Smithing | Skyrim Wiki

How to be a Blacksmith in Skyrim

As a blacksmith players can create weapons, armor and jewelry with the right materials and knowledge. Bring materials to a Forge and Anvil to start crafting weapons, armor and jewelry. At the Forge and Anvil all the items that the player can craft is shown with items greyed out if the player does not have enough materials to craft it. Selecting the item to craft will show the materials required to craft it and how many of each is needed. For armor and weapons the armor and damage values of the crafted piece are increased based on the smithing level but not from bonuses from sources such as a Fortify Smithing potion and Fortify Smithing enchantment effects. 

Players have to increase their smithing levels to gain access to perks that would unlock weapon and armor recipes. This is the only way for players to learn to make new weapons and armors from new materials. The perk tree is split for light and heavy armor progressions with both paths ending at the Dragon Armor perk unlocking both light and heavy dragon armors and weapons. 

Blacksmithing also allows players to improve armor and shields at a workbench, or improve your weapons at a grindstone. When selecting the item to improve, the required material is shown and only 1 is required for each improvement. The amount of improvement weapons and armor can get are influenced by Fortify Smithing potion effects and the Fortify Smithing enchantment effects.

Item qualities are shown in the name of the item, going from Fine, Superior, Exquisite, Flawless, Epic to Legendary. Items can be upgraded multiple times as long as the level of improvement is higher with the quality name based on the level of improvement. 

Skyrim Smithing Materials

Blacksmithing typically requires ingots of metal and leather strips to craft armor and weapons. These materials can be gained by purchasing from vendors or alternatively you can find or mine ore in mines and bring them to a smelter to make metal ingots. Hide can be turned into leather at tanning racks, where you also turn leather into leather strips. Neither smelting or working the tanning rack benefit from nor add to the skill gain of Blacksmithing. 

Most weapons and armor will require other materials as well to craft. These can be found around the world from various locations and enemies. 

For improving items, weapons and armor will use a relevant, related ingot or other material to upgrade. 

Check the specific weapons or armor or search on the full lists to look for the materials required to improve or craft them. 

Skyrim Smithing Skill Leveling

Smithing levels are increased by crafting new equipment, or by improving weapons and armor. Levels can also be increased through the use of Trainers as well as finding and using Skill Books. There are also quest rewards specific to Blacksmithing such as the reward from Unfathomable Depths (Quest) that gives a 15% bonus.

The skill gain for Blacksmithing is based on the value of the equipment crafted. This is increased by the base value of the item being crafted, the smithing level as well as bonuses from sources such as a Fortify Smithing potion and Fortify Smithing enchantments in armor.

By repeatedly crafting something that has a low material cost with high value players can quickly increase their Blacksmithing level without too much difficulty. Typically this is done with Iron Dagger crafting or by crafting jewelry, or Dwarven bows. 

Skyrim Smithing Tips

• Players can smelt Dwemer scrap metal to make Dwarven Metal Ingots used in crafting
• Iron dagger crafting is a good starting point but finding and crafting gems into Jewelry will give good experience as well
• Some houses can be installed with a Forge and Anvil so players can both store smithing materials as well as craft new weapons, armor and jewelry there. 
• The strongest armor and weapons can be made through smithing with high levels of Fortify Smithing effects through enchanted armor and potion effects