Don't know how well this stands up as far as wolf hierarchy ideas go these days, but I remember once hearing that betas were usually the biggest, most boisterous and troublesome in a wolfpack. Always ensuring that everyone knew their place and that the alphas were still fit to [i]be[/i] the alphas. So, that's what this situation makes me think of: that your armour making badmouther is forcing the alpha to prove himself in order to make sure the alpha remains suited to the position. Not because they're being an ass (though they could well be that too) but because it's for the good of the pack to make sure the alphas are capable.

I honestly have no idea how to deal with that though, cuz I'm sure it can get a bit tiring. But in order to keep things from escalating, that's how I'd try to spin things, so that the alpha simply doesn't need to back down, rather than having to put this smith in his place. Sort of a... oh here we go again routine.