In blacksmithing, the process of forging metal typically involves multiple steps to shape, strengthen, and refine the metal. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the steps: forge, normalize or anneal, harden, and temper.
Forging The metal when it's heated in a furnace or a high-temperature heat source until it becomes soft and malleable, making it easier to shape using tools like hammers or presses.
Normalizing is a heat treatment that is used to relieve stresses in the metal, refine its consistency, and create a more uniform grain structure.
The hardening process involves heating the metal to a high temperature, followed by quenching—rapidly cooling the metal, usually by immersing it in water or oil.
Tempering involves reheating the hardened metal to a lower temperature and then slowly cooling it. The tempering process reduces the brittleness that comes from hardening and adjusts the hardness of the metal to a more usable level, depending on the desired balance between hardness and toughness.
