Iron
Iron is the External Physical Pulling Metal. An Allomancer burning iron can Pull bits of metal toward his center of mass, and can also use iron to sense the presence of metal nearby. Ironpulling is not dependent on magnetic forces or Allomantic power--most metals (with the exception of aluminum and some of its alloys) can be Pulled. Feruchemists can use iron to store physical weight, and when used as a Hemalurgic spike, iron steals physical strength.
Allomantic Use
An iron Misting is known as a Lurcher. Ironpulling is the art of burning iron to pull metals toward (in a straight line) the user's center of gravity.[1] There are two general rules for ironpulling, which also apply to steelpushing, its paired opposite. The first rule is that the strength of your pull is roughly proportional to your physical mass. This means that larger Allomancers can generally ironpull and steelpush more powerfully than a smaller counterpart. While proportional, the force exerted by an ironpull is much greater than the Allomancer's weight, allowing them to pull themselves through the air by pulling on a piece of metal that weighs more than they do (or is anchored to something that does).[2] The second rule is that metal that is at least partially inside a person's body cannot be affected by iron. Both of these rules can be overcome by a sufficiently strong Allomancer, however.
Of the two external physical metals, iron is by far the less flashy. Utilized by a Misting, iron is generally used as a purely defensive mechanism, cancelling out the efforts of enemy Coinshots by ironpulling enemy projectiles into a wooden shield. Iron is also less useful by itself in jumping, since using iron requires a large, well anchored piece of metal at your destination. Both metals' performance is greatly enhanced when used in tandem, allowing feats like those performed by Kelsier in his battle with the Inquisitor Bendal.
Feruchemical Use
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An iron Ferring is known as a Skimmer. Iron is used to store physical mass, or more accurately, density.[1] This is accomplished by changing the Feruchemist's mass, not by changing the effect of gravity on the Feruchemist. This change does not affect things that the Feruchemist wears, but is great enough that a Feruchemist storing weight can safely fall any distance, as the Feruchemist's surface area is sufficient to slow the fall to safe speeds.[3]
A Feruchemist tapping iron can grow proportionally heavier than normal, and although this is not as useful as storing mass in many cases, it has significant martial applications. Specifically, by tapping iron during key moments, Feruchemists can add force to their blows, and can use added weight to withstand attacks. Furthermore, the added mass from tapping an ironmind can wreak havoc with Steelpushes/Ironpulls if the Feruchemist is being used as the anchor.[4]
Tapping iron has no effect on a Feruchemist's vulnerability to penetration, despite the increase in density.Template:Annotation ref Tapping iron grants the Feruchemist the strength requisite to remain standing.
Feruchemical iron interferes with an individual's interaction with the Higgs Field.[5]
Hemalurgic Use
When used as a Hemalurgic spike, iron steals human physical strength.[6] Increasing the number of spikes increases the strength of the recipient, but at the cost of twisting the body and mind of the person who receives the spikes.
Koloss are created when a living human is implanted with four iron spikes.[7] This gives the koloss incredible strength, but the process effectively destroys their minds, leaving them incapable of complex logic and extremely vulnerable to Ruin's control.
The kandra call a pair of these spikes the Blessing of Potency.[8] Like all kandra Blessings, the Blessing gives the mistwraiths sentience, with the added benefit of physical strength and endurance.