People were mining, smelting, and forging many metals 650 years ago.

yep, 3000bc+ going back to copper and bronze.

but there’s a tremendous jump from being able to smelt metal in small quantities - obtaining enough ores for each, for example, is probably more than one person work to produce anything usable. smelting, gathering wood or other fuel, building ovens and water wheels etc… and no one to call on for expertise…

hard couple of decades to produce some wire :D

primitive technology youtube channel has him trying to make iron for a few years with everything handmade. watch it to see what you’d be up against.