A blacksmith is a professional who works with metals such as iron, shaping them into useful or decorative shapes. Blacksmithing is a highly skilled trade, and although blacksmiths are not as abundant as they were historically, they can still command respect and high prices for their services. The work of a blacksmith has also been extremely important historically, as blacksmiths at one point made everything from nails to wrought iron furniture.

The “black” in “blacksmith” is a reference to the metals that blacksmiths work with. These metals develop a layer of dark or black oxides as they are worked. “Smith” is developed from “smite,” to hit, so a blacksmith is literally someone who hits black metal. The tools for blacksmithing are simple, and the art of the work lies in the skill of the practitioner. At a minimum, a blacksmith has a forge for heating metal to malleability, along with an anvil, a hard surface to work the metal against. Blacksmiths also have hammers and similar tools for beating and refining their metal.

Most modern blacksmiths focus on producing fine art or custom metal pieces for clients. Wrought iron furniture and ornaments may be made at a blacksmith's shop, and blacksmiths also make tools. The metalworkers at a forge might also make things like hinges, coat hooks, and other iron accents for people who request hand-made versions of these items rather than commercially produced versions.

Visitors to a blacksmith shop often note the low light conditions. The low level of light might seem counterintuitive in the shop of a craftsman, but it allows a blacksmith to judge the temperature of the metal he or she is working by its color. Metals go through several stages as they heat, and it is important to find the ideal temperature for working to create a strong, solid piece of metalwork. A blacksmith shop also tends to be noisy from all the hammering, as well at hot and dirty from the forge.

One branch of blacksmithing known as farriery cannot be replaced by machine tooling. A farrier is a blacksmith who specializes in making horseshoes and fitting them properly. While basic horseshoes can be mass produced, they still need to be custom shaped for each horse client, a skill which involves knowledge of equine anatomy and equestrian sports. Properly fitted horseshoes make the difference between sound, healthy horses and lame ones, and some farriers specialize in fitting medical horseshoes which are designed to treat specific conditions of the leg and hoof.