What does it mean to be a Blacksmith?

[tlreif]

Now I know you are thinking "what kind of a stupid question is that?" But if you stop for a moment and think about it you may be surprised at your own answer. I realize that there is a certain definition of a Blacksmith. But does that really fit you? How long does it take to be called a Smith?

Your answers may range from very humorous to very serious. I welcome all responses.

I pose this question because I have been introduced as a Blacksmith. Am I?
Truly? I have never studied under anyone. Never had lessons. I have watched very intently several fine Smiths. Have watched DVD's on the subject and talked to people about it. You could say that I am self taught. I have spent many hours in the past 6 years (thats how long I have been doing this)as have all of you heating metal and watching how it moves when struck. So I can learn and make it move how I want it to.

I really like being a Blacksmith if thats what I am. So think hard and share your thoughts with the rest of us.

[yesteryearforge]

If you SMITE hot iron then you are a blacksmith
Just like if you sing in the shower you are a singer
There are a lot of different levels of both.

Mike Tanner

[monstermetal]

Well I got news for you... Your a Blacksmith!

I actually had the same worries a few years ago.. I felt like calling myself a blacksmith somehow was being disrespectful to the "true" blacksmiths i knew... I had a situation where I was taking a workshop from Darryl Nelson... And if you dont know who Darryl is well he is a blacksmith for sure.. I was talking to someone else in the class and I had said I dont feel comfortable calling myself a blacksmith... Darryl said something like "Did you drive a car here? Well that makes you a driver... Just because you couldn't win Daytona or Indianapolis.... The act of driving makes you a driver!"
So just because your a blacksmith.. doesn't mean your some expert at the craft.. It just means you hit iron with a hammer...

On a side note I am a firm believer that "thoughts become things" If you think about being a blacksmith... do the things a blacksmith does.. call yourself a blacksmith because that's what you are..

[Dave Hammer]

I generally don't say I'm a blacksmith. I usually say I'm learning to become one.

Sometimes I slip, because there are areas I have become fairly proficient... Then I remember there are a thousand processes I haven't taken the time to become good at yet... and know that the real blacksmiths are good at most, if not all, of the skill areas.

Although.... I have no doubt there were early blacksmiths that were specialists in focus areas (as in most businesses).

[Tim McCoy]

Well said Monstermetal! We are what we do. I, like many, will defer to the men and women who have more time with the hot stuff and a hammer, but I am a blacksmith. I hit hot metal, smell the coal, try to avoid getting burned and sometimes am able to turn what I mentally see into what I physically did I am a blacksmith. Spent time today with a hammer and cold chisel cutting the ends out of 1/4 barrels to make a hood/vent pipe for my coal forge this morning. Cleaned rust and some paint off an anvil that has been loaned to me last week. Forged handles out of rebar for my tiny smithy door two weeks ago. Scrounged metal last week. Stood in my smithy this morning and counted my hammers and rearranged my chisels. Leafed through over two-hundred pages of drawings/photos and plans for tools/hinges/forges this evening before coming on this site and tomorrow I will try to make my first leaf. I have had no apprenteship, all my mentors are on this site or have written books about blacksmithing and my wife encourages me daily. I've never made a dime from hitting hot metal and may never do so. But, when someone asks what I do or what I "am" I proudly tell'm blacksmith. I only wish I had started at 22 instead of 62.

[John McPherson]

My friend, the full-time ABS Journeyman Bladesmith, blacksmith, and jeweler, is a REAL blacksmith. What Grant calls an SOB - Sole Occupation Blacksmith. Metal pays his bills.

He has described me as "a bald headed side of beef who knows his way around an anvil, but not a blacksmith", and I have to agree. I could now probably pass the Journeyman skills test established by ABANA in the 70's with difficulty, but the are still things I do not do well after 12 years as a hobbyist. Dinking around in your limited spare time, without a shop will do that.

To people with no skills, I am a miracle worker. To professionals, I am a joke. In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.

[ciladog]

I think of myself as a student of blacksmithing and will be that for the rest of my life. I don’t think I will live long enough to gain the experience necessary to be a blacksmith where I know I have already done that and each time it comes out the same.

The art and craft of blacksmithing is learned by doing, day after day until it becomes intuitive. That may take 20, 30, or 40 years. All the books read, the videos watched, classes taken will not make me a blacksmith. That doesn’t mean that what I forge is not respectable or that I don’t know the process or technique but rather that I have to work too hard to get where I need to go. How the hot metal moves is just not intuitive yet.

If and when I can look at some complex forging and know before I start the size of metal to start with, the exact steps I will take and it comes out as expected the first time and each time, I will call myself a blacksmith.

