The ancient traditional tool of the smith is a forge or smithy, which is a fire which allows compressed air (through a bellows) to heat the inside of the forge until it is hot enough for metal to become more malleable so that it can be hammered into the shape that is required.

What does hammering hot metal do?

Striking a piece of hot metal with a hammer is forging, and blacksmiths have been doing this for centuries. As blacksmiths experimented with new techniques, they learned that complex shapes could be created by hammering metal into a die. The die contains the shape of the finished product.

Why do blacksmiths heat metal?

Blacksmiths put solid hard iron into a forge and heat it at a temperature high enough to soften it. ... Because if you don't, the iron will turn solid hard as before, and changing its shape then would be impossible.