"It is said in songs that it gleamed ever in the dark if foes approached, and the fortress of the dwarves could not be taken by surprise."
~ The Hobbit, Chapter 18

Orcrist was most likely forged in the smithies of Gondolin which existed from approximately 100 to 500 First Age, thus placing Orcrist's age at over 6000 years during the War of the Ring.

Little is known of the history of Orcrist before the Third Age. It was found in a troll horde along with Glamdring and Sting in 2941 by Bilbo, Gandalf and the small group of dwarves heading to Lonely Mountain. Thorin Oakenshield claimed the sword as his, and it stayed at his side until captured by the Wood Elves of Mirkwood. Thranduil, King of the Mirkwood Elves, placed Orcrist upon Thorin's tomb, its final resting place.

When Orcrist is initially discovered in The Hobbit (Chapter 2), it is described as having a "beautiful scabbard and a jeweled hilt." Later when Elrond examines the sword, he identifies it by the runes (presumably) on the blade and identifies its Elvish name, Goblin-cleaver. It is interesting to note that even after being lost for over 6000 years, even the goblins recognize Orcrist as Biter (The Hobbit, Chapter 4) and are afraid of it.

Orcrist is an Elven blade, and like Glamdring and Sting, it glows in the presence of Orcs and their kin. "They [goblins] came scurrying round the corner in full cry, and found Goblin-cleaver and Foe-hammer shining cold and bright…" (The Hobbit, Chapter 4)

After the Battle of Five Armies, in which Thorin II fell, Orcrist was placed upon his tomb where it gleamed in the dark to warn of approaching enemies. Presumably, an honour guard of some sort would have been placed upon Thorin's tomb to spread the alarm if the sword ever glowed.

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