Blacksmith Job Description, Skills, and Salary
Are you searching for a blacksmith job description? Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of a blacksmith. Feel free to use our blacksmith job description template to produce your own blacksmith job description. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as a blacksmith.
Who is a Blacksmith?
A Blacksmith is a specialist who uses metals, such as iron and steel, to form functional or aesthetically pleasing shapes. Blacksmiths have produced everything from nails to wrought iron furniture, so their labor has traditionally been of the utmost significance.
Blacksmiths, who work with iron and steel, heat the metal into a malleable state so they may hammer, bend, cut, mold, and produce various items. Blacksmiths produce metalwork such as bespoke gates, railings, furniture, weapons, tables, light fixtures, sculptures, plant hangers, hooks, doorstops, and equipment like drills and chisels. Their work is a perfect example of what we call applied art. It accomplishes a goal, is robust, durable, fashionable, and performs well.
Blacksmiths are fascinated with tools, fire, and metal. They heat metal to extremely high temperatures in a forge to shape them into complex functioning components. The malleability of metal increases with temperature, as they use weighted hammers, tongs, anvils, forges, and safety gear in this process. The metal is struck with hammers and bent around an anvil, which features faces and horns for flattening and rounding the metal.
A blacksmith will use a furnace or forge to heat metal any day. They will work with several types of metal, including wrought iron, steel, bronze, brass, and copper, and shape and bend the metal using hand tools or power instruments, such as grinders, drills, and hydraulic presses. They will apply coatings to metal or other media and weld metal pieces together. In a furnace or forge, where they heat smelted iron to make it readily molded and manipulated; they use an anvil, tongs, hammers, chisels, and other tools to shape, flatten, cut, or weld iron into the desired product.
Most blacksmiths who work for an organization or business are full-time employees. Their working hours as self-employed blacksmiths will depend on whether they have orders to complete pieces of furniture or artwork for customers or whether they are busy in their studio. A farrier who specializes in creating and mending horseshoes is a blacksmith. They may also work in museums. Industrial blacksmiths frequently labor in construction or mining areas. No matter where they work, the job requires them to move large objects, stand close to forges or hot furnaces, swing hammers, or use power equipment.
Blacksmiths often put in up to 35–40 hours a week, Monday through Friday, with some overtime when necessary. Some of the physically taxing tasks they deal with at work include the hard lifting of metal objects and working in loud environments. Additionally, they might need to put on safety goggles, earplugs, an apron, and boots. The location might be anything from engineering or mining enterprises to modest huts. Their working hours depend on their workload, whether they are self-employed or hired by a small business.
Blacksmith Job Description
What is a blacksmith job description? A blacksmith job description is simply a list of duties and responsibilities of a blacksmith in an organization. Below are the blacksmith job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write a blacksmith job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.
Blacksmiths make use of different tools and perform a series of duties at their workplace, some of their responsibilities include;
- Determine an approximate value for the strain on a material, tensile strength, and fracture for any cold repair procedure.
- Coordinate with businesses or individual clients on the details of the work.
- Decide which metal is best for a product or gadget.
- Identify and choose tools, machinery, and equipment.
- Keep thorough records of all money transactions and the kind of tool or machine component repaired or manufactured.
- Read and understand sketches, plans, and drawings.
- Work on huge items or projects with team members.
- Operate machinery including reciprocating, band, circular, and welder saws, among other things.
- Shape and adjust the initial cuts to ensure the plan complies with the job’s requirements.
- Use a blacksmith’s furnace to forge, shape, and repair things made of various metals, such as hooks, rods, chisels, wrenches, tongs, chains, and machine parts.
- Use various equipment to weld and temper metal objects, including hand tools, air chisels, trip hammers, drills, brackets, and clamps.
Qualifications
- High school certificate or GED
- Further education through a higher institution or/and technical school
- Practice in a similar role through internship or apprenticeship
- Ability to use Blacksmith tools
- Physically strong
Essential Skills
To perform a tedious job like blacksmithing is not easy, so there are skills blacksmiths may want to learn to be successful. They are;
- Adaptability
As Blacksmith skill level increases, they will need to be able to adapt to new and more challenging projects or work tasks in a blacksmith apprentice career. As technology improves, they may need to learn how to use modified tools relevant to their job that pop up from time to time.
- Creativity
Blacksmiths must ensure they are starting their deal in the right way. They should not be working as a blacksmith if they have not received instruction in the necessary methods, equipment, and tools to use and apply. It will be great for them to know what skills they need to develop as a blacksmith to work safely and obtain the necessary training and tools.
A blacksmith must have an eye for form and aesthetics since blacksmithing is an art. The greatest blacksmiths can innovate beyond the box to produce novel, aesthetically pleasing, or utilitarian products for their clientele. Since things don’t always go as planned and sometimes a concept needs to be changed to suit the requirements of a particular project or customer, the nature of a blacksmith’s work also necessitates an innovative approach.
- Detail-oriented
When working on tasks involving metalworking, blacksmiths should pay close attention to detail. It will help them interpret project designs and dimensions, resulting in accurate work that meets the customer’s demands.
- Drawing
A blacksmith uses drawings to build pieces. Before beginning work on a project, they frequently sketch out the design to visualize how each component should appear and how the whole thing fits together. They also use this skill to create patterns for new tools or equipment. It guarantees that the completed product will match the customer’s order perfectly.
- Endurance
To finish jobs and put in long hours, blacksmiths require endurance. The capacity to work continuously for an extended amount of time can help them fulfill deadlines and generate high-quality work.
