Herreros: The Spanish History of Blacksmiths

Dave Sabo, a local blacksmith skilled in the traditional methods of herreros, describes some of the early iron manufacturing and blacksmithing practices that were used in NM.

Herreros, or Spanish blacksmiths, were highly valued members of Spanish expeditions to New Mexico. Their most common function was to shoe horses and repair armor, horse gear, firearms, and small tools. As more colonists arrived, blacksmiths turned their attention to providing domestic goods such like griddles, roasting spits, ladles, and knives.

Dave Sabo, a local blacksmith skilled in the traditional methods of herreros, describes some of the early iron manufacturing and blacksmithing practices that were used in New Mexico.