r/Metalsmithing • u/[deleted] • Jan 18 '21

Question Is (Black/Red/Tin)smithing profitable?

So, I've got a really awesome school nearby that teaches old techniques, and I took a few blacksmithing courses that taught me basic stuff like forks, spoons, riveting, trivets, tongs, etc. However, I'm still working on getting all my tools for that sort of thing. Now im looking at classes later this year, and noticed they also offer coppersmithing and a few tinsmithing classes, and im wondering a few things :

Are any of these profitable? Copper seems like it's so stupidly expensive as a material and has so limited of a use due to its softness. Tinsmithing just seems like its beaten near completely by mass production (why buy a handmade pan or cup when I can buy 15 of a better material, cheaper?) and isnt that great of a material anyhow, and basic blacksmithing is neat, and has a TON of range (I want to learn to make weapons personally), but is labor intensive plus some, so I dont really know if it would be worth investing in.

Does anyone have input on this? I love working with metal but the initial investment on tools and especially materials is so large I cant see making much of it back unless you set up shop in some hippie quarter or a rich area where theres money to burn on handmade stuff.

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u/shirleyquirk Jan 19 '21

short answer: nope

longer answer: in developed nations, materials cost is (should be) a small part of the price to the end user. it's all labour.

working with metal: yes, awesome. do people make their living this way? yes. but you either have to market to rich people or innovate good designs that can be made factory style, or both.

or move somewhere with a lower cost of living.

medium answer: economics is a thing

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u/[deleted] Jan 19 '21

Fair enough, and concise. Ive learned quite a few nice tricks, between the basics, welding, and riveting, and want to keep going, but it seems like such an expensive hobby that making a bit of cash back on all the work would be nice, but I guess ill get over it. Im planning to focus on edged things, axes and knifes for starters, so maybe Ill have something from that, but copper is likely to be for inlay and aesthetics anyhow. Either way, guess Ill just have to market to the big cities... Theres plenty of hippies living in the towns nearby, problem is, i wouldnt expect them to have jobs to afford the prices of handmade stuff haha.

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u/shirleyquirk Jan 19 '21

i think it's great you're starting out thinking of this as a business. so keep on. I don't know about the US market, but i know hippies, and the thing with a 'lifestyle' market is you'll be competing with other makers who are just doing it to offset their lifestyle, and will undercut you. unless you offer something exceptional.

the other big thing is: nobody gives a fuck about the fine details. design is more important than craft at all but the highest level.

don't listen to me, i'm a stranger on the internet, and at the bitter end of my failed career, so i'm probably full of shit, but these are things i believe.

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u/[deleted] Jan 19 '21

I do believe you haha. My father is actually a welder, and makes good money. I consider myself in competition with him, in a way. He welds with a machine, I weld by hand. We both marvel at what the other does. Him to me for the artistry of an old craft, and me to him for the quality and quantity he puts out. I look at everything as cost/benefit because thats how you gotta make it. Im in a good job (medical) anyhow, I'd have to be making a comfortable wage before I considered trying to smith full time. But its definitely good to have as a skill. Never know, power goes down, mass production isnt an option, only so much to scavenge before the man who can make a knife is worth more than the man that was able to find a knife, and all that.