Willow Brookes Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 Hello, All, Straight to the point: Is blacksmithing and the teaching of blacksmithing, and craft in general, important in this day and age? If so why, and how? How does your relationship with the craft bring meaning into your life and the lives of those around you? I'm curious to hear what you all say. :) Sincerely, Willow P.S. I hope I don't sound too much like a schoolteacher, sorry if I do! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njanvilman Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 We are all involved with this craft and others for our own personal reasons. In my case, I taught the craft and skills of woodworking and general metalworking to over 5000 students over 37 years. It provided me with a career, income, and the satisfaction that many of my students got their start in their careers in my shops. Why do I do it: I am one of those people who have to design and create something daily. I love being able to take raw material, and through my hands, create an item that both I and others appreciate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmccustomknives Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 For me, I love taking junk and making something that some one will be proud to own and pass down. But most of all, to leave a legacy for my children and their children for generations to come. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basher Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 From a personal point of view:- My craft has given me a progression in learning complex skills over the last 20 years . It has kept me interested in my work ( a rare blessing) , allowed me to mix with like minded craftspersons the world over. many of whom are now my good friends. I am proud to be a blacksmith and bladesmith and lucky to be able to have pride in my work. There is avery instant gratification that comes form the act of Making. I say Making as opposed to smithing in-particular because I think that whilst for me personally the attraction has always been manipulating hot Metal, there is an equal satisfaction from turning your hand to making anything from the materials around you. Human beings are tool users, evolved to use their mind and hands to manipulate the world around them solving material problems to their benefit (or pleasure). Smithing and other Making fulfils this innate human need, in a way that a lot of our interactions in modernity do not. In particular Hot metal is a great medium to be expressive with as it has vast possibilities for form. Steel is a wondefull material to work with because it is able to be soft when hot or hard or springy or brittle when heat treated correctly it allows us to make tools that can further influence the world around us. I find the historical use and progression of iron and steel very inspiring, ancient people working complex materials in a competent way far advance of their scientific capabilities to understand he materials they are using. wonderful Romano-Celtic , Saxon , Iron-age , Medieval and Industrial age uses of Metals show incredible intuitive craftsmanship millennia before our modern understanding of the material science of iron and steel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basher Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 We are still as smiths firmly part of the ironage , or at least the age of iron. but we have the luxury of standing on the shoulders of Giants both ancient and modern who enable us a firm foundations for our own hammering here in the 21st century. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJS Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 We are made in the image of our Creator, it would stand to reason that we might want to be creative as well... There is job satisfaction in mastering the processes, and in seeing the fruit of your own hand. There is also the value of the unique handmade products in a world of mass produced disposable consumer goods. If I could produce a thousand trinkets a day, they would be of a certain perceived value. If I can only make one a week, there is generally a higher perceived value. Plus when I make something, it is REAL, it doesn't feel hollow and cheap, or chintzy. On a slightly more dysfunctional note... Often times social and psychological issues stress people out and make them feel out of control. Learning to blacksmith (or any other craft or skill) provides them with something to focus on, and sense of in this small "important" area of my life, I have control. For many people who have no greater ambition than to relax and enjoy themselves, the physicality of the work, and having something to show for their efforts pays emotional dividends. A lot of people have no job satisfaction in their occupation, but derive great satisfaction from pounding on hot iron, and producing a humble bottle opener... On a more positive note... Blacksmithing allows you to produce your own tools, hardware, and historical household goods, that you might not be able to find or afford otherwise. This displays a healthy psychology, an optimistic self reliance, and a can do attitude. Some people never allow poverty or anything else to be a hindrance to them achieving their goals. For me personally I love being creative, in all kinds of different ways, but particularly blacksmithing. I really enjoy making tools. I really enjoy coming up with designs that are visually interesting and unique. I like being self reliant, but I have to admit blacksmithing is something of an obsession with me, it occupies my thoughts, and holds my attention, more than is reasonable or healthy I suspect... Not quite dysfunctional enough to make me a great artist, I suspect;-) but I am pretty good... I think about how people think, and think about blacksmithing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Evans Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 Nicely put Owen. I agree with everything you say. The mountaineer climbs the peak "because it is there". I turned out to be a blacksmith and therefore did not have much choice. It is both a disease, a calling, an addiction even. Nobody could pay me enough to get too hot, too cold, burnt and risk horrible injury and be constantly dirty. I don't do it for money, though getting paid is what enables me to buy larger and noisier and more dangerous machines and hit even bigger bits of hot metal faster! Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Coke Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 Greetings Willow, I do not normally answer a question with a question but I will make an exception for this one... Have you ever been to a conference, hammer in, demo, or gathering, of blacksmiths? If you did you would answer your own questions . I have been involved with blacksmithing for the past 40 years and have watched it evolve. from a lost art into one of the finest group of common interest folks that you will ever find. You will see well seasoned smiths taking their time and resources gladly helping new start ups with there knowledge and in man cases finance. It goes far beyond just forming metal into shapes with a hammer. Tool use , chemistry, organizational skills , physics , materials, time management , pride, just to name a few, The blacksmith community is one of the most giving honorable group of individuals that your will ever find. We all share a the love of what we do and reap the benefits in many forms . I would bet that if I called out for help at my studio that in just a short time there would be so many responders that it would require a traffic light at my drive way. I could go on and on but I think you get the picture of what it does for me? In a word , Happy I am retired from a successful metal art business and still offer classes for all levels of blacksmith work at my studio at no charge . If we don't pass it on Who will? Forge on and make beautiful things Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ric Furrer Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 Willow, If you can define "this day and age" I can answer your question. Ric On 2/10/2015 at 5:40 AM, Willow Brookes said: Straight to the point: Is blacksmithing and the teaching of blacksmithing, and craft in general, important in this day and age? If so why, and how? How does your relationship with the craft bring meaning into your life and the lives of those around you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basher Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 On 2/10/2015 at 8:24 AM, Alan Evans said: Nicely put Owen. I agree with everything you say. The mountaineer climbs the peak "because it is there". I turned out to be a blacksmith and therefore did not have much choice. It is both a disease, a calling, an addiction even. Nobody could pay me enough to get too hot, too cold, burnt and risk horrible injury and be constantly dirty. I don't do it for money, though getting paid is what enables me to buy larger and noisier and more dangerous machines and hit even bigger bits of hot metal faster! Too true , its a calling, not a lot of choice at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpankySmith Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 I'm a creative person by nature but I spent a lot of years casting about from medium to medium and never until I first smacked hammer to iron did I feel such an overwhelming sense of HOME. In my own history it's actually a little scary or awesome, depending on how you look at it - I spent many years with a hammer, lots of time learning to appreciate good design, lots of years gathering tools, and when finally blacksmithing came into my life it was as if all that time and experience had been school for THIS, this marvelous mix of art and brute and nature. As if this is the exact thing I had been unconsciously preparing for all those years. As far as how it brings meaning to my life, my degree is in Psychology and there is a concept in social science sometimes just referred to as "flow" - that space people sometimes enter where everything else falls away and the person is entirely and completely focused. You know you have entered it when you look up and it seems as if moments have passed but you have been at the task all the day long. It is that thing you would do for free if only someone would occasionally slip you a sandwich and make sure you went to bed now and then. I lose myself in it, which is a very good thing in my book. It's the only space in my life where I give not one whit to what I look like, what someone is thinking about what I'm doing, whether or not I am wasting time or resources or any of that. I am most free to be most fully ME at the anvil. Wouldn't trade it for anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 Lots of reasons for me to be doing this: after a long day/week of dealing with computers *hitting* something with a hammer *repeatedly* is very soothing... I claim to come from a million and a half years of tool using monkeys; shame to end the streak now! (ok "tool using hominids") As Shane mentioned: God is a creator and being made in his image means that we have that in us too. (and no I don't have any issues believing both of the last two statements simultaneously) I think if you will research what makes video games "addictive" you will find that many of the same things hold true *but* at the end of smithing you actually *have* something. Smithing is like finding buried treasure---you take a piece of junk and you end up with people ooohing and aaahing and offering you money for it. And as I was telling a firefighter recently---a lot of us smiths probably would be in jail for arson without being able to play with fire in a safe and controlled manner! I'm going to start my oldest grandson on fire safety this summer when we go camping---just in case he turns out like me... