Greatest Weapon Smith

[Winyaél Greenleaf]

Who's the best creator of weapons in your opinion?

Would it be Aulë, a Vala and the smith and master of crafts, who bestowed the dwarves his skills for metal work and crafts?

Eöl, the creator of Anglachel/Gurthang?

Telchar, the most renowned of dwarvish smiths in Nogrod and maker of Narsil and Angrist?

Or any other smiths of Middle Earth whom you admire?

[Lady Ashley]

I say Aule, because he really started the whole art of crafting! It was he who gave knowledge of jewels and crafting to the Noldor etc.

[Hobbit]

Hmm.. I guess Aule was the best craftsman.. but this thread is about weapons and I'm not sure he forged weapons (if so, he would diffinatly win)

So I guess Telchar was the best, since the Sil sais the elves were better craftsmen then dwarves in everything but weapons, so maybe he Telchar is even better then Feanor and Eol.

[Lasgalen]

Eol forged the blacksword, so I will say Eol.

[Alatar]

Well i think that Eol made one of the most effective weapons, but i think Telchar was the best weapon smith

[Finrod Felagund]

Anybody know who made Glamdring and Dramborleg, I'm pretty sure they were made in Gondolin but did JRR ever say who made them?
Also, I believe Aule sould have to be the best because A. he's a god and B. because he's a god.
Someone else to throw in: Nerdanel's Father Mahtan who taught Feanor about smithiing metals
And of course Feanor himself
Also Anglachel and Anguirel were made from a special metal. So was the fact that Eol was a great smith (and he was one) the reason for those two's lethality or their metal?
Although we never hear about any weapon made by Feanor, doesn't it stand to reason that the Greatest Smith Ever would be able to make a pretty good sword? He gets my vote

I know Melian said something about Anglachel being forged by an Elf with a dark heart but I thought she said something else about a weapon forged by "treacherous dwarves"? any one know about that?

[Lasgalen]

Aule is not necessarily the best weapon smith. The Noldor surpassed him in certain skills. From the Sil: Great became their (the Noldor) knowledge and their skill; yet even greater was their thirst for more knowledge, and in many things they soon surpassed their teachers."

[Winyaél Greenleaf]

Glamdring was forged in Gondolin for Turgon. I have no idea who its creator was. I don't think it was ever mentioned. I have no concept about Dramborleg, only that it's a great axe and it belongs to Tuor.

While it's true that the special metal that constitutes Anglachel might be the result of it's lethality rather than the physical form and design of the sword itself, it takes a good smith to determine the type of material that'll be suitable for the creation of a particular type of sword.
For example, a good carpenter would be able to create a very stable piece of furniture because he uses a special type of wood that would give that piece of furniture that particular property.

So my vote still goes to Eol for his creation of the Black Sword.

[Gil Galad]

id would say Aule, not only for his skill and that he thought the others (either directly or indirectly), but for his humilty, he forged for the joy of it and not to further his own possesions

[Friend of Maglor]

:flamer: FEANOR FEANOR FEANOR :flamer:

The single greatest Smith of all times!!!

[Ereinion]

He made weapons? Really? I though he only made julery...:huh:

[Friend of Maglor]

"Feanor made a secret forge... and there he tempered fell swords for himself and his sons..." ~Silmarillion

Absolutely!! *grins* He was an elf of many talents!!

[Ereinion]

Hmmmm....Learn something new every day.....Well,that's cool for Feanor :thumbs:
I like the Gondolin smiths....Their warning-swords are something! I wouldn't want one though,but they're still cool!

[Friend of Maglor]

Yah, if my vision weren't clouded painfully by Feanorean prejudice I would totally agree. *smiles helplessly*

[Lasgalen]

Fëanor learned the art from his father-in-law. Mahtan was a great smith. Whether or not Fëanor surpassed him is debatable.

[Friend of Maglor]

Feanor surpassed everybody in everything *pouts*

JK!! You've got a point Las!!

[Gil Galad]

mmm, i think it was supposed to be ah whats his name....(made the rings of power, whats his name...)well anyway him, that made Glamdring etc, but then his descendancy was changed and stuf, to become feanors grandson, so im not sure if it was ever decided who was to become the great smith of Gondolin

[Lasgalen]

You must mean Celebrimbor. He was the sole maker of the three Elven rings. That would make Mahtan his greatgrandfather. Seems like smithing runs in the family.

[Gil Galad]

yeh thats it Las, thanx man. Mahtan would have been his G Grandfather alrite, but i think the prof changed that, as it would have been dangerous having a feanorean Elf in Gondolin. but anyway thats discussed elsewhere