The Blacksmithing Renaissance

Blacksmithing – the name conjures up thoughts of pioneer times, of rugged old men pounding iron in a candle-lit stone room. For most, the blacksmith exists only in the past: a relic, replaced by modern machines and industrial factories.

But as many interested tradespersons have discovered, blacksmithing is experiencing a Renaissance in North America. Skilled metalworkers everywhere are finding their unique and artistic abilities put to consistent, and often profitable, use. One experienced Canadian blacksmith tells of how roughly 40 cents worth of metal can be turned into something that can sell for at least $25.

With profit margins like that, it’s easy to understand why the Artist-Blacksmiths’ Association of North America (ABANA) now claims nearly 5,000 members, double the number it had 10 years ago. Blacksmithing is a very unique trade in that it rewards skill and experience, as well as creativity. According to one blacksmith, it’s the challenge involved in manipulating a very strong and stubborn piece of metal to make it something beautiful and useful that’s truly satisfying

Blacksmithing is an old craft. During the mid-to-late 1800s, one could find a blacksmith in cities and towns all across Canada. However, with the Great Depression and World War II, the trade was all but wiped out, leaving only Farriers – a specialized subsection of blacksmithing focusing on horseshoes. The rest of the labour formerly done by blacksmiths was swallowed up by factories, leaving little room for the blacksmith of old.

The ‘Renaissance’ began as little more than hobbyists creating metalwork art. Since then, the demand for such unique handcrafted work has grown substantially. While the majority of ABANA’s membership is still made up of hobbyists, the number of people taking up blacksmithing as a full-time or part-time trade is substantial.

A blacksmith's job requires the use of several tools

With blacksmithing once again emerging as a viable career path, now is the perfect time for those with an interest to take up an apprenticeship. A blacksmith has lots of options in the kind of work he or she can do. Traditional blacksmithing generally involves forging, welding, riveting and repairing metal parts for use in farm machinery, and industrial and domestic equipment. But the true renaissance has been in artistic blacksmithing, which is generally custom work in ornamental railings, gates and furniture.

In addition, there are also opportunities in becoming a farrier -- working with horseshoes --or a bladesmith -- forging swords and knives.

To become a good blacksmith, you need to be good with your hands, as well as possess strong math skills, needed to understand volume weights and calculate stock sizes. Since a lot of the blacksmithing being done today is artistic, creativity is an absolute asset.

Today's blacksmith makes artistic and unique furniture, like this table

The Blacksmith apprenticeship is based on skills, rather than number of hours on the job. Blacksmiths must complete technical training and demonstrate competency in the required skills, then write a certification exam. A Grade 12 or equivalent education is required.

For more information on blacksmithing, check out the following sites:

Artist Blacksmith Association of North America (http://www.abana.org)

Ontario Artist Blacksmithing Association (http://ontarioblacksmith.ncf.ca)

Skilledtrades.ca – Blacksmith www.skilledtrades.ca/html/job_seeker/totw_int_bs.shtml

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