Blacksmith shops are found in the Musaffah market area of Abu Dhabi, as well as in industrial areas on the outskirts of cities in each emirate. As practitioners of the craft, blacksmiths have managed to preserve their craft and preserve its authenticity. Blacksmiths also competed in the quality of their products and would distinguish their products by placing a stamp on them that included their name, a letter, or a symbol to identify them.

Blacksmithing is considered an arduous craft, as its practitioner faces long hours of heat emanating from the Tannour (oven). Its practitioners require patience and endurance, in addition to talent and artistic skills.

The blacksmith makes many products that are used in various fields such as construction, carpentry, agriculture, and household tools. Examples include Das (sickles), Fas (axes), and Mahash (mowers) used for chopping and cutting wood, harvesting crops, and removing palm fronds. The blacksmithing craft also produces many tools used in traditional construction and metal parts associated with shipbuilding, such as the Bawera (anchor) and the Eddah (carpenter’s tools).

Among the most important tools used by blacksmiths to produce these products are:

• Tannour: A furnace for melting iron, made of clay and stones, to maintain a high temperature.
• Menfakh (air bellower): A tool made of sheepskin and wood, used to light the fire and increase its glow.
• Anvil: A flat-surfaced block of iron used by a blacksmith to hammer and shape products.
• Hammer: A tool used to hammer iron after heating to form products.
• Melqat (tongs): A tool used to hold hot iron while hammering and shaping it.
• Shear (cutting tool): A sharp tool used to cut iron after it has been heated.
• Punching tool: A tool used to pierce iron and create a circular hole for various purposes.

To obtain blacksmith products, the piece of iron to be shaped is placed inside the Tannour (iron smelting furnace) until it reaches red-hot temperature. It is then removed by the handle, beaten and hammered on the anvil until it takes the desired form. Next comes polishing with a circular stone and filing. Once ready, the blacksmith returns it to the furnace, heats it to the melting point, stamps his name or special mark on it, and then immerses it in water to increase its hardness. Through these steps—bending the iron mass in high heat and using specialized tools—the blacksmith forms the final product.