Certified Blacksmith?

[Jscagg]

This may not belong in this part of the forum, and if not I apologize and would like to ask if a moderator could move it to the correct part. Now that that's out of the way, I'm very interested in following the Blacksmith path, I actually have some classes coming up in September for a Blacksmithing 101 class. What I'm curious about is, if this is a profession that I want to go for as my line of work, do I need to become a certified Blacksmith? Is there such a thing? I tried looking around online and didn't find any courses or anything, not like you find for things like "Automotive Mechanic Certification" and the like.

It just made me wonder, is there such a thing as being certified in this field? Or is it all based on experience?

Thank you to all those who answer!

[George Geist]

Depends,

There is another thread I started about this subject some time ago around here.

For horseshoers yes. There is and it's recommended you pursue it if that's the way you want to go.

If not, forget about that aspect of it, Railroad Blacksmiths, Shipyard Blacksmiths etc all have training and Apprenticeships approved by the DOL through the Boilermakers Union www.boilermakers.org

The knifemakers guild has a certification. Also worth persuing.

Artist Blacksmiths, like majority of guys on this forum and I guess most of the guys in the craft, have nothing. I understand ABANA was working on something but haven't really pushed it very hard so doubt if it will come to fruition.

Other countries have more to offer in this area than USA does. What area does your interest lie in?

George

[Lou L]

Sadly, it seems like there is little blacksmithing activity in CT.  There are smiths around but there appear to be no groups or meetings.  It sounds like you signed up for the classes at Brookfield Craft Center (I'm guessing by the title of the class).  I planned on trying that class out some time but, in my stubbornness, I decided to self educate for a while and, so far, I've learned a lot.  I figure that I'll learn that much more when I get to a class and be able to decide what information is best for me.  My advice to you would be to get started as soon as you can if your class isn't soon.  Heating up metal and banging on it is actually a pretty cheap and easy situation to get into.

[Frosty]

Welcome aboard, glad to have you. I'm sorry but you don't get to decide what's out of the way till you show a propensity for puns or a complete lack of humor. No, blacksmithing isn't really an industrial craft for the most part in the US. so there aren't any general professional certifications. It is common wisdom that a person who wants to pursue blacksmithing as a profession should be certified and institutionalized if they don't stop.

There have been and I think probably are "official" classifications eg. journeyman and Master but I don't think the independent cusses most blacksmiths are recognize the requirements or titles outside of the particular organization. It doesn't mean that using the skill level requirements as a learning guide is a bad idea, those certs just aren't likely to gain much industrially.

If you wish to do reproductions, restorations, and such for a museum or architect, etc. a solid portfolio will stand you in better stead.

Frosty The Lucky.

[David Einhorn]

I would have thought that blacksmithing, as an activity in Connecticut, would have become fairly widespread in the time since the introductory course I took about 43 years ago in Storrs Connecticut.  That didn't happen? 

[Jscagg]

Thank you all for your responses, and I apologize for posting mine late. Lou, you are correct, I signed up at Brooksfield for their class this coming September. Sadly it seems that Blacksmithing hasn't gotten that much of a foothold here in CT, but I'm keeping my hopes up that I'll be able to turn it into something for my self. I've thought about self teaching, but unfortunately I don't really have a work area right now. I was hoping that through this class I just might meet a couple keep, and earn enough knowledge (Though this class and subsequent ones) that maybe I can apprentice with someone in the area.

George, I really appreciate all the information, I've noticed that the US doesn't seem to offer as much in terms of Blacksmithing as some other countries do. My interest lies in Bladesmithing, so I assume that the Knifemakers guild might be something to look into. Its good to know that other Blacksmiths have things done via Boilermakers or other guilds/unions, or just don't need any type of certificate.

I've looked into ABANA and I browse their site from time to time, other then them, does anyone happen to have any other similar sites that they favorite? Places that might give out good information for beginner and seasoned blacksmiths alike?

