate Blacksmiths]] making appearances in quests, especially the famed God Items quests.
264** The transcended class for Blacksmiths is known in the original Korean (and Japanese) versions of ''RO'' as "Whitesmith." Because of the obscurity of that term [[EverythingIsRacist could have lead to unwanted controversy]], Gravity LLC changed the class name to "Mastersmith."
265* ''VideoGame/RagnarokIILegendOfTheSecond'' also has Blacksmiths, but they are now part of the Dual Life System, which means they are a crafting class that characters can choose in addition to their combat class.
266* In ''VideoGame/RootsOfPacha'', Acre is the resident blacksmith who makes new tools and upgrades them for you. She comes up with the idea to smith tools out of obsidian and copper.
267* 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]].
268** Also, you can become one yourself after you purchase an extension for your house.
269* 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.
270%%* Watts from ''VideoGame/SecretOfMana''.
271* In ''VideoGame/ShopHeroes'', some of the employees you can hire for your shop fall under this archetype — most obviously the Blacksmith, of course, but also the Armorer and the Master.
272* ''VideoGame/TheSimsMedieval'': One of the ten available Hero Sims is The Blacksmith, whose duties are to craft weapons, armor, magic staves, and help the kingdom fend off occasional dance-crazed Golems.
273* Sophitia's off-screen husband Rothion, in ''VideoGame/SoulCalibur''. Sophie's god and mentor Hephestus explicitly asked him to forge ''sacred weapons'' for his warrior girlfriend/later wife, which he promptly did. [[spoiler: ''Twice''.]]
274* Recruiting at least one blacksmith happens in every ''VideoGame/{{Suikoden}}'' game, and is vital to getting your weapons to their highest potential.
275%%* The ''VideoGame/SummonNight: Swordcraft Story'' trilogy. Smithing is SeriousBusiness.
276* ''VideoGame/{{Thief}}'s'' Hammerite faction are very enamored of The Blacksmith. The guards may not smith on a daily basis but several religious texts found in-game make it clear that someone cannot progress from being a novice of the order without proving their skill in blacksmithing and stonemasonry.
277* 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.
278* In ''VideoGame/WeaponShopDeOmasse'', you are the blacksmith who makes the weapons used by heroes on their quests.
279* ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' features Blacksmithing as a learnable profession for PlayerCharacters, as well as a wealth of Blacksmith [=NPCs=] in every major city, many towns, and even randomly in the wilderness, some of whom will offer to teach Blacksmith [=PCs=] exclusive recipes as quest rewards. Characters who learn Blacksmithing produce metal weapons and armor, various metal items used by other professions, and various weapon and armor enhancing items. At higher levels, Blacksmiths have the option to undergo quest chains to specialize in weapon or armor smithing.
280** As of the Burning Crusade expansion, the Weaponsmith and Armorsmith specializations can only be used to create specialty weapons and armor ''for yourself.'' The specialty items a weaponsmith or armorsmith makes cannot be given to any other character. Ironic, considering that the dwarf in Ironforge who offers the Weaponsmith quest tells you about how lucrative it is to sell your weaponsmithing products.
281* ''VideoGame/YsIIAncientYsVanishedTheFinalChapter'' features a blacksmith who is initially out of work because he is out of iron ore. The mine that has some iron ore is full of demons, so the miners require good armor and weapons to kill the demons in order to mine. Unfortunately, the armor and weapons shop has only weak armor that is too weak for the miners who are not [[MasterSwordsman master swordsmen]] to survive due to the lack of iron ore needed to make the iron that the armor requires to be made. Furthermore, Velagunder, a giant demon, guards the iron ore in the mine. This demon is vulnerable only to [[KillItWithFire fire magic]] and is invulnerable to physical attacks in this game. Adol has to go into the mine with a sword, a shield, the ability to use Ys's magic, and weak armor to kill Velagunder and to get the iron ore to break this cycle.
282
283[[/folder]]
284
285[[folder:Web Animation]]
286* ''WebAnimation/HomestarRunner'' has a blacksmith character- The Poopsmith originated as a joke where they met him right after the blacksmith. The blacksmith has shown up once or twice since then.
