Forging, at a basic level, is the technique of shaping metal pieces
using heat and force, often with a hammer, into parts for machines,
tools and weapons.
The art of forging and metalworking is
found in human culture as early as 4,500 B.C. In the early years of
forging, settlements in Mesopotamia were known to use copper to create
hand tools and weapons for survival. Small wood burning fires and rocks
were used to heat up the metal before pounding it into its desired
shaped. Soon after other metals were discovered, leading the way for
stronger weapons and tools. By 1,000 B.C., forging techniques and metals
had spread throughout Europe and the rest of the old world.
