ironcreations Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 I saw this post before, but thought i would post my question as it may not be the same.. Am I a blacksmith? I started out making stuff the old way, forge and anvil style. I made some money at it, and it was fun. i soon learned i couldn't make a living at it so I got a job.. I did this for some time, like most my life. I still did my blacksmith work, learned new things from the I forge post back in the day. Then I quit my job for health reasons. bad ju ju where and what I did. I started this full time making stuff to sell, bought a CNC plasma machine, soon learned again that it is hard to make a living. i started selling gun parts, i still do, plus I make some parts. Now that I am doing well with it, and make a good living, I want to incorporate some blacksmithing back in to it. I think a blacksmith in modern day is some one with advanced metal working skills other than say a welder. Its what ever you need to do to support your family. just having a forge and anvil would not cut it for me, yes I have CNC equipment, but it is the advancement in technology, just as a Blacksmith 200 years ago would have used, they used to punch holes, then came the drill, and so on.. I always wanted to be one, now I guess I may be.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
civilwarblacksmith Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 I work at a plant that uses CNC, Cincinatti, and Accushear/press equipment. We call ourselves sheet metal workers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike-hr Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 My first mentor, Dave Atwood, is a very traditional non-electricity user in the Salmon River drainage of north California. I was helping him demo one weekend at a mule packing clinic, a teenage individual came up to Dave and told him he was a good smith. Dave gave the guy his hammer, and said show me something, we're always ready to learn. The guy turned away, and Dave said, "You're not a blacksmith until someone better than you says you are." Dave's a crusty individual, I don't always agree with him, but I never called myself a smith until he did.. Just my story, worth what you paid for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orgtwister Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 well i look at it like it probably started with a fire and 2 rocks then came a hammer of some sorts a piece of metal as an anvil as things progresed hey came up with a power hammer so on and soforth i'm sure if they had a welder 150 years ago a smith would have used it i have seen smithys have metal working machines theres pics here of hofi's shop with a lathe there and cutting torches and stuff in my real opinion if you are happy with what you are doing thats all that matters Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironcreations Posted February 14, 2009 Author Share Posted February 14, 2009 maybe I am, maybe not, it really doesnt matter. I have to make a living, and enjoy what i do. I guess all I am saying is, I do what it takes to support my family, if this week it is blacksithing, then so be it. next week whatever it takes..:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Emig Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 First off, if I am correct,you are asking what a professional blacksmith is. I am a full time working smith. I have a fully equipped modern shop-air hammer, plasma cutter, mig, tig, lathes, milling machine, etc. I am what I call a general blacksmith. I do everything from fine hand forged railings to fireplace doors to sculpture to general fabrication and repairs.I also do the cut and paste railings cause there's a need and it pays. When I started I had grand ideas about being a blacksmith doing purely forge work. The cold realities of the word set in and you have to eat also. I was at last falls 3 day conference in Ashokan and had some conversations with full time well known smiths. They all said that they have had to do almost any job to make a living. I talked to Bob Bergman who made the comment that when he was starting out looking to make a living at this, he saw that the people who were able to work a reasonable work week (40-50 hours) and actually make a decent living were people who did it all. Bill Gichener was well know for saying "Never take down your welding sign." This is just the experiences I have had-if you can make a decent living doing just pure blacksmithing, more power to you and please tell us how to do it and make money. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jymm Hoffman Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 I am a full time smith and work at it. As I previously posted in another thread, define a living. I do have a stick welder, but don't use it much outside of making my own tools. I have modernized my shop, propane forges (ones I build,) 2 self contained air hammers, bandsaw, belt sander attached to a good grinder. I do mostly histocial stuff, but take a look at my website to see what I do, a picture is worth a thousand words so the saying goes. Yes it is a tough way to make a living. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P. Bedard Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 I work for the electric utility and smith part time. I consider myself a Blacksmith first because it's my art. If I could make a living at Blacksmithing, I'd do it in a heartbeat. But reality creeps up on that dream and tends to conk it on the back of the head with a 10lb sledge. If you can do it, you have my admiration as well as my undying jealousy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CBrann Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 (edited) A couple of things... The old blacksmith were on the cutting edge of technology at least in my opinion. Who could work with new tools or porcesses withou the right tools. And Iron is a "new" material. Smiths thought up and made new tools to do new jobs. Always fascinating to me. I refer to myself as a hobby smith, I am self taught and the more I learn and practice the less skilled I feel. I just don't want to embarass myself in front of another smith. I agree with mike HR, if another smith you respect calls you a smith go with it. Also I think Blacksmiths should work with the newest tools and equipmet, if they want to. There was a time where the bellows and charcoal/coal forge and 3 guys with sledges were high tech. Then there was water power, steam power then electric power. The payoff is the best payoff for the least amout for hard labor. So I see no shame in using arc welding or plasma or any modern too for the work. I like to learn the traditional methods, and use modern methods, to see the progress that has been made. And as far as it goes, anyone who can make a living doing this, my hats off to you, I try to support my hobby, no dice. I have had little luck selling anything. Edited February 14, 2009 by CBrann incomplete thoughts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferrous Beuler Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 One day you are riding a bicycle. Another day you are riding a motorcycle. Some may say there is no difference. Some may say there is. Kinda like steroids in sports, at some point you cross a line and it just isn't real anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Mulholland - Tetnum Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 blacksmiths have been the cutting edge of technology in the western world for at least the past 2500 years so there is a reason we are still around we just get new tools and adopt new methods and mithodicly go about our work we made the best tools and wepons than and as time has progressed we still produce the best tools wepond and ornimental itoms in the world one of the problems of the full time smiths in the US today is that some one else will not chare enugh for their work i am not a full time smith but a kidsmith so i will continue to run my demos and bring more pepole to the blacksmithing world Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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