287* ''WebAnimation/TrickMoon'': Tarot runs a blacksmith shop called "Tarot's Arrows"; she's the one who crafts the magical arrows Trickshot uses.
288[[/folder]]
289
290[[folder:Webcomics]]
291* Pella from ''Webcomic/LookingForGroup'' left blacksmithing behind when she came through time to join the heroes. When she later decided that she had no choice but to assault a heavily fortified prison she chose to go with a set of custom made weapons from a smith of ancient times, namely herself. Working at the forge also made time for some BackStory.
292* In ''Webcomic/NextTownOver'', the town of Sun Prairie has one. Vane Black [[http://squidbunnies.com/nto/?p=426 takes]] the smithy from him after shooting off his fingers.
293* ''Webcomic/WaywardSons'': Phastus has taken this role since developing the ability to [[ExtraOreDinary manipulate metal]].
294* Ashul Edwaru is the master blacksmith from ''Webcomic/TowerOfGod''. Not only did he create the Thirteen Months, he was also the first to realize that the weapons that came from outside the tower would eventually become utterly useless in the higher levels (especially swords and axes). He promptly redesigned them and became a legend.
295* In ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'', a blacksmith in Azure City reforges Roy Greenhilt's broken sword with some [[ThunderboltIron starmetal]] as part of a ForgingScene.
296* In ''Webcomic/ChampionsOfFaraus'', Skye's father, Arthur Glorious, is a weapon Smith, and through Skye gives Daryl one of his "hobby swords" to use.
297* ''Webcomic/VapnthjofrSaga'': Hillevi, a Nordic bear blacksmith. She's also a retired warrior and married to a priestess of Freya, with three cubs.
298
299[[/folder]]
300
301[[folder:Web Video]]
302* ''WebVideo/ManAtArms'' is more or less this trope brought to life. The cast makes 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.
303* ''Series/{{Noob}}'' is set in a fantasy FictionalVideoGame and has a character named Ardacos that is YouAllLookFamiliar handwaved as NewJobAsThePlotDemands. Blacksmith is one of the jobs he's mentioned to have.
304[[/folder]]
305
306[[folder:Western Animation]]
307* ''WesternAnimation/{{Fantaghiro}}'': Daniel Hammer is a blacksmith who prides himself on the fine quality of the weapons he produces. However, the end of the ForeverWar makes his weaponcraft unnecessary, and his rage at this allows [[BigBad Darken]] to turn him into a VillainPossessedBystander.
308* 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!
309* 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 regarded as one of the physically strongest Thundercats next to Panthro.
310* Hephaestus appeared in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueUnlimited'', making Ares a suit of living armor. He also reveals he's the one to build Wonder Woman's equipment.
311[[/folder]]
312
313[[folder:Real Life]]
314* Masamune Goro, the Japanese blacksmith who was famed for the "spiritual quality" of his work. He supposedly spent 100 days {{meditating under a waterfall}} to purify his spirit before forging a katana.
315** Interestingly enough, according to [[http://www.sword-masamune.com/en/info.html this]] site, Masamune's descendant Masamune XXIV now runs a sword and cutlery shop in Kamakura. Sadly, it looks like he'll be the last generation to be taking on the family craft, as his son is in Italy studying opera.
316* Muramasa is said to have infused every sword he made with his violent rage. Although Muramasa is often portrayed as Goro's pupil, the two lived about two centuries apart.
317* 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 strengthened folk beliefs about how the keris are magic blades (of the "possessed by a powerful entity" variety).
318* 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 that needs months or years of careful fitting and finishing.
319* Filippo Negroli of Milan was one of the most famous and respected armorers of the 16th century, making parade armor for rulers such as Holy Roman Emperor Charles V and Francis I of France. He was a master of embossing plates in high relief with acanthus leaves, mermaids, gorgons, and other fanciful decoration.
320* Andrew Ferrara may have been a sword-maker in Scotland in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. Whether he actually existed is debatable, but it is known that extremely well-made Scottish broadswords have his name inscribed on their blades.
321* 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 and 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.)
322* 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.
323* One theory to explain why some Cyclopes of Greek myth were smiths is that actual blacksmiths would wear an eyepatch while working to protect from sparks.
324[[/folder]]

Top