Smithing may just be a useful and creative tool after all.
Recently from a well trusted person, information was leaked that we can customize are creations in various ways.
These ways include being able to add aesthetic effects as well as internal effects during weapon and Armour creation as well as with upgrading.
For example, i could have an iron dagger and add a wolf pelt handle, giving it that signature taste that everyone so dearly wants.
We don't know much information about it, but i have high hopes and can not wait to see what we can do.
Here is where i got my information, a very well trusted source.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KI9yEwye9vY

Don't forget either.
Enchanters you may not be ruled out of aesthetics either.
In a interview about a month ago it was said that elemental effects, actually appeared aesthetically on weapons (Maybe even armor?).
This means if you enchant fire damage into a sword/arrows, you will see the weapon/arrows have fire dancing around them.

I wasn't even expecting that, thanks beth

Ebony coated Dragonbone, Coverd with Ebony coated Dragonscale and Enchanted.

I wish i could find the official say, but it may be leaked info. Either way i doubt its false, as i have seen this guy and so far all his info has been right.

You want to put wood on top of dragonscale? Not the other way around?

I'm afraid I don't really know enough to say what I'd want before I've seen what's on offer. A golden hilt? That's the scope of my knowledge on this topic

Wow that's a pretty awesome addition, I would want mammoth fur on everything :turned:

Not wood, but only the Finest Imperial ebony ore!

Ebony is a wood sort...

if this is true i am a happy man

i'm gonna make a gold long sword with a bear skin handle (i might go farther with it if you can)

:toughninja:

Well it seems also that enchanting does asthetic effects also, like say you put fire damage on a sword, it will actually appear to be on fire.

This is a Fine Steel Longsword. On the item is an image of Dwemer and kittens in Dragonbone, the Dwemer are slaughtering the kittens. This object menaces with spikes of Wolf Fur.

From the Elder Scrolls Wiki "...a rare volcanic glass that can almost only be found in Vvardenfell's Red Mountain lava. This special material is found under the surface of old lava flows, and it gets its name from its glossy black surface...."

You're thinking of ebony in real life. From Wikipedia "...Ebony is any very dense black wood, most commonly yielded by several species in the genus Diospyros, but may also refer to other heavy, black (or dark colored) woods from unrelated species...."

"Some enemies will run when they know they can't win." Can't wait till I make my first dragon run away.

Huh...I had never thought TES would make Ebony a glass material....my mistake. Weird, but my mistake.

*you can start wars between holds*

WHAT WHAT WHAT!?

im so gonna start a massive war between all the holds...

I actually wasn't sure myself until you said something and I had to double check LOL

To stay on topic. I'd have to go: Silver Longsword with Ebony handguard with a Lion-Pelt wrapped handle.

I would love a Dragon Bone Sword with Dragon Scale handle and a fire damage with fire dancing around my weapon.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ebony

Also wheres the sources for the Smithing stuff? I keep seeing it mentioned but I havnt seen the actual sources for it yet... I had thought they just replaced "Repairs" with a Monster Hunter style weapon sharpening.

lol no you can make your own weapons, has been said in many interviews. This customization is new tho, i am asking the video creator to site his source for it tho, when he does ill post the source.