Hammers

• There are many different types of hammers used in shaping metal. The most common type is the ball-peen hammer. Hammers are typically expensive unless bought second-hand, but this is because it's very important that hammers are properly fitted. The weight of the hammer is more important that the type of hammer used, and most ball-peen hammers weigh around 1,000 grams, though it will vary depending on the blacksmith's preference.
  
  

Punches

• The blacksmith uses punches to make holes in metal. A drill can also be used for this purpose however. There are two basic shapes of punches: a round punch, and a square punch. There are other shapes of punches which are less regularly used. They are often small so that they remove as little metal as possible. Larger metal punches will have handles to keep the blacksmith away from the reflected heat.
  
  

Hardy

• This is part of a set of "anvil tools," kept in various holes in the anvil. The hardy is a type of chisel used for cutting metal both when it's cooled and when it's still hot. There are different types of chisels such as the hot chisel and cold chisel and the half-round chisel. The chisel for cutting cold metal is much shorter and thicker than the hot chisel. There are also special-made chisels for specific purposes.
  
  

Other Hardware

• There are other pieces of equipment that are more like accessories to the metal shaping process. They do not directly shape the metal, but instead aid the blacksmith in the process. The blacksmith uses tongs, for example, to move and hold hot metal so that the blacksmith can work on it from different angles. The anvil is another important piece of hardware, coming in all kinds of sizes. Medium anvils are often affixed to tree stumps, while larger anvils simply rest on the ground.