Education for Bladesmiths

[Tyler Reinarts]

Hi everyone, 

 

      I’m doing a school project where I’m researching bladesmithing as a hypothetical career and I’m supposed to find out what kind of training, education or preparation is required. So, for those of you that do this professionally, how did you learn your craft? And what would you recommend for someone who wants to make blades professionally? It doesn’t have to be too in depth as this is just hypothetical.

[Geoff Keyes]

I learned the craft slowly, painfully, and piecemeal.  I came from a background of a electronics/network tech, which helped me only in the sense that I understood troubleshooting and problem solving.  I took some classes with a local blacksmithing group, met a few bladesmiths, and went from there.

 

Very few people, IMHO, make a living as a bladesmith.  I have a wife with a job that covers us, but puts her on the road about 40K miles a year.  So along with bladesmith I am watchman, chief cook, and bringer of food to horses.  My work brings in a few bucks, but pretty much if I can cover my costs with sales, classes and some peddling of tools, I consider myself a success.

On the up side, I am my own boss, on the down side, the boss is a nit picking micromanaging jerk with ADHD.

 

Geoff 

[Charles dP]

You might find some more answers in this

 

and at least some of the pinned topics here:

https://www.bladesmithsforum.com/index.php?/forum/8-the-way/

 

hope this helps.

Edited April 17, 2020 by Charles dP

[Joshua States]

Tyler,

You might want to look into the history of the black smith resurgence in America, and the two prominent knife making associations in the USA.

Check the history and membership pages at these sites:

https://abana.org/

http://www.americanbladesmith.com/index.php?

https://knifemakersguild.com/