A swordsmith is a skilled artisan and craftsman who creates bladed weapons such as swords. A modern swordsmith, like a blacksmith, may use a combination of techniques to create decorative and functional swords, daggers, and knives. Swordmaking, which was once a common craft, has become much rarer in modern times as swords have gradually fallen out of favor as weapons.
Swordsmithing is a 5,000-year-old craft with roots in ancient cultures all over the world. Around the 17th century BCE, some of the earliest known swords were forged from copper, iron, and bronze in a variety of locations, including Egypt, China, and India. Steel swords became increasingly popular as technology advanced due to their durability and strength. As firearms improved, swords became less common on the battlefield, and they have rarely been used militarily for more than decorative purposes since the twentieth century.
A swordsmith typically uses a forge to make metal blades and hilts, though some hilts may also have wooden or gemstone accents. The smith must shape and sharpen the blade with a variety of tools depending on the style and design of the sword. The blade material is usually heated before being shaped with hammers and an anvil as a base. The blade is joined to the hilt and pommel after it has been completely shaped and tempered, and then sharpened to complete the weapon.
Although swordsmithing is no longer as popular as it once was, there are still many societies, training programs, and groups for artisans and trainees who want to learn the craft. Unlike in the past, when a swordsmith was either apprenticed to a master at a young age or born into a dynasty of smiths, modern smiths must typically pay to train with a master. Mastery can take years, and the requirements for becoming a master vary depending on the smithing organization.
Tales of famous swords and their skilled, sometimes supernatural smiths abound in legends and myths. Wayland the Smith, a mercurial man, is said to have forged Gram, the magical sword used by the hero Seigfried to slay the dragon Fafnir, according to European mythology. Masamune, considered by many to be the most famous Japanese swordsmith of all time, is one of the most famous real swordsmiths. Masamune was known for creating stunning swords that glittered thanks to an embedded crystal component in the blade, in addition to his superior craftsmanship that dominated 14th century Japan.