- Anvil Empires smithing turns iron ore fragments into tier 3 tools and weapons via forge, anvil, and quenching station.
- First step: Craft a Flint Pickaxe (3 planks, 2 fiber, 2 flint) at a workbench to mine iron outcrops.
- Smelting: 3 iron ore fragments + 1 minute of furnace fuel = 1 iron ingot.
- Key mechanic: Quench temperature determines quality — tool blades at 25%, weapon tips at 10%, sword blades at 40%, axe heads at 55%.
- Critical warning: Overheating a partially formed item back to 100% reverts it into an iron ingot.
Anvil Empires Smithing: Workshop Overview
Smithing in Anvil Empires is a multi-station production chain. Before you can hammer a single ingot, your workshop needs four distinct structures working together: a workbench for basic tools, a furnace for smelting, a forge and anvil for shaping, and a quenching station to lock in quality. Each step feeds directly into the next, so setting up all stations within walking distance saves enormous time.
Video Highlights:
- Full walkthrough from mining wild iron to finished tier 3 blades
- Exact quenching temperatures for each blade type
- How reheating works and when an item reverts to an ingot
- Assembly of an iron hammer at the advanced workbench
Workbench
- Crafts Flint Pickaxe and Flint Hammer
- Produces blanks (1 plank each)
- Basic tier recipes
Furnace
- Smelts 3 ore fragments into 1 ingot
- Branches fuel for 1 minute
- Bulk-stack smelting supported
Forge + Anvil
- Heats ingots for shaping
- 50% max heat without bellows
- Hammer forms: tool/weapon/sword/axe heads
Quenching Station
- Locks in final quality tier (1-3 stars)
- Requires water inside
- Temperature timing is critical
Place the forge, anvil, and quenching station as close together as possible. Shaping requires multiple reheat cycles, and long walks between stations let your ingot cool below workable temperature.
Gathering Materials and Smelting Ingots
Every smithing run starts with iron. Wild iron outcrops spawn across the map and can be farmed with a flint pickaxe. Press E at a workbench, queue the pickaxe (3 planks, 2 fiber, 2 flint), then left-click the finished item from the workbench output slot into your inventory.
To mine, press Tab, move the pickaxe to your right-hand slot, equip it with 1, and hold left mouse button on the iron outcrop. It drops iron ore fragments you pick up with E.
| Stage | Input | Station | Output | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mining | Iron outcrop | Flint pickaxe in hand | Iron ore fragments | Hold LMB on outcrop |
| Smelting | 3 ore fragments | Furnace + 1 min fuel | 1 iron ingot | Right-click to load full stack |
| Basic tool | 2 planks, 2 flint, 1 fiber | Workbench | Flint Hammer | Needed for anvil work |
| Blanks | 1 plank each | Workbench | 1 blank | 2 blanks + tool blade = iron hammer |
Fuel efficiency reference:
| Fuel Type | Burn Time | Best Use |
|---|---|---|
| Branches | 1 minute | Quick furnace smelting runs |
| Planks | 3 minutes | Forge heating, longer sessions |
The furnace needs at least one full minute of fuel to convert three ore fragments into an ingot. If fuel runs out mid-smelt, load more before queueing additional fragments.
Step-by-Step: From Ingot to Tier 3 Blade
Heating, hammering, and quenching form the core loop of Anvil Empires smithing. Master this sequence and every weapon type follows the same rhythm.
Heat the Ingot
Press E at the forge, place the iron ingot inside, and add plank fuel (3 minutes each). Watch the orange heat bar — without bellows, the forge caps at 50% heat. Remove the ingot once fully heated.
Select a Form on the Anvil
Press E at the anvil and choose your target: tool head (daggers/hammers), sword blade, weapon head (spears), or axe/pickaxe heads.
Hammer and Reheat
Place the heated ingot on the anvil and hold left mouse button to hammer. Listen for the hammer sound to change — that signals the metal has cooled too much. Reheat at the forge, but avoid returning it to 100% heat or it reverts to an ingot.
Finish the Shape
Keep hammering until the model on the anvil stops changing shape. This may require several reheat cycles for complex forms.
Quench at the Right Temperature
Move the finished blade to the quenching station (ensure it has water), watch the temperature gauge, and press quench at the exact threshold for your blade type.
| Blade Type | Used For | Tier 3 Quench Point |
|---|---|---|
| Tool blade | Daggers, hammers | 25% (bottom of ingot symbol) |
| Weapon tip | Spears | 10% (well below ingot bottom) |
| Sword blade | Swords | 40% (bottom of top ingot) |
| Axe head | Axes, pickaxes | 55% (slightly above middle) |
Quench timing directly determines quality: correct temperature yields a 3+ tier blade, while mistimed quenches produce 2 or even 1 star versions.
Assembling Finished Tools
A quench-forged blade is only a component. Final assembly happens at the advanced workbench, where blanks and tool blades combine into working equipment.
For an iron hammer, you need 2 blanks (crafted from 2 planks at the basic workbench) plus 1 tool blade. Load all three into the advanced workbench inventory, left-click the iron hammer icon, and production completes in about 30 seconds.
| Tool | Components | Assembly Station | Craft Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iron Hammer | 2 blanks + 1 tool blade | Advanced workbench | ~30 seconds |
| Blanks | 1 plank each | Workbench | Fast |
Craft blanks in bulk before starting a smithing session. Pairing pre-made blanks with freshly quenched tool blades keeps the advanced workbench running without idle gaps.
Smithing Readiness Checklist
Before committing rare iron to the forge, run through this preparation list. Each item prevents a common failure point in the smithing chain.
Pre-Smithing Setup:
- Craft a Flint Pickaxe (3 planks, 2 fiber, 2 flint)
- Craft a Flint Hammer (2 planks, 2 flint, 1 fiber)
- Stock furnace fuel: branches for smelting, planks for the forge
- Confirm water in the quenching station
- Memorize tier 3 quench points for your target blade type
Reheating a partially formed blade to 100% heat resets it back into a plain iron ingot, wiping all hammering progress. Pull items from the forge the moment they are workable.
FAQ
Q: How do I get iron for smithing in Anvil Empires?
Craft a Flint Pickaxe at a workbench (3 planks, 2 fiber, 2 flint), equip it in your right hand, and hold left mouse button on wild iron outcrops. Pick up the dropped iron ore fragments with E, then smelt 3 fragments into 1 ingot at a fueled furnace.
Q: What temperature should I quench each blade type at?
For tier 3 results: tool blades at 25%, weapon tips at 10%, sword blades at 40%, and axe heads at 55% on the temperature gauge. Wrong timing drops the result to tier 2 or tier 1.
Q: Why did my blade turn back into an iron ingot?
Two causes: leaving a partially formed item off the anvil too long lets it fully cool and revert, or reheating it to 100% at the forge resets it. Reheat just enough to keep working and return to the anvil quickly.
Q: How do I make an iron hammer?
Craft 2 blanks at a basic workbench (1 plank each), obtain a tier 3 tool blade from the anvil and quenching station, then combine all three components at the advanced workbench. The iron hammer finishes in about 30 seconds.