in school we're doing are junior paper over to opposing careers we would enjoy just one problem i can't find statistics over full time blacksmiths on any web sites include u.s. department of labor does anyone know any sites that have info about requirements or qualities that would help

Per the Bureau of Labor Statistics, blacksmiths are grouped into the following category...

E547 Blacksmith
Industries affected - 763,764,7692,7699

E547 MECHANICS AND REPAIRERS, N.E.C.
Exclude Helpers (H865).
Include workers in occupations not specifically listed in MOG E, who install, repair and adjust mechanical and electrical appliances, machines, instruments and equipment. Include occupations such as Electric Crane Mechanic, Generator Mechanic, Battery Repairer, Golf Cart Repairer, Cooper, Gunsmith, Automatic Pinsetter Repairperson, Billiard Table Repairperson, Ship Rigger, etc.
(NOTE: Occupation E547 includes Census occupations 533 and 549).

Group E Definition -
MOG E--Precision Production, Craft, And Repair Occupations
This group includes occupations involved in the fabricating, processing, inspecting or repairing of material, products or structural units. Incumbents must have a thorough and comprehensive knowledge of processes involved in their work, usually acquired through apprenticeship or intensive training. Workers must exercise considerable independent judgment and must usually display a high degree of manual dexterity.

Maybe searching under this heading will give you what you are looking for... Good luck!

There's also the issue that blacksmiths don't fall into neat catagories for statistics so any produced might be suspect.

This is a tough occupation to pin down. One fellow that list his shop as "blacksmith" is more of a steel fabricator as he doesn't have a forge of any kind in the place. Another young man I recently met has a studio/shop and calls himself a "metalsmith" because he works with silver, gold, copper, bronze and steel. He makes jewelry, castings and forgings. He is more blacksmith the the fellow calling himself one. So I can see how hard it is to find information. You might try asking ABANA and see if they have any information that would be useful for you. Good luck with your paper.

I read somewhere that there are 300 fulltimers. Don't remember where.

try careercruising.com
that might help you find some info on it

The main problem is, except for some factories in the old long gone days, most Blacksmiths were independent self employed business persons. You might try the US census as occupations are a part of the questionaire.

Technically speaking a Blacksmith is anyone who works with iron as the material of choice, not all workers in iron have or even use or know what a forge is.

The term Machine Shop comes from Blacksmithing because as machines were developed for the Iron Working Trade, ie, lathes, mills, drills, saws etc the Blacksmith was using Machine Tools he either purchased, invented or altered to his needs so he could perform his job more efficiently, thus the Blacksmith Shop was turned into a Shop full of Machines, A Machine Shop.

In many small towns in rural America, The Blacksmith Shop is still the center piece of the community, as everyone in and around the small towns relies on the Blacksmith to repair their broken farm machinery, cars ( the mechanic takes broken things to the Blacksmith Shop for fixing) the plumbers, the carpenter, all trades rely on the Blacksmith to repair and or fabricate and or modify whatever is needed, and the Local Blacksmith shop is often the local Hardware store also.

In times long gone, the Blacksmith was the first one to diversify his business to make up for the absence of, The Farrier, The Wheelwright, The Wainswright, Carpenter, Undertaker, Tinsmith, Body Repair, and when Automobiles first came out who but the Blacksmith cound understand and repair things mechanical.

Edited May 19, 200818 yr by irnsrgn

thanks all i found some sites and am well on my way to a completed paper

thanks all i found some sites and am well on my way to a completed paper

If you wouldn't mind posting it here I'd be very interested in reading it.

Frosty

NOMMA.org might be helpful.
fwiw, I go by "ornamental metalsmith"

good luck with your paper.......It would be neat to see what you come up with.

Yea Post That Paper So We Can Read It & Become Wise!
Be Proud Of Your Work!