Honestly, if you're wandering around Hallownest with that chipped, rusty "Old Nail" and feeling like every basic enemy is a mini-boss, I feel for you. We've all been there. You hit a Vengefly and it just... doesn't die. You’re looking for a boost. You need the upgrade.
The short answer is that the Nailsmith is in the City of Tears, specifically tucked away on the far western edge of the map. But "west side of the city" is a bit vague when you’re being chased by heavy sentries and dodging rain that never stops. Finding where is the nailsmith in Hollow Knight is the first real turning point where the game stops bullying you and starts letting you bully back.
Tracking Down the Nailsmith's Hut
You can’t just walk into the City of Tears from the front door at the start. Most players find him after they've made it through the Fungal Wastes and survived the initial trek into the city's rainy spires.
Once you’re in the City of Tears, look for the big elevator that connects the lower city to the platforms above. If you head all the way to the bottom left corner of the main city area, you'll see a sign. It’s shaped like a nail. Very subtle, right? Follow that path. You’ll cross a series of outdoor platforms—be careful here because the City Sentries don't play nice—until you reach a lonely hut perched over a sheer drop.
That’s his workshop. Inside, you’ll find a guy who has dedicated his entire life to one thing: making the perfect blade. He’s obsessed. He’s also the only person in the world who can actually make you stronger.
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The Upgrade Path (and the Geo problem)
The first time you meet him, he’ll take one look at your pathetic weapon and offer to sharpen it. It costs 250 Geo. No materials required. Just cold, hard cash. This turns your Old Nail into a Sharpened Nail, and suddenly, the world feels a lot less scary.
But it gets harder.
After that first sharpen, he’s going to start asking for Pale Ore. This stuff is rare. Like, "only six pieces in the entire kingdom" rare. If you want the top-tier gear, you're going to have to scour the most dangerous parts of the map.
- Channelled Nail: Needs 1 Pale Ore and 800 Geo.
- Coiled Nail: Needs 2 Pale Ore and 2,000 Geo.
- Pure Nail: Needs 3 Pale Ore and a whopping 4,000 Geo.
Basically, you’re looking at a total of 7,050 Geo and 6 Pale Ore for a full completion. It's a grind. Honestly, the 4,000 Geo for the final upgrade feels like a personal attack when you've just lost your shade in Deepnest, but the damage jump is worth every penny.
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What Happens When the Work is Done?
This is where the Nailsmith's story gets heavy. Once you hand over those last three pieces of ore and he forges the Pure Nail, he has a bit of an existential crisis. He’s achieved his life's goal. He has nothing left to live for.
He’ll step outside and stand by the ledge. He asks you to kill him. He wants to feel the "exquisite edge" of his own masterpiece.
To Kill or Not to Kill?
You have a choice. And it’s one of the few choices in Hollow Knight that actually has a "happy" ending if you resist your gamer instincts to hit everything with a sword.
- Grant his wish: You strike him down. He falls into the water. You get the Purity achievement. Later, you can find his body in the Junk Pit. It’s bleak.
- Walk away: Just... leave. Don't hit him. If you spare him, he doesn't stay there. He eventually finds a new purpose.
If you choose to let him live, he wanders off to Greenpath. Specifically, you’ll find him at Nailmaster Sheo's hut. The two of them become "artistic partners" (the community has other theories, and the achievement is literally called Happy Couple). It’s easily the most wholesome thing in a game that is otherwise about a dying kingdom and a literal plague.
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Pro Tip: If you want that Happy Couple achievement, make sure you've already visited Sheo and learned the Great Slash nail art. If you haven't, the Nailsmith might not show up there immediately.
Where to Find Pale Ore for Upgrades
Since you’re going to be visiting the Nailsmith frequently, you need to know where the materials are. You can’t just buy them at a shop. You have to earn them.
The "easiest" one is in the Ancient Basin, hidden behind some Lesser Mawleks. Another is a reward from the Seer in the Resting Grounds once you hit 300 Essence. You can also find one at the very peak of Crystal Peak (Hallownest’s Crown), or by defeating the creepy mimic boss Nosk in Deepnest. If you’re a completionist, the Grubfather gives you one after you save 31 grubs, and the Colosseum of Fools awards one for the Trial of the Conqueror.
Getting the Pure Nail changes the game. It’s not just about damage; it’s about the fact that you can finally one-shot some of those annoying flying enemies that knock you into spikes.
Actionable Next Steps
If you're still sitting on the base nail, get yourself to the City of Tears immediately. Make sure you have the Mantis Claw from the Fungal Wastes first, or you'll never make the jumps required to reach the western side of the city. Once you get that first Sharpened Nail, your priority should be hunting down that first piece of Pale Ore in the Ancient Basin to get the Channelled upgrade before you tackle the tougher bosses like the Soul Master.