Most of what you are reading here is based on my personal observations, study of 18th, 19th, and early 20th century blacksmithing and how it was part of our communities. During the horse and buggy days the town was pretty much the heart of the community when the residents, farmers, miners and ranchers etc. came to town to get their supplies. There were the catalog stores, railroads and freight com
panies among other services that provided transportation and deliveries. People simply purchased their supplies from the local merchants and life was simple and people got to know each other pretty well. Much of that still exists but with the advent of the automobile people could pick up a larger variety of things from more distant places and little by little we saw railroads, freight companies, stage and express companies etc. become things of the past. Now-a-days, especially small town merchants don’t have the selling power because of modern conveniences such as Wal-Marts and other large corporations and is understandably a matter of progress and a fact of life. This is especially true for the blacksmith since we are no longer running around in horses and wagons like we were for the last 5000 + years, hence not much need for them anymore. The modern blacksmith is still available but mostly the “Artist” blacksmith, who creates functional art, beautiful sculptures, blades and a variety of other things. Many of these things made of iron are inspired by the past and are very desirable for those who want something specially made. One today finds it necessary to go to various specialty shops to have things repaired, replaced, restored, sharpened, etc. but where would one go to have a large upholstery needle made, for instance? Very often (Daily) I hear “Blacksmithing is a Lost Art” but what I may have discovered through observation and study that it may not be the art of blacksmithing that is lost but the “Smitty” (Blacksmith Shop) itself. As an example the “General Blacksmith” and Smitty in 1880 was located in town where one basically could go to have horses shoed and repairs done and often there were several of them. By having my Smitty in town I may have inadvertently revived the art of “General Blacksmithing” meaning that I do repair, restoration, custom pieces and art, the result of which makes me very busy. People still have the same problems as they did in the 1880s because iron is still around and I am very well known within the community for my reputation as being able to repair about anything. I have repaired everything from eyeglasses to antiques, creating hard to find parts, sharpening, making tools, dies and the list goes on. I have been told I am an asset to the community because there is no place to get this kind of work done. I am as fascinated by what I do as the people that watch me as I create and repair things with tools and dies that are often well over 100 years old, passed down from one generation to the next. My Grandfather once told me many years ago that he would hear people say “Don’t throw it away, take it down to the Smitty and see what Sebastian can do with it”. That was when He was a Blacksmith about 100 years ago and I hear the same comments on a daily basis. Perhaps it should go without saying that the modern Blacksmith needs the mechanical aptitude, equipment, proper training and guidance to be successful not to mention the cost to set up a Smitty but if you do think about doing this, think about setting up in town. It’s likely to take you by surprise! I teach Blacksmithing; I teach the Spirituality of the Craft, how to control Fire and Iron, Observational Skills, Inspiration and the Magic of Iron; the art of being able to take an ordinary piece of iron, that one may not bother to pay any attention to otherwise, and create something useful from it. In conclusion, the advice I would give to anyone who wants to be a Blacksmith is first to learn it properly, to be faithful to the art, create your own personality never, ever plagiarize and protect your reputation. Always be sure to sign (Touch mark) your best pieces. As long as there is Iron there will always be a need for this valuable craft. And remember too that just like a Cook and a Chef, Blacksmithing and Blacksmith are two different things. Only you and a Blacksmith will know the difference. We are currently working on tutorials to put on You-Tube that will demonstrate repair, restoration, sharpening, etc. of different items so you may want to look for them in the future. Thanks for visiting our Facebook site, Alf (Blacksmith, after 50yrs and 10th generations)
