Becoming a blacksmith is an interesting process, and involves more than just hitting something with a hammer. To become a blacksmith takes dedication, skill, and a deep passion for metalwork.

When you hear the word “blacksmith”, you may think of gigantic, muscular men wearing leather aprons and holding a thick metal rod in the blazing heat of a furnace. That’s because everything in pop culture tells us that blacksmiths are as old-school as it gets. But in reality, there’s no reason why you can’t become a blacksmith — even if you’re a woman! In this post I’ll show you how.

There was a time in Europe when Blacksmithing was an important and honorable craft. It was a time of both war and peace — a time when tools were needed to defend yourself and your region, as well as a time when tools were needed to provide the everyday necessities of life like pots and pans, plows, wagons, etc. Blacksmiths kept busy by making horseshoes and nails. Though there are still some good old fashioned blacksmiths that keep the tradition alive, it’s not quite as popular as it used to be. Am I right?

How To Become Blacksmith

Blacksmithing involves working with metal and varying temperatures to create parts that are typically used for buildings, vehicles and machines. Being able to transfer skills from jobs in industries like construction and manufacturing can help blacksmiths find other careers that also align with their interests. Understanding what blacksmiths do and how to become one can help you determine if pursuing a career in blacksmithing is the right fit for you. In this article, we explain what a blacksmith is, provide a step-by-step guide for becoming one and answer some frequently asked questions about this career.

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What is a blacksmith?

A blacksmith is an industry professional who shapes and joins metals to create finished metal products. They make consumer items such as horseshoes, tools, furniture, rails and wrought-iron gates. Some common duties that blacksmiths perform include:

• Sketch product designs
• Heat metals in forge or furnace
• Shape metals with hand tools
• Use power tools to shape metals
• Join metals using welding and riveting techniques
• Apply metal finishes to products

Related: What Does a Sheet Metal Worker Do?

How to become a blacksmith

Having physical strength is a crucial skill for blacksmiths, along with proper training and skill development. Here’s a list of seven steps to help you on your journey to becoming a blacksmith:

1. Familiarize yourself with blacksmithing

Learning the basics of blacksmithing can help you prepare for the position you’re interested in pursuing. Consider reading relevant books, attending seminars and conducting online research to help gain information before you start a career. In addition, try discussing with others in the profession to get a direct insight into the profession. Familiarizing yourself can help you better understand the skill set and duties associated with the role.

2. Complete community college or vocational school

Pursuing a formal degree in blacksmithing can expand on your skills and teach you essential techniques. Vocational schools and college programs teach these techniques through lectures, studio time and online seminars. Many skills include safety measures, tool handling, sketching, brazing and cutting metals. This also gives you the opportunity to ask questions, network and learn from other blacksmithing professionals. Some helpful courses that many community colleges and vocation schools offer include:

• Welding
• Metal works
• Metallurgy
• Painting
• Casting
• Sculpture
• Design

Read more: Everything You Need To Know About Trade School

3. Attend advanced metalwork classes

Attending advanced metalwork classes can help you expand your technical metalworking techniques to apply in future roles. These advanced classes teach traditional and contemporary blacksmithing practices that can make you more noticeable to clients and recruiters. These classes can also help increase your metallurgy knowledge surrounding melting points, malleability, texture and hardness that can help you produce high-quality metal products. Some advanced classes you might consider include:

• Plasma cutting
• Metal inert gas (MIG) welding
• Tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding
• Arc welding

4. Practice blacksmith skills

Finding opportunities to practice your blacksmithing skills can help improve your abilities and expand your knowledge. You can practice your skills at various places like community centers, local art workshops, historical centers or create a personal workshop. This can also expose you to specialty or niche fields or techniques, such as industrial blacksmithing and decorative metal artwork.

Related: 12 Top Job Skills for Any Industry: Transferable Skills You Need

5. Join the Artist Blacksmith’s Association of North America (ABANA)

Consider joining a local ABANA chapter to help you connect with blacksmiths in your area and keep current with trends and techniques. Having an organization that is specific to the industry you’re interested in can also provide additional information about that industry. The ABANA also offers additional coursework and programs to help expand your metalworking techniques.

6. Apply to an apprenticeship program

Applying to a blacksmithing apprenticeship program can help you gain experience and hone your techniques. This also exposes you to the technical aspects and daily demands of the trade. These programs can also include additional coursework and lectures to help enhance your technical blacksmithing skills.

Read more: Apprenticeships in Blacksmithing: Everything You Need To Know

7. Enroll in a journeyman program

Consider enrolling in a journeyman program to help expand on specialty skills and techniques in the blacksmithing profession. Try researching program prerequisites to find programs that align with your skills, as many programs have specific education or experience specifications. These programs expand on your knowledge surrounding detail design sketches, heat treating metals and additional metallurgy knowledge.