[Timothy Miller]

I am a full time professional blacksmith. I call my self a professional blacksmith because its what pays the bills but I think anybody with a passion to learn the craft, who is putting in regular time at the forge is a blacksmith. You are a blacksmith if you forge hot steel/iron with a hand hammer or open die power hammer. Level of skill is not relevant. You may be a beginner blacksmith, hobbyist, journeyman or master. You are not a blacksmith if you are a first and foremost a welder, machinist or primarily run a drop hammer or press with closed dies. If you see those other ways of working metal as primary and look at forging as second option than you are not a blacksmith. A blacksmith shapes hot metal and primarily thinks along those terms. By the way I have a lot of respect for machinists, welder/fabricators and other professional metalworkers just don't steel my title. In exchange I wont claim to be a machinist because I own a lathe.

[Marksnagel]

Websters Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary, copyright 1966
working with iron, known as black metal; a smith who forges iron.

Do you work with black metal?
Do you forge iron?

If you have answered yes to both of these questions, than you are a blacksmith. I haven't been smithing long but I consider myself a blacksmith. I am sure that there are many who are of a high enough opinion of themselves that they would disagree with me. Get over it.
I am by no means in the same league as 99.9% of the blacksmiths out there, but in my heart I know I am a blacksmith.

I was once asked, "What do you call the person that graduates last in his class of physicians?" You call them 'Doctor'. Nobody said that all members of a given profession had to be good at what they do. None of us were born with a hammer in their hand. Except maybe Hofi and Brian B. and a few others.

I find that I am constantly thinking of ways to learn, improve and form what I want. I am constantly searching the side of the road for steel that has fallen off of anything. Tools have invaded my thought pattern.

My greatest passion was deer hunting. Now as I sit in my stand waiting for some stupid deer to walk past my deer stand and my thoughts are on what could I be doing at the forge right now and I should be there.

Is there some right of passage or nearly impossible feat that you must have to accomplish before you are dubbed a blacksmith? Let me know and I will do it. But until someone tells me what it is, I will continue to call myself a Blacksmith.

[HWHII]

I felt the same a Larry did. I felt uncomfortable calling my self a blacksmith. A master blacksmith by the name of Bill Callaway put it to me this way. Do you own a forge and anvil? Yes! Do you use it? Yes! Then you are a blacksmith. Have you ever sold an item you have forged? Yes! Then you are a professional smith. Now work on becoming a master.

[monstermetal]

If you see those other ways of working metal as primary and look at forging as second option than you are not a blacksmith. A blacksmith shapes hot metal and primarily thinks along those terms. By the way I have a lot of respect for machinists, welder/fabricators and other professional metalworkers just don't steel my title. In exchange I wont claim to be a machinist because I own a lathe.

I kind of take offense to this Timothy.. Not that I think you meant it in an offensive way..

I dont feel like I am trying to be something I am not by calling myself a blacksmith. And I truly dont feel like I am being disrespectful to people such as yourself by doing so...

I spend much more of my "professional" time in my shop with a welder fabricating things than I do forging. But I dont see myself as a welder. I am not passionate about welding.. I dont hang out on welder fourms nor do I go to welding conferences or get together's... I make my living by working metal... all kinds in all ways... But I dont feel like a machinist, a welder, a tin-knocker or a fabricator.... although I can do all of those things what I am is a blacksmith... It really wouldnt bother me if a very traditional blacksmith looked in my shop and saw a bunch of equipment unrelated to working hot iron and raised his nose.... Because I know without a doubt in my heart what I am.... Is a blacksmith

I know what you mean (I think) and understand what you are getting at.... a guy who makes his living as a aerospace machinist who has an anvil and forge at home... well even though he is a blacksmith he should probably call himself a machinist...

But the way I feel about my shop is...

100 or 200 years ago there was no such thing as a "traditional" blacksmith.. A blacksmith was the town metal worker... if you needed a tool or machine repaired or replaced.. you went to the blacksmith.. if you wanted hardware made for your home... you went to the blacksmith... if you needed kitchenware...if there wasn't a silversmith in town... you went to the blacksmith.... And that fellow used what ever machinery and technology was available to him to get the job done..

Thats me.... Im the Blacksmith....

[Timothy Miller]

Larry,
This was not directed at you though I do see how upon rereading what I wrote that I should have chosen my words more carefully. You miss my point. What I said was in no way intended to diminish your substantial accomplishments and contributions.