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petere76 Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 I work in Marine engineering, operations, maintenance, repair and management. There is very little creativity in the industry. We build to spec and we repair to spec. We operate to spec. I enjoy the creative process and the reward of a finished product that reflects hand work. The transformation of stock iron to a product involves the mind and the body. The end result fulfills ones desire to create items we use and admire. The look and feel of hand forged iron pleases both the eye of the beholder and the soul of the creator. The feudal Japanese metal smiths used to say, the spirit of the smith is in the tools he creates. Although I am not a feudal smith in Japan, I can and do embrace that philosophy. There is a certain inner peace one archives when we create things. Peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 For me, a large part of the attraction is the isolation of working as a blacksmith, but that doesn't really address the question. Why is blacksmithing important in this day and age? As a trade, blacksmithing is still used throughout the world. The poorer the nation, the more prevalent are the individual smiths making everyday items for everyday use. In wealthier nations, the blacksmith is relegated to the sidelines, pretty much, but is still providing a valuable service in the maintenance and repair of antique ironworks, as well as decorative pieces for those that can afford it. On an individual basis, blacksmithing is like any other hands-on trade in that it teaches the student fundamental skills and abilities that will serve them well throughout life. From design and planning, to the execution and promotion, building something teaches kids all sorts of skills. Just being able to persevere and see the project through to the end is a huge thing now that we live in an age of instant gratification and mind-numbing classroom work. Will blacksmithing continue to be important? Yes. While the opportunities for paying work as a blacksmith are rather limited in first-world nations, the hobby of blacksmithing provides far too many benefits for it to ever go away completely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 There are several reasons, there is the simple value of a hobby to the hobbiest, there is of corse the balue of "art theropy" there is the aspect of preserving (and often redescovering) an anceint craft (you should see some of the "descoveries" blacksmiths turned "experimental archieoligest" have "descoverd" by the "book" archiolegists are starting to take note. There is also the fact of economics, fabrication and machining to shape preduces a lot of waste, with rising steel prices being able to forge blanks for macheinests to finish saves materials, reduces waste and may save labor. JPL descoverd that over titanium components in early satalights and space craft. Back in the 50's a blacksmith was still part of Sandiea labs fabrication/macheining delartments and titanium was aufly expensive to just swep up as shavings and throw away. The smith proved that it could be hand forged. So he could produce blanks that the macheinests could finish to spec. (The story goes that when the "boss" told him it could not be done, the next morning a hand forget titanium letter opener (compleat with grean scale) was found laying on his desk) Hammers, anvils and power hamers still have place in our modern society. As many things, "new" isnt always better than "old" we have "descoverd" that for many farming/ranching chores the horse is more efficient than the tractor (the opesit holds true as well) and wood that is split to demention is stronger than wood that is sawn. Not to mention the "anceint" skill of cooking. Would you rather have factory food "cooked" in your microwave, or have wolfgang puc prepair it from scratch (or your granny, even better)? Many of the "old" skills still have a place, either for our mental and social health or as a compliment for our "newer" technology. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arftist Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 My reasons are altruistic. While I do possess the full dysfunction of the artist (as evidenced by my inability to interact appropriately with my fellows (doesn't play well with others) even that believe it or not is for altruistic reasons (my need to leave an accurate record of the craft). It all started (for me) when I learned of the Rose windows in Notre Dame Cathedral. Upon being informed that the construction of the windows was a lost art, I became perplexed by the concept that an art could be lost. Later when I performed my first apprenticeship for a blacksmith I determined (this was well over 35 years ago) that art of blacksmithing was in danger of being lost. I knew nothing at that time of Frank Turley's or other's school, earned a good anvil through good attendance at my apprenticeship, and there were very few books then in print. I set about to gather, learn and catalog as much of the science and art of the craft as possible. Eventually I ended up here, after serving many more apprenticeships and also working as a journeyman in some shops and as my own master as well. Plus I discovered a local blacksmith school and attended there until the master would part with no more information. I am here now to contribute what I know to the written record at what I consider the most likely site to achieve long term existence. Preserving this craft as it were. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arftist Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 Double dumb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 I can continue my "rant" as to what smithing means to me personally... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmoothBore Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 "Important" to who ? What I do, is really only "important" to me. I'll help, ... or teach, ... anyone that asks. But that's not what motivates me to light the fire ..... I enjoy re-creating Historic Objects, ... and Processes, ... and repairing "Basket Case" machinery, ... simply because of the connection I feel, with those who have gone before. I give away a lot of what I make, ... and rarely take payment for fixing the things that are brought to me, ... because that's not the "important" thing. I do it just because I like to ..... . