History

The Iron Age followed the Stone Age and the Bronze Age and is thought to have commenced about 1000 years B.C.

Although iron has always been one of the most abundant elements in nature its usage was slow to evolve due to the fact that the early ironworkers did not understand the necessity to reduce the carbon content of the iron by remitting for a second time, and that hammering the ingots would expel the carbon and other impurities to produce the malleable iron we now know. The result was that early iron was similar to Cast Iron and had a very brittle nature.

A Blacksmith in the early days was considered to be a sorcerer with magical powers using fire and water to convert matter itself.

We first encounter the Blacksmith in Greek mythology as Hephaestus and then later in Roman mythology as Vulcan. These figures established the Blacksmith his art as magical characters with special powers to tame and control the hardest if metals then known. An impression that endures in some part to the present day.