However, when many people think of ironmongery, they may think of soldiers clad in armour and weapons in pop culture such as Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones - even Iron Man has an enemy called Ironmonger. The skill of ironmongery spans hundreds and thousands of years and, although these rusted weapons are now just museum artefacts, we at Underwood Steel owe these ironmongers of old for honing and passing on their craft to what it is today.

Since the dawn of many ancient civilisations and the first recorded use of metal in 1200 BC, there has always been resources such as wood, copper and iron and ironware quickly became a valuable skill. Since it’s been mined, iron has lent itself to the creation of other crucial resources such as steel, aluminium, gold and more. By the Middle Ages in 476 AD, blacksmiths were highly important as they created weapons and tools, and other metalworkers were able to create humble domestic items to develop housing such as hinges and bolts.

Blacksmiths and metalworkers still remained active, however, as when the Industrial Revolution exploded, so did the need for mass production to keep up with the demand. With a rising population, the increase of homes being built and the development of a postal service, the need for domestic ironmongery products was huge. The patterns of blacksmith hinges and latches, handles and knobs, were simply copied in the new mass medium of iron.

As the 20th Century arrived, ironmonger shops were slowly closing more and more, partly due to DIY superstores. However, some companies still practice this art and can supply ironmongery products to DIY and construction projects like us at Underwood Steel in Worcester, near the steel mill and iron foundries Black Country. And, with the revival of period homes and the attempt at preserving our history, blacksmithing and metalwork is still practised today.

At Underwood Steel, we provide experienced ironmongery services to those in the West Midlands undertaking a DIY or construction project. From various types of screws to hinges, bolts and everything in between, we can provide an extensive range of items so, contact us today.