Iron working had been practiced in Palestine as early as 3000 B.C. (early Bronze Age), although 1200 B.C. is usually identified as the beginning of the Iron Age. Therefore, iron working was clearly possible for Lehi’s family.
Eldin Ricks notes that the bellows was well known to the Hebrews during Lehi’s lifetime: “As made in Egypt it consisted of leather hide secured into a frame, from which a long pipe extended for transmission of the wind to the fire. It was worked by the feet, the operator pressing it down, then pulling the empty skin up by means of a string and repeating.”