[John McPherson]

If sharp 'n pointy are your thing, there are two party-line paths.  Knifemaker's Guild is predominately stock removal. The forged path is thru the American Bladesmith Society (ABS), who have classes and Hammer-in's around the country. There are also some state and regional knifemakers groups.

http://www.americanbladesmith.com/

http://www.bladesmithsforum.com/

If you want to go it alone, there are a couple of good books you should look for.

The Complete Bladesmith: Forging Your Way to Perfection by Jim Hrisoulas

Wayne Goddard's $50 Knife Shop, Revised

Step-by-Step Knifemaking: You Can Do It! by David Boye

[Pac]

My wife is from New Haven and took me to Mystic Seaport in 05 where she used to work on the wooden boats. I got the blacksmith bug hanging out and watching the blacksmith demo.

[Jscagg]

Just now, John McPherson said:

If sharp 'n pointy are your thing, there are two party-line paths.  Knifemaker's Guild is predominately stock removal. The forged path is thru the American Bladesmith Society (ABS), who have classes and Hammer-in's around the country. There are also some state and regional knifemakers groups.

http://www.americanbladesmith.com/

 

http://www.bladesmithsforum.com/

 

If you want to go it alone, there are a couple of good books you should look for.

The Complete Bladesmith: Forging Your Way to Perfection by Jim Hrisoulas

 

Wayne Goddard's $50 Knife Shop, Revised

 

Step-by-Step Knifemaking: You Can Do It! by David Boye

 

Sharp and Pointy are definitely the way I'm looking to go. I'll have to check out those sites, and definitely look into the books you mentioned, they seem like very good reading material and like a great place to start learning more. Thank you for all your help!

[ThomasPowers]

ok as mentioned;  there is a certification program for bladesmithing done by the ABS and the sooner you start the sooner you *may* qualify.  Go to their website and read up on what's required including "time in grade" requirements.

[rockstar.esq]

A better course of action for all things higher education is to find an example of the vocation you're interested, and spend sufficient time with them to determine what the job entails, what the pay is like, and what it truly takes to enter the profession.  In your specific case, that would mean finding a successful blacksmith of pointy things, who's operating in a place you'd be willing to live, and securing an internship. 

I suspect you'll find that's a much harder challenge than finding somewhere to learn blacksmithing.  The reason is that there are more hobby blacksmiths than there are working professionals.  If it was a profitable pursuit, most of this forums members would quit their jobs and head for their shop.

 

 

[George Geist]

Very good point Rockstar.

Need to bear in mind professional Blacksmithing might be operating a giant steam hammer all day long in some factory somewhere. Yeah the guy is classified as a Blacksmith by his company's payroll department but aside from that big machine he may never have picked up a hand hammer or touched an anvil in his life. Is a guy like that a Blacksmith? Yeah I suppose so but I'd wager it's not what most guys have in mind when they want to get into the trade.

Most guys that do some smithing, at least in this country tend to be sole proprietors and hobbyists who do something else for a living because in spite of everybody's wishful thinking and love for the craft, it's not something most people are likely to make a living from.

The Bladesmith certification and anything like it are worth the time and effort to attain. If knives were where my interests laid I'd be there. If I could turn the clock back about 35 years I'd have gone to Europe and trained over there. Hindsight is always 20/20.

Best of luck to you,

George

[Lou L]

On August 25, 2016 at 0:19 AM, David Einhorn said:

I would have thought that blacksmithing, as an activity in Connecticut, would have become fairly widespread in the time since the introductory course I took about 43 years ago in Storrs Connecticut.  That didn't happen? 

Funny, someone else posted about their experience at Mystic Seaport and seeing the traditional blacksmith there.  Thing is, I believe that the guy who taught at Stors is the guy who worked at Mystic.  It is an insulated community with some very accomplished smiths...there just aren't a lot of them.  We do have a guy from Wolcott who won Forged in Fire...so we must be a serious blacksmithing state!