Redsmith

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A redsmith - also known as a coppersmith - is one who works copper. The term 'redsmith' comes from the actions of the metal worker, and from the metal being worked. Copper must be heated and cooled for increased malleability (annealing). When copper is heated to high temperatures it turns red, hense the prefix. To "smite" means to strike which describes the actions taken for working the metal, hense the suffix. Copper is generaly considered to be a soft metal, meaning it can be worked without heating. Over a period of working the metal in this way it can 'work harden'. This means that the molecules within the copper are compressed and irregular in their arrangement. This causes stress in the metal and eventually cracking the metal along these stress points. In order for the copper to be worked to any extensive degree it must be annealed. This process involves heating the metal and then rapidly cooling it in water. The cooling stage is known as quenching. By heating the copper, the molecules in the metal are relaxed, and able to align themselves in a more uniform fashion. This allows for easier shaping of the metal. In order to keep this uniformity within the metal, it is cooled instanly. This prevents the molecules from moving around and causing tension in the structure of the metal.