- Forging
Blacksmiths forge metal things. They shape it into the desired shape using tools like anvils, hammers, and chisels. Blacksmiths use this skill when making objects like nails, hinges, hooks, chains, and other hardware. They must be able to regulate their motions while using the hammer and other tools because forging needs accuracy.
- Hand-eye Coordination
A person having hand-eye coordination skills can take part in jobs that require the simultaneous use of these bodily parts. Blacksmithing requires this skill. The eyes take in information (visual-spatial perception) to direct their hands. Their hands will eventually rely on muscle memory to react to visuals.
- Patience
Blacksmiths use patience when learning new skills and methods, as it may take some time to produce the necessary output. They also need patience when working with clients on special projects. Blacksmiths with patience may be able to give their clients exceptional service while overcoming obstacles to produce a one-of-a-kind work of art.
- Problem-solving
Since numerous skills are involved in problem-solving, it’s critical to be able to evaluate and analyze information to make judgments and determine what to do. Issues may certainly develop during blacksmithing, so this is where one needs to apply these skills to tackle them.
- Maths Knowledge
Math is probably a relevant skill in many trades and careers. A blacksmith needs to be proficient in math for tasks that call for exact measurements, clean cuts, and computations. One will need to refresh the memory of whole numbers and the operations for dividing, adding, subtracting, and multiplying fractions. One needs to be exact and measured twice before cutting to avoid errors.
- Physical Fitness
Blacksmithing has physical demands which require one to be strong, as they could be moving or lifting huge, heavy chunks of metal as part of their job. Blacksmiths must be able to stand still for lengthy periods and engage in repetitive hand motions.
- Technical Proficiency
The job is quite technical, so blacksmiths need to maintain technical skills to carry out particular tasks, as it is crucial. A blacksmith can acquire this skill through practical training designed to instruct while entertaining.
- Welding
The procedure of connecting two metal parts is called welding. Welding is a necessary skill for blacksmiths since they use it to manufacture metal products. Many people learn the art of welding at a technical school or college program, but some pick it up while working on the job.
How to Become a Blacksmith
There are learning and practice routes that will enable people to develop into reputable blacksmiths, regardless of whether they like learning in a classroom, one-on-one with an experienced expert, or learning independently. Here are the routes below;
Bachelor/Vocational
Some universities all over the world provide bachelor’s degrees in blacksmithing and related disciplines, albeit they are uncommon. Students also frequently decide to enroll in two-year programs at vocational schools that specialize in blacksmithing. By attending lectures and spending time in the workshop, earning a formal degree in blacksmithing enables them to learn about the whole scope of the profession. Additionally, they will study various methods that will equip them for employment in the real world and the history of blacksmithing.
Those considering earning a formal degree should know that the process is generally not self-paced because they will study at their schools’ speed. A blacksmithing degree can cost thousands of dollars and may take two to four years to complete, so getting one requires a substantial time and financial commitment.
Apprenticeship
An apprenticeship or internship is a way for blacksmithing students to further their education. They will study the fundamentals in person at their speed while working with an experienced blacksmith. Apprenticeships are an excellent way to experience real-world working environments and the everyday challenges they must meet.
The disadvantage of apprenticeship is the lack of a prescribed curriculum at a college and the potential for a narrower scope of topics covered in blacksmithing.
Self Learn
Without formal education, one can still become a successful blacksmith. Self-education might be a great educational option for people that like to learn at their speed and style and are not financially buoyant. It undoubtedly requires lots of effort and self-control, but it is possible.
Self-teaching is the most difficult method of learning the profession, but it is possible with the correct materials and a lot of practice. To guarantee you are consistently stretching yourself and picking up new abilities, ensure you are educating yourself through techniques such as reading, watching instructional videos, practicing alone, and attending one or more workshops.
Advance Learning
The blacksmiths may develop technical metalworking skills for future usage by advancing their metalworking knowledge. These advanced courses offer ancient and modern blacksmithing techniques that might help one stand out to customers and employers. The metallurgical information one gets from these programs can also help one develop high-quality metal products by enhancing their understanding of melting points, malleability, texture, and hardness.
Become a Member of a Blacksmith Association
If you want to network with blacksmiths in your region and stay up to date on trends and techniques, think about joining your neighborhood Blacksmith group. Belonging to a group dedicated to the industry you are interested in might also help you learn more about it.
Where to Work as a Blacksmith
In the highly skilled blacksmithing profession, blacksmiths produce works of fine art and unique metal objects for patrons, galleries, museums, and corporations. Blacksmiths operate in various settings depending on their interests and area of expertise. Some prefer to work from their workshop or garage, while others choose locations that resemble art studios. But blacksmiths are accustomed to heat and mud wherever they work. If you want to become a blacksmith, be prepared to labor in potentially hazardous situations and become dirty.
Some blacksmiths specialize in industrial work, producing things like fire escapes and security grills for windows and doors. Or, they could focus on creating architectural or aesthetic pieces like furniture or iron gates and railings. Self-employed blacksmiths frequently focus on creative endeavors and sell their crafts to galleries or display their works at fairs and craft events.
Blacksmiths have various employment options than selling their wrought-iron creations. They might focus on crafting and maintaining horseshoes as a farrier. Blacksmiths also work in festivals and historical sites. A blacksmith can even become an instructor at a blacksmithing school after gaining a lot of expertise.
Blacksmith Salary Scale
A Blacksmith makes between $35,000 to $65,600 annually in the United States. While a blacksmith in the United Kingdom earns between £25,020 to £31,000. The salary scale of a blacksmith depends on experience, location, skills, etc.