I see metal like clay first. I think of ways to shape it hot firstly. I try to do things at the forge first if they work, good, if they don't I go to the saw, grinder, mig welder and so on. Watch a Clifton Ralph video to see what I mean. I seek ways to make a living doing forge work and passively take on welding jobs because they get shoved in my face. I think like a forger. I would never look at a job and say I could water jet cut that out weld on this thing and grind it to shape then beat it up with a hammer. But people who make a lot more money than me do all the time. I would have to be reminded to think that way. I dig up wrought iron out of the woods just to play with it for god sakes. I am not really a traditionalist I just love forging if its forging I seek it out. I hate welding and grinding I just I don't like doing it even though I am a pretty good welder and highly skilled finisher. I love the process of forging. I do play with traditional stuff to build my skills and try new things but I'm no Peter Ross. I see blacksmithing as using your hand and mind to forge iron hot. We have titles for things so people understand the differences between things. Some things are blacksmithing some things are not. There are all other kinds of names for difftent metal workers out there that are properly descriptive. Besides this place is called "I forge iron" not "I am a blacksmith".

[Marksnagel]

Where is it written that a person has to have one label and one label only?

If a person is a machinest, can't they also be a blacksmith?

If they are a chef, can't they also be a painter?

Know what I mean? Like they say in the US Army, "Be all that you can be."

Mark<><

[monstermetal]

I understand and agree Tim... There are probably better labels for me.... I guess I am not real interested in finding the most accurate or descriptive... I see myself as a blacksmith and to call myself anything else would just feel like a lie... .regardless of what label others might place upon my head....

Now am I a Master Blacksmith? No... a Journeyman? I dont think so.. Apprentice? probably better describes my skill level but I dont have a master so I cant be an apprentice... I am "justa" lowly blacksmith

Here is a "introduction" I posted here long ago...

Who I "am" is a tradesman, I do the average day to day work of a tradesman... I fix things and build new things but its average work.. I am not a master or specialist... I aspire to someday be a craftsman but I know I will never be one of "those" guys who has there name in the title of a book... The reason I will never be one of those guys is because I am a generalist... many many things pull at my attention... Most are related to metal but a handful are not...

I am a machinist, blacksmith, tinsmith, welder, fabricator contractor and repairman.. and because I am happy to do all of these things I will never have the focus to be "great" at any of them... And I am ok with that... I use to get depressed when I would go to a conference and look at the astounding work of a great smith... I would think, "why do i even try? I'll never be able to do that" But what I have come to realize is that even though I might never be able to do what "that guy" does I can and will do things that I feel good about and am proud of. I associate what I do with who I am... I use to call my self a ironworker... because I worked iron (ok steel but ironworker just sounds better) but now I call my self a blacksmith.... I changed because my idea of what A blacksmith is and what he does has changed... I used to think of a blacksmith as someone who dealt only with hot iron and stood all day at an anvil... And the more I have learned the less I see the old town blacksmith that way.... I think he was a fixer and builder of things... I think he used everything at his disposal to do his work.. He was a ironworker, he made the iron do what he wanted any way he could....

Anyway, Im a blacksmith... Im a blacksmith who knows (or kind of knows) how to run a milling machine and can tig weld and can build you anything from a set of titanium tire irons to a stainless steel smoker.... Thats who I am....

[Bad Creek Blacksmith]

When I first started to blacksmith I couldn't bring myself to say I was a blacksmith. After I made my first piece by myself and started being at the forge more I can say that I am a blacksmith. I don't know everything and I never will, you can never learn it all until what you are making calls for that one certain process.


Everyone that says you are self taught, you aren't and I don't mean this in a negative way. You may not have some one standing there showing you. If you read Mark Aspery's book on making leaves and then go and make one Mark taught you. Even when I was learning and something went wrong the blacksmith teaching me would just tell me to figure it out.

[thecelticforge]

I soooooooooooo am not even going to touch this one!

[maddog]

Well there's no rule about this I guess. I came to the States from Europe and in that culture, to call yourself a Smith meant you had gone through the process of apprenticeship, journeyman and finally being accepted as a master by other master smiths. Either that, or an informal education leading to a comparable proficiency. Americans are much less formal about these matters but I still feel that to call someone a Smith means he is a master of his craft.

That's just my feeling. I'm not a snob about it and I don't get offended when amatures or even beginners call themselves Blacksmiths. I know what they mean and they aren't pretending to be something they arent. When people refer to me as a Blacksmith, I don't argue but I am not comfortable saying that about myself. I prefer to say "I do forge work".

In a few narrow areas, I am more skilled than a lot of professional smiths. Watching demo videos, I know I can draw out a bar with hammer and anvil faster than many professionals. But they are competent in a wide range of skills including managing large projects and running a business. I know nothing about powder coating, building codes etc. I dont even know how to use a power hammer. In my shop, I do as I please and if I want to invest my time in perfecting my hammer skills I dont have to worry about productivity. A professional would use his power hammer, turn out 50 pieces and move onto the next phase.

I completely agree with Metal Monster that any metal working process is appropriate in a BlackSmith shop, unless you are doing strictly period work. Smiths have always been eager to adopt any useful innovation. The craftsmen of yore would not have hesitated for a moment to use an arc welder, a chopsaw or a hydraulic press if they had had the chance.

