All you need to know about the craft of traditional blacksmithing

Written by: Norhan Kamal

Edited by: Sara Ahmed

An Egyptian blacksmith in his workshop, taken by Hadeer Abdo

Blacksmithing is one of the oldest and most important craftsmanship in Egypt’s history. In this article, you will find important information about this profession and why it could be on the verge of extinction.

“Blacksmiths are the meaning of life and the people of good old days” with these words, the late poet Fouad Haddad spoke about blacksmiths and their craft. Traditional blacksmithing is one of the ancient crafts that has endured over time. It has been passed down through generations. It’s one of the most important crafts known to humankind, despite the low demand for it, as it is hard and also because of the factories that manufacture iron and steel of all kinds and shapes.

.What does a blacksmith do?

The work of blacksmiths depends mainly on wrought iron and steel. They work by heating pieces of wrought iron or steel until the metal is soft enough to be shaped using hand tools. The hand tools include a hammer, anvil, and chisel. The process of heating is done by using a forge that runs on propane, natural gas, or coal.

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. The difficulties of the blacksmith’s craft

One of the difficulties faced by blacksmiths when they work is the weight of the raw materials and the tools used. Another difficulty is the exposure to high temperatures during the process of melting down solid materials. Additionally, the working conditions can expose blacksmiths to a number of health problems, such as respiratory diseases.

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.Why blacksmithing could be on the verge of extinction?

Shaarawi El Qossairi, a blacksmith mentioned that all citizens resorted to buying ready-made field tools and equipment from the market. This led to the chance of extinction of the traditional blacksmith profession.

Another blacksmith also confirmed that he owned a workshop and manufactured simple agricultural equipment for farmers such as axes, but the citizens’ aspirations for imported industries forced him to close his workshop.

You can save this profession from extinction by buying handcrafted tools from traditional blacksmiths instead of buying imported tools from the market. You can also encourage others to do so. Blacksmithing is an important authentic craft that can’t be abandoned easily.

Taken by: Hadeer Abdo