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

[L.R.]

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?

 

[HgaleK]

Originally Posted by L.R.

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.

 

[L.R.]

Originally Posted by HgaleK

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.

 

[mm84321]

Are whitesmiths more successful than blacksmiths?

 

[acidboy]

curious to why your friend would want to take up blacksmithing. what does he intend to make?

 

[steviepowers]

Ooooh you can make alot of money being a black smith... especially in online roll playing games

 

[bbaquiran]

Have him make some swords and armor for your LARPing.

 

[Blackhood]

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.

 

[alexanduh]

Originally Posted by Blackhood

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.

 

[Dewi]

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.

 

[DerekS]

Originally Posted by mm84321

Are whitesmiths more successful than blacksmiths?

theyre paid more...but use smaller tools.

 

[texas_jack]

Originally Posted by DerekS

theyre paid more...but use smaller tools.

lols

 

[BP348]

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.

 

[celery]

Set/costume design for movies?

 

[bbaquiran]

Originally Posted by Dewi

Horse farms, equestrian estates, etc. need blacksmiths to keep the horses shod.

Originally Posted by BP348

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.