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Blacksmith.... what do they do these days?

post #1 of 31
4/25/11 at 11:11pm
Thread Starter 
Just wondering. I have a friend who's taking a couple courses in it, he seems to really enjoy it. But... how do blacksmiths make any money these days? I would assume that most business comes in the form of non-necessity projects... like creating "home-forged" tools and stuff that are only viewed as worth anything because they are forged rather than cast.

Anyone have any experience, or insight into how people afford to do this full time?
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post #2 of 31
4/25/11 at 11:16pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by L.R. View Post
Just wondering. I have a friend who's taking a couple courses in it, he seems to really enjoy it. But... how do blacksmiths make any money these days? I would assume that most business comes in the form of non-necessity projects... like creating "home-forged" tools and stuff that are only viewed as worth anything because they are forged rather than cast. Anyone have any experience, or insight into how people afford to do this full time?
You really can't. Most blacksmiths scrape by. You'll see cases of people doing custom iron work who do some blacksmithing as part of the job, but they're also welders, etc. Farriers do some smithing, but that's hardly it. Most people who blacksmith do it as a hobby only.
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post #3 of 31
4/25/11 at 11:18pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by HgaleK View Post
You really can't. Most blacksmiths scrape by. You'll see cases of people doing custom iron work who do some blacksmithing as part of the job, but they're also welders, etc. Farriers do some smithing, but that's hardly it. Most people who blacksmith do it as a hobby only.

Ah, that's what I somewhat thought. It seems a shame, as it'd be quite the career.
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post #4 of 31
4/25/11 at 11:23pm
Are whitesmiths more successful than blacksmiths?
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post #5 of 31
4/26/11 at 1:47am
curious to why your friend would want to take up blacksmithing. what does he intend to make?
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post #6 of 31
4/26/11 at 4:28am
Ooooh you can make alot of money being a black smith... especially in online roll playing games
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post #7 of 31
4/26/11 at 4:44am
Have him make some swords and armor for your LARPing.
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post #8 of 31
4/26/11 at 5:14am
Our blacksmith has made us: Iron Gates at the front of the house Hoods for each fire Iron railings at the sides of the house I should imagine that there is more work in rural settings than in cities. I briefly wanted to become a blacksmith, there seems something inherently honest about beating iron with a hammer.
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post #9 of 31
4/26/11 at 7:33am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Blackhood View Post
Our blacksmith has made us:

Iron Gates at the front of the house
Hoods for each fire
Iron railings at the sides of the house


do you by any chance also own a stablehand, butler or squire? lol.
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post #10 of 31
4/26/11 at 6:39pm
Horse farms, equestrian estates, etc. need blacksmiths to keep the horses shod. Smaller scale custom structural pieces as well as decorative works are often made by smiths, and some smaller, odd metal works as well. Note: I see welders as a subset of the blacksmiths, as most smiths are welders, but most welders aren't necessarily smiths, so take that for what it's worth.
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post #11 of 31
4/26/11 at 6:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mm84321 View Post
Are whitesmiths more successful than blacksmiths?

theyre paid more...but use smaller tools.
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post #12 of 31
4/26/11 at 6:51pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by DerekS View Post
theyre paid more...but use smaller tools.

lols
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post #13 of 31
4/26/11 at 7:20pm
I read an article a while back about a blacksmith who spent most of his time doing work for horse owners up in the northwest.
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post #14 of 31
4/26/11 at 9:48pm
Set/costume design for movies?
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post #15 of 31
4/27/11 at 1:38am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dewi View Post
Horse farms, equestrian estates, etc. need blacksmiths to keep the horses shod.

Quote:
Originally Posted by BP348 View Post
I read an article a while back about a blacksmith who spent most of his time doing work for horse owners up in the northwest.

I'd have thought that horses would have RTW shoes by now. Fascinating that they still get bespoke.
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