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Blacksmith Workshop, Inle Lake

Inle Lake Blacksmith Workshop is located in Se-khong village, which produces knives and farming tools, sold at different 5 - day markets around the Inlay region.

The worker makes everything from farming tools and knives to boat propellers. All done by hand. One worker stokes the fire with bellows and when the steel gets really hot, he jumps down from a platform and together with two other men shape the steel with sledgehammers while another holds whatever it is they are making and moves it to create the shape they need. The process will repeat over and over. It's hard work and seemed pretty dangerous. They weren't wearing shoes and the sparks were flying everywhere. But, it's how things are done in the villages and it all seems to work for them.

Taking the boat towards the blacksmith workshop.

Sailing the boat over Inle Lake towards the blacksmith workshop.

Arriving at the blacksmith workshop.

Interior of the traditional blacksmith workshop.
The worker operating the blacksmith's bellows is on the left. The blacksmith is in the center. The strikers are on the right.


Blacksmith's strikers.
Blacksmith strikers are assistants (usually apprentices) whose job is to swing a large sledgehammer in heavy forging operations as directed by the blacksmith.

  • In practice, the blacksmith holds the hot iron on the anvil (with tongs) with one hand and indicates where to strike the iron by hitting it with a small hammer in the other hand. The attackers then deliver a strong blow to the indicated location with a sledgehammer.

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