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 Funny to think of the blacksmith as being isolated; the traditional shop always had several people in it and was often a common hangout. One reason the Blacksmith at Gretna Green was asked to witness marriages was that it was a place where enough people to serve as witnesses would be expected. (He did not perform marriages; they couple married themselves in public in front of witnesses---a quirk of Scottish law allowed this where English law didn't; hence the flight to the border by couples wanting marriages their parents wouldn't allow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crossdawg Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 Willow, That is/was a good question. And am also glad you asked it. I find in general that blacksmiths are very creative as well as very insightful. I don't know why you asked it, but you got some excellent answers. Most all of these people are artists in some way and very human in their thoughts and actions. I can identify with what is being said here and am proud to be associated with this fine group of persons. I can only hope you can find your zen in this craft as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L Smith Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 I have no artistic training. However I do enjoy 4x5 photography and reforming iron. Will I ever win a contest in either medium, I doubt it. But they are both outlets of expression for me. My father told me something very valuable. "If you can see it in your mind you can build it." Spanky was right in her assessment of the craft give me a sandwich and tell me when to go to bed. I think you already have a grasp on the subject from all those posts before mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gote Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 I am afraid most of this post is repetitions of what has already been said but I justify it on the grounds that I try to systemate the answer (-s) I think the question could be framed as ”what is the value of blacksmithing to society”. There is more than one field. Blacksmithing is a set of skills and knowledge and the collective skills and nowledge is what makes the human race great. Blacksmithing is an art/craft and has a cultural value just as other arts. Blacksmithing can restore and recreate historical artefacts. Blacksmithing creates value out of scrap Blacksmithing is a survival skill after Harmageddon. However in the small society: Family neighbours etc. It has the value of creating individual objects that make people happy. I make a kind of gardening hand fork that is superior to anything that can be bought (but looks awful to the smith since I am an awful smith myself) and a weeding iron that is nearly as impossible to buy. Both have handles turned from wood that has grown on my own soil. It has the value of doing things together with family members and neighbours who may come and look and perhaps do simple things like hooks and skewers. It has the value that things can be restored that the neighbour believed to be destroyed. On the individual scale: It makes me happy to be able to create, restore and invent things. The above also applies to two of my other hobbies, woodworking and gardening. Our one foot of snow is already melting. I will soon be able to start the fire again. Göte Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickOHH Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 I dont know if it is particularly important, besides the fact that we are all keeping it from becoming a lost art, and passing along the skill, and showing the possibilities to on looker. It is a good thing, in that it teaches you to look at things with new light in more creative ways, to break from the box that we sometimes see things through, its about seeing a problem and finding creative solutions to achieve a goal, so in that it is an important skill, and the thought process can be taken to any area of life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJS Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 Why is What We Do Important? I think that the "can do" attitude that blacksmithing engenders is one of the most important aspects of blacksmithing. The knowledge that you can make things is empowering, the feeling of competence is reassuring. We have specialized down to the point that people often don't think that they can do for themselves. A self imposed helplessness. Since we have shifted from a society of producers, to a service society we have hairdressers, nail salons, lawn services, arborist, laundry services, cleaning services, tax preparers, daycare services, schools, butchers, green houses, dairies, etc... Don't misunderstand me I am not advocating for being completely self-sufficient, living off the land and shunning modern technology or services, but it does seem like some people can barely take care of themselves. Does it take a village to raise an idiot? I believe a certain amount of self-sufficiency is healthy, being untrained and inept at basic skills to survive, can hardly be a good survival skill. Learning to blacksmith teaches you that you can make things for yourself, and as pointed out previously those items are uniquely your own, if not superior to what you can buy. Learning to cook, or to sew, or to garden can also be empowering, and give you a sense of contentment and fulfillment. Learning that you can do. That you can make things yourself is a step in the right direction, passively accepting how things are will generally not get you to a place where you want to go... In a consumer society you can create wealth by becoming a producer. Sometimes learning skills, changes your perspective, and your attitude. Sometimes that makes all the difference. Psychology has show that people are happier if they have meaningful work to keep them busy, and meaningful relationships to help them feel connected and secure. I would maintain that blacksmithing is meaningful work;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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