Meet UAE’s 'iron man' who has been moulding metals for over 80 years

The lines on Syed Murad's hands tell a tale of decades spent hammering, melting, and shaping iron and steel into functional tools. Today, standing strong at 85, Murad continues to work as a blacksmith, preserving a craft that has been his lifelong passion and that he inherited from his father.

“All my friends have addressed me as ‘iron man’ since my childhood. And later I was known by that name,” said Murad, seated proudly at his shop, Al Haddad Syed (Blacksmith Syed), located in the Heritage Village at the Global Village.

Since 1997, when Global Village first began at Dubai Creek, Murad and his son, Syed Hassan, have been bringing their traditional techniques to life for visitors from across the globe.

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“It was a small place back then,” Murad recalled. “We would bring everything from our workshop in Ajman and sell it here. Now, at its current location, we even have the tools to mould metal and shape it right on-site.”

The beginning

When Murad was five years old, he didn’t play with toys but with raw metals. His journey as a blacksmith began early, when he would accompany his father to his workplace in Ajman.

At just seven, he joined the trade, learning to craft hinges, fasteners, shackles, and anchors for traditional boats. “Back in the day, parts for boats were in huge demand,” said Murad. “I felt proud working on them. It was considered the topmost job for a blacksmith.”

“I remember telling my father — one day, I will run a business myself,” Murad said with a smile. And by 18, Murad had saved enough money to marry and start his own life. “It was a simple life,” he added, reflecting on his early years.

After gaining experience, Murad honed his craft, mastering the art of making farming tools like hoes, rake hand trowels, and weeding knives over the years. He also became an expert in crafting the ‘das,’ a traditional sickle with a curved, serrated blade. “There are two types of das, one for harvesting and another for cutting down palm tree harvests,” said Murad.

Craftsmanship in each piece

Murad’s process for making a tool is rooted in tradition, requiring great patience and skill. “To produce a knife or a ‘tawa’ (a coffee roaster), we start by melting iron over a charcoal fire,” he said. “Once it’s malleable, we place it on a 'sinda’ (a metal block) and hammer it into shape.” The meticulous process takes over five days to complete for just one product.

Murad also specialises in crafting traditional knives. “Making knives the old-fashioned way is an art form,” he said. “We start with a coal-fired forge, heating the metal until it glows red-hot, and then hammer it into its desired shape.”

The knife is then cooled in water and hardened in oil before being filed and sharpened using traditional tools. “This process takes over three days, but the result is worth it,” he said, highlighting the care that goes into each blade.

Making the wooden handle for a knife is no less intricate. Murad selects strong woods like walnut or rosewood, cuts them into scales that fit perfectly with the tang, drills holes, and secures them with pins and nails.

He shapes the handle with files and sandpaper until it feels just right. “This process can take from a few hours to a couple of days, depending on the design,” said Murad.