In addition to the requisite raw material, crafting a weapon involves three basic elements. For every item type such as a bronze long sword, bronze mace et al, there's a formula you must first acquire and then scribe into your book of knowledge. Then, you need to have and equip the right tool, in this case a smithing hammer. And third, you need to be standing by the appropriate "machine"; when making weapons, this is an anvil. There's also a slider whereby you can balance resource cost versus chance of success. Level in the corresponding skill, weaponcraft, also appears to factor in, but in this instance, the character supplied far exceeded even the "optimum" requirement. Overall, crafting appears to be a highly significant aspect of the overall gameplay; my character was carrying a substantial number of tools ranging from a mining pick to a tree axe, wood saw, sewing needle, smelting tongs, tinkering spanner, masonry trowel and perhaps another dozen or so.