[Mainely,Bob]

You can call yourself anything you want.When someone asks you to prove your claim is when things come to light.

I am a metalworker.I work metal by whatever means is at hand and appropriate.I choose not to limit myself by trying to define myself by only one title or group of words.
I have drawn wages for forging,welding,machining,shipfitting,pipefitting,millwright,
mechanic,foundry work and a host of other jobs that directly relate to metal.
If you own the tools and know how to use them then you can claim to be whatever you feel is appropriate and change your title as often as you change your socks.
Just be prepared to walk the walk after you talk the talk.
It also helps if you keep in mind that there`s always someone out there who knows more than you.If you keep an open mind everyone you meet has the potential to teach you something about your craft,yourself or how to work with others.

Today I was a carpenter and a painter and learned some things about painting from my lovely wife.Tomorrow I`ll be a tinknocker and woodturner as I have some copper sheet I need to hammer into a decorative design and then place the circular design into a turned oak frame for a customer.

BTW-my socks rarely match as I never roll them and just toss the clean ones in the drawer,I put on whatever comes out of the drawer and covers my feet,regardless or color or design.

[tlreif]

I am enjoying the response very much. This is exactly the discussion I was hoping for.

I too tend to lean to Monsters point of view. I do many things every day in my job to make a living. I may be tig welding one day, machining a part the next day, or wiring a control panel the next day, or doing some control programming the next. And then come home and light a fire and move some iron to make something. Its all good.

[Frosty]

When I'm standing at the anvil shaping iron/steel with heat, hammer or whatever tools, I'm blacksmithing. When I'm at a lathe I may be turning steel, wood or spinning something, I'm machining, wood turning or metal spinning. Sometimes I carve, sometimes I whittle but no telling what. I drive all kinds of carriers from a pickup to a multiple semi, operate earth moving equipment, snow moving equipment, I used to drill, land, sea or suspended on cables.

None of these activities define who or what I am, it's just what I'm doing at the time.

Okay, I went to school and certified as a fabricator and weldor but I also had a hang glider driver's licence.

Like virtually every activity I've ever tried, I learn something every single time I watch someone else at the anvil. I've had the same questions Larry has, can I call myself a smith? Should I? Some years ago one of the guys locally who's been making a living doing various types of blacksmithing gave me a short pile of grief because I expressed such doubts. He'd evidently learned a LOT of things from me.

I go along with Bob too, nobody is only one thing. Unless maybe it's pitiably boring. If you want to be a blacksmith be one. study it, practice it, pass it on and learn from who ever you can. After a while you'll be able to do most anything you want to or figure out how. Nobody knows everything about smithing or anything. If someone claims they do, protect your wallet, count your change and don't buy or sign ANYTHING!

Frosty the Lucky.

[tdaleh]

to me what it means to be a blacksmith is the passion to do you're best at the task at hand. Weather drawing a point on a bar or designing a complex piece.Having the passion to learn how to raise you're skill level to get the job done to you're satisfaction.If you need to use a tool of any kind to get it done you use it.

[Rob Browne]

To me being a "blacksmith" means that I can make all those odd tools/bits'n pieces I need from time to time. Doesn't matter what you call me - mainly a backyard thumper.

[Timothy Miller]

First off I do not think Just about any metal working process is appropriate for a blacksmith. Is getting your scrolls water jet cut from plate blacksmithing? Is having it cast from aluminum blacksmithing? Is using a 3d Printer to build up the part from metal powder and sintering it in an oven blacksmithing. Is buying a bunch of components from a catalog and welding it together blacksmithing? Is turning tappers on a lathe then wrapping it around a form blacksmithing? Is useing a Hebo machine blacksmithing? These are all things I have seen done to duplicate forge work.

Secondly the statement "If blacksmiths had X tool back in the day they would have used it" Well they did have those tools because they were the ones who invented them for the most part. and they did use them. Most old time blacksmiths became other things as technology changed they went where the work was. They became mechanics, welders, factory workers, steel workers, horseshoers ornamental iron workers Etc... Blacksmithing almost died out in this country for the middle part of the 20th century. It only revived because people took interest in "old ways of working metal"

To say I as a blacksmith shun technology is wrong too. I have a computer I have electric lights in my shop I listen to an ipod for music wile I work. I also have a gas forge, an electric blower on my coal forge and a 3 year old self contained air hammer I would buy an induction heater if I had the cash. These are all things "traditional" smiths did not have. We as blacksmiths have made a choice to work in a particular way. We could do all of those things I described above but we choose to forge iron.

[fciron]

I was doing a demonstration at a public event and a fellow from West Africa (the exact country escapes me at the moment) asked where the furnace to make the steel was.

I got the impression that he did not think I was real blacksmith since I just bought my steel over the phone. :blink:

[Rob Browne]

Tough gig :P