Now here’s a question that I get asked a lot. How can I learn to blacksmith? How should I start? The important thing here is to start, to take action. You are guaranteed to not learn anything if you don’t start.
The best way to learn how to blacksmith is to do it and to do it often. In the beginning, it’s important to choose projects appropriate to your skill and level and to seek out help from books, online resources, and if possible another blacksmith.
Keep it simple in the beginning and keep at it.
It’s also important to go into blacksmithing with a plan of attack, and that’s the intent of this post. My intent is to help you figure out your plan and to encourage and inspire you to go for it.
Let’s get started.
Assemble your Toolkit!
You’ve got to have the right tool for the job! Set yourself up for success and lay your foundation to learn how to blacksmith.
There are a few fundamental tools that you must have to blacksmith. Yes, there are some shortcuts, like using a block of mild steel for an anvil and a framing hammer and pliers instead of a cross pein and tongs.
If you have to take shortcuts, so be it, but if you can afford it and are serious about learning the art, get the real McCoy.
Here’s my list of minimum viable tools to start learning:
- Blacksmith Hammer
- Anvil mounted on a stand
- Forge
- Tongs
- Slack Tub
Yes, I know what you’re thinking, you are going to want and need many other tools and safety items along the way. Eye and ear protection are important and files and vices and other power tools are a game-changer.
Hopefully, you’ve already acquired most of these items, the list represents the minimum viable tools that you will need.
If you need help buying these tools, then check out this article. It won’t blow smoke up your you-know-what. It’s an honest price guide when it comes to getting blacksmithing equipment.
Choose Your Muse
What the hell is a Muse, you ask?
Of all the gods and goddesses of Greek Mythology, there were nine goddesses who were muses. They were created to give us knowledge and inspiration. They are behind the magic and miracles we see when an artist, a writer, and even a blacksmith does his or her work.
A muse is our inspiration and encouragement.
So, who is your Muse? Well, we may not have a direct line of access to Calliope, Clio, or Erato (three of the Greek Muses), but we do have access to a plethora of inspirational sources in our world today.
I’m going to organize these into three groups, Virtual, Tangible, and In-Person.
Virtual
You are employing virtual learning right now. Virtual is the digital realm of learning. Just ask Google, there are probably thousands of blogs and websites on the web that are there to help you. They seek to serve you.
So, websites are a great resource, like this one, but perhaps an even better source of learning is YouTube. YouTube is a tremendous help in just about any topic imaginable, blacksmithing is no exception.
Here are my personal favorite Blacksmiths to watch (to learn and to be entertained):
Tip: Click on the name to go to their YouTube page!
Over the years, I have subscribed to probably 10 others that are also great, but it was these three men that truly inspired me.
Torbjörn Åhman was the first. At the time I watched his first video, learning how to blacksmith wasn’t even a possibility in my mind. I was home, sitting on the couch, and depressed. I had left active duty army the year before and I was lost. Or as they say in the Army, Lost in the sauce!
Torbjörn’s videos pulled me out of my rut. They taught me the value of living your life. I spent the next two days binge watching his videos. Again, I didn’t want to learn how to blacksmith at the time, but I really appreciated the art, his art and his ability to move steel. He was mesmerizing.
I’ll tell you a secret. I sent Torbjörn an email. I thanked him from the bottom of my heart. I thanked him for the work that he gave the world. And you know what? He wrote me back. His email surprised the hell out of me, that he’d take the time to reply to a fan. That’s what makes YouTube so great. The contributors are real people, like you and me.
I continued watching videos on blacksmithing and thanks to YouTube’s recommendations, I later found John Switzer on Black Bear Forge as well as Alec Steele. They all have different styles when it comes to smithing and filming, but they are all great blacksmiths.
Now if you’re brave or perhaps don’t want to watch a master at work and want to see a mere mortal smith flailing away, feel free to visit my YouTube channel.
Tangible
The tangible realm of learning is that which you can touch. In this case, I mean books! Yes, you might have to do a little reading. Don’t worry, there are always a lot of pictures to look at.
Here’s a list of my favorite books that I own:
- Blacksmithing Basics for the Homestead by Joe DeLaRonde (2017)
- The Skills of A Blacksmith Volume I: Mastering the Fundamentals of Blacksmithing by Mark Aspery (2015)
- The Backyard Blacksmith: Traditional Techniques for the Modern Smith by Lorelei Sims (2006)
- Practical Blacksmithing by M. T. Richardson (1890)
Most are available both digitally and in print, however, I recommend buying the print version. That’s what makes it tangible learning. There’ an extra learning effect that occurs when you are thumbing through the pages.
Now you might be asking yourself a couple of questions like, which book should I read first, or if I only bought one, which would be the best?
Well, a very well written primer on the subject is Lorelei’s book, The Backyard Blacksmith. It is reasonably priced at around $10 and does a good job touching on most if not all the major subjects of blacksmithing.
At the end of her book, she includes several projects perfect for the beginner. These projects have the information needed to buy the material and steps to forging the metal.
If you only buy one book, I would say to buy Mark Aspery’s book. Of the four books listed above, is by far the most expensive book, now priced on Amazon at $57, but it is also the book with the most information.
Mark has put together a series of volumes that in no small detail go over most if not everything you could potentially learn. Additionally, if you want to make your own tools, like punches and drifts, get his book. I bought it specifically for this reason and the information is absolutely on point.
On the subject of Mark Aspery, while he doesn’t post often, his YouTube channel is quite good. He’s a traditionalist and a master smith.
In-Person
Perhaps the best way to learn how to blacksmith is to apprentice to a master smith or take lessons from one. Barring that, you can and should join local and state blacksmithing associations. They regularly host meet-ups where you can learn new tips and techniques.
There are two easy ways to find a blacksmith near you. First, search on Google Maps for blacksmiths and Google should provide a nice list of smiths in your area. Secondly, visit ABANA’s website and use their “Find a Blacksmith” search tool.
ABANA stands for Artist-Blacksmith’s Association of North America. They are a membership organization, for the most part, tying the industry of blacksmiths together. On their website, you can search for other smiths, purchase products, find other associations near you, and become a member. ABANA also has publications called the Anvil’s Ring and Hammer’s Blow.
Their website address is https://abana.org/.
You’ve got to Show Up
Lastly and most importantly, you’ve got to show up. Dreams don’t pay the bills and fantasies without actions only exist in your mind!
You’ve got to HEAT, BEAT, and REPEAT!
That’s how the best have done it. The best blacksmiths knew how and where to get help and they worked at their trade relentlessly.
You’ve got to be relentless, as well as patient, humble, and honest. You don’t give up. You get smarter by looking for answers and learning how to apply them. You are humble enough to admit that you need help and you are honest that you aren’t half as good as you would like to be.
Okay, let’s recap. The main point of this article is to give you a plan, a framework you can employ to learn how to blacksmith. How did we do?
- Assemble your toolkit – Get the minimum viable tools you need to blacksmith
- Choose Your Muse – Get inspired! Find a YouTuber or an author who inspires you.
- Seek out Knowledge – Use YouTube, Books, and Mentors to learn the how-tos of blacksmithing.
- Show Up – Heat Beat and Repeat. Be Relentless and don’t give up. Be humble and patient. You’ll learn how, it will take as long as it takes.
And that’s it. The End. Thanks for reading!
If you like this article and would like to learn more, these articles may help.
Blacksmith Tools for the Beginner: Best 5 Tools to Start