# I'd like to learn blacksmithing. How do I go about it? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 25, 2018, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-like-to-learn-blacksmithing-how-do-i-go-about-it/811143 "2018-03-25T00:54:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2018, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-like-to-learn-blacksmithing-how-do-i-go-about-it/811143/1 "2018-03-25T00:54:40Z")
Watching Forged in Fire I’ve been wanting to fulfill a lifelong dream of learning how to become a blacksmith. But I can’t find any formal training programs. And I don’t know of any blacksmiths in my area. So the question is how could I find someone, even a weekend hobbyist, who can teach me? I realize it’ll probably involve months of free labor in the shop to convince that I actually want to invest the time, and their time, in teaching me. That I expect and accept. I live in West Bend, WI on the off-chance anyone knows a guy who knows a guy. But other than that any advice on how to go about this? Thanks ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2018, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-like-to-learn-blacksmithing-how-do-i-go-about-it/811143/2 "2018-03-25T01:34:39Z")
A friend of mine was interested in it (because he wanted to learn how to make knives). He wound up volunteering at a re-enactment museum near us, where they would have a smith working demonstrations. He then moved on to working as a blacksmith at the local Renaissance Faire. He (and I) live in suburban Chicago, and he no longer actively blacksmiths (his real job, and fatherhood, took over his time). But, I can ask him if he knows of any resources that could help point you in the right direction. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2018, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-like-to-learn-blacksmithing-how-do-i-go-about-it/811143/3 "2018-03-25T02:51:57Z")
Maybe start with [Meetup Blacksmithing](https://www.meetup.com/topics/blacksmithing). Even if there’s not one local, someone may know someone who knows someone. Or can at least recommend some sort of a self study. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2018, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-like-to-learn-blacksmithing-how-do-i-go-about-it/811143/4 "2018-03-25T02:58:25Z")
Look for specialized blacksmithing forums, for example: [https://www.iforgeiron.com/](https://www.iforgeiron.com/) Did you know there was a reality TV show about blacksmithing set in Milwaukee: > **[Milwaukee Blacksmith (TV Series 2016– ) - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5970944/)** > > Milwaukee Blacksmith: A father, his three sons and one daughter run a blacksmith business in Milwaukee. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2018, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-like-to-learn-blacksmithing-how-do-i-go-about-it/811143/5 "2018-03-25T03:04:16Z")
Also, ABANA is a membership organization for “artist blacksmiths” (my friend used to be their webmaster). You might find some useful info here. > **[Home - ABANA](https://abana.org/)** > > The largest blacksmithing community in North America providing education for blacksmiths and instructors, news, discounts, and more! ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2018, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-like-to-learn-blacksmithing-how-do-i-go-about-it/811143/6 "2018-03-25T03:57:17Z")
Speak of re-enactors, as far as the Society for Creative Anachronism is concerned, you live in the [Barony of Caer Anterth Mawr.](http://caeranterth.org/index.php) There should be a contact on that list (try the chatelaine) who can get you in touch with their blacksmiths, who should know the other locals who aren’t in the SCA. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2018, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-like-to-learn-blacksmithing-how-do-i-go-about-it/811143/7 "2018-03-25T04:20:33Z")
Lots of Youtube videos. [https://www.youtube.com/results?search\_query=blacksmith&search=Search](https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=blacksmith&search=Search) ---
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2018, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-like-to-learn-blacksmithing-how-do-i-go-about-it/811143/8 "2018-03-25T04:28:08Z")
My local hackerspace has a very basic forge and anvil that you can use to blacksmith shit. Check out yours and see what they have. ---
**Author:** ![SamuelA](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@SamuelA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SamuelA)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2018, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-like-to-learn-blacksmithing-how-do-i-go-about-it/811143/9 "2018-03-25T04:57:20Z")
Makerspaces. I do have a comment : are you sure you want to learn classic blacksmithing? Wouldn’t it be even more awesome to use modern tools instead? Imagine the things you can create if you’re using waterjet cutters and aluminum plate. Modern tools are incomparably better and hacker/makerspaces in major cities will have all kinds of CNC machines to do it with. ---
**Author:** ![Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/channing_idaho_banks/32/250_2.png) [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2018, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-like-to-learn-blacksmithing-how-do-i-go-about-it/811143/10 "2018-03-25T08:09:29Z")
Buy all the Iron Ingots, Iron Ore, and leather strips and head to the smelter to smelt your ore into Iron Ingots. Next move over to the forge and make as many Iron daggers as you can. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2018, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-like-to-learn-blacksmithing-how-do-i-go-about-it/811143/11 "2018-03-25T14:44:10Z")
Some Community Colleges offer Farrier Science, as a two year degree. > **[Farrier Science - Request More Information - Mesalands Community College](https://www.mesalands.edu/farrierscience/)** > > Contact Us Today! Looking for some more information? Fill out the form below and one of our representatives will get back to you shortly. Lead The Way At Mesalands Community College FARRIER SCIENCE Mesalands Community College offers an... . ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2018, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-like-to-learn-blacksmithing-how-do-i-go-about-it/811143/12 "2018-03-25T15:00:44Z")
> [@duffer](#): > > I realize it’ll probably involve months of free labor in the shop to convince that I actually want to invest the time, and their time, in teaching me. That I expect and accept. Nope, you will pay for the privilege. You have absolutely nothing to offer a working smith in the way of free labor. Many teaching blacksmiths are artists who do workshops to pay the bills. If you want to make it a serious hobby, start by taking classes and getting to know the blacksmith. Once you’ve picked up the basics, you might be able to pay for forge time. [Start here, maybe](http://milwaukeeblacksmith.virb.com/blacksmith-101-).[Or here](https://bighornforge.com/). For the record, I did a knife-forging workshop with a local artist and it was an absolute blast. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2018, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-like-to-learn-blacksmithing-how-do-i-go-about-it/811143/13 "2018-03-25T15:02:48Z")
West Bend isn’t too far from Door County. Visit the August [Thresheree,](http://www.jacksonport.net/valmy-thresheree/) and you can always find at least one blacksmith crew running active demonstrations. Last year, we had two, and they are always eager to talk about it. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2018, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-like-to-learn-blacksmithing-how-do-i-go-about-it/811143/14 "2018-03-25T16:06:57Z")
usually a good place to start is to google blacksmith along with your city name. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2018, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-like-to-learn-blacksmithing-how-do-i-go-about-it/811143/15 "2018-03-25T16:52:39Z")
The Milwaukee Blacksmith has been gaining more and more popularity over the last few years. I believe he offers classes, but I’ve never looked into it. The most I know about him is because he’s a FOAF, so bits and pieces of conversations run through my facebook feed sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2018, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-like-to-learn-blacksmithing-how-do-i-go-about-it/811143/16 "2018-03-25T18:31:51Z")
Thanks for all the info! I’ll look into this more. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2018, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-like-to-learn-blacksmithing-how-do-i-go-about-it/811143/17 "2018-03-26T01:45:51Z")
Much of traditional blacksmithing was involved with shoes for horses. Modern blacksmithing (‘metal working’) uses way more modern power tools, torches, etc. If you’re more interested in the old-fashioned blacksmith work, you might look at horseshoeing. (Many farriers make decorative items in their spare time.) And the [Minnesota School of Horseshoeing](https://www.mnschoolofhorseshoeing.com/) is right across the border in Minnesota.