Last Updated on August 19, 2022
Interested in learning more about the best blacksmith schools? Blacksmithing Schools are ranked based on set criteria. However, determining the best blacksmith school can be subjective as each school has strengths that set it apart from the others. All blacksmith schools offer excellent education, and you should research each of these schools to find out which one is right for you!
Table of Contents
What is Blacksmithing?
Blacksmithing is the process of making objects out of wrought iron or steel.
A blacksmith is a silversmith who makes objects from wrought iron or steel by forging metal with a hammer, bending, and cutting tools. Blacksmiths make items such as doors, bars, balustrades, lights, furniture, sculptures, tools, agricultural implements, decorative and religious items, kitchen utensils, and weapons.
There was a historical contrast between the hard work of the blacksmith and the delicate work of a whitesmith, who typically worked gold, silver, pewter, or the final stages of fine steel. The place where a blacksmith works are called a blacksmith shop, a smithy, or a forge.
How To Become A Blacksmith
It is possible to become a blacksmith without formal training or education. However, if you want to be a professionally trained blacksmith, you will need years and months of training and study with a skilled blacksmith or some vocational schools that offer courses in blacksmithing and other related professions. Formally trained blacksmiths can excel in their careers with great success and higher wages.
Technical and vocational schools offer programs that lead to a smithing degree program. However, if you want to become a successful blacksmith, it will be more beneficial to get training to learn metal forging and welding skills alongside your studies. Those hoping for a career at Blacksmith can complete a training program with qualified and experienced blacksmiths.
Do you want to attend a blacksmithing school and become a professional blacksmith follow the steps below:
- Earn a high school diploma
- Attend a vocational school or trade school to learn blacksmithing
- Attend a college to obtain a blacksmithing diploma
- Become an apprentice with a trained and experienced blacksmith
- Purchase online courses to learn to forge or watch YT videos
- Get the tools you need to start Smithing
- Find a workshop or rent one
- Look for a way to market yourself and slowly establish yourself and build a portfolio
- Get in touch with other blacksmiths near you
- Continue to gain more knowledge about blacksmithing
What are Blacksmithing Schools?
Blacksmithing Schools are institutions where individuals are trained to create or fabricate new objects from iron through a set of procedures.
Schools, where blacksmiths are trained, could either be specialized training centers for smiths or could be faculty within a larger institution.
After successful completion of your blacksmithing education, you will usually receive a recognized degree from your accredited institution.
As you read on, you will find in this article some of these blacksmithing schools that are located in different places around the world.
How To Choose The Best Blacksmith School
Blacksmithing Schools share many common characteristics. When it’s time to decide which colleges to apply to, the ranking systems are great places to start your research. While these lists give you basic information about the institutions and where the school ranks based on specific criteria, choosing a school should also be based on factors including what you want to study, location, class sizes, and the educational and extracurricular opportunities the school offers.
Best Blacksmith Schools
Here’s a look at the best blacksmith schools;
1. Anvil Academy
Tuition Fee: $6,500 per year
Anvil Academy is a non-profit historic school known for trade education. They teach individuals trade courses like blacksmithing, woodworking, leatherwork, sewing, 3D design etc.
Anvils blacksmithing class is held at the quonset hut located at 305 n. main, newberg, oregon.
2. Virginia Institute Of Blacksmithing
Tuition Fee: $269-$2750
Virginia Institute offers a certification program in blacksmithing which is recognized as a career and trade program by the State Council of Higher Education. From this blacksmithing program, students learn professional architectural and artistic metalwork.
Individuals are expected to complete this one year blacksmithing program to acquire the necessary skills to work as blacksmiths and practice under a professional blacksmith.
3. New Agrarian School
Tuition fee: $1750.00
Blacksmithing education at the New Agrarian School is aimed at preserving and improving the art of forged metalworking.
This trade school uses workshops, classes and studio assistantships to train students on the skill of Blacksmithing.
4. Clatsop Community College
Tuition Fee: $8,010(out state students) $4,230 (in-state students).
Clatsop Community College is regarded amongst the top known Smithing Schools around. This public community college is located in in Astoria and Seaside, Oregon with a wide coverage in other states around America.
Blacksmithing courses in the Clatsop Community College is offered under the the History Preservation Program of the university.
5. Bridgetown Forge
Tuition Fee: $460 or more.
Established over 20 years ago at Portland, Oregon, Bridgetown forge has gone ahead to successfully teach over 300 individuals to smith.
Bridgetown Forge specialises in Japanese style of forging and organizes its classes to accommodate both experienced and new smiths.
6. Cascadia Center for Arts & Crafts
Tuition Fee: $220.00 or more.
This school of blacksmithing employs the traditional crafts used in the work progressive administrative era to teach its students. The school has 4 forge blacksmithing shops which are located on its summit campus.
7. Pratts Fine Arts Center
Tuition Fee: $75 per class or more
Pratt’s fine arts center has a studio equipped with lots of tools like hammers, anvils, and natural gas forges. The institution has a wide range of blacksmithing classes which could last from as little as four hours to several weeks.
8. Rochester Institute of Technology, New York
Tuition Fee: $52,030
At Rochester Institute of Technology, New York, there is a school of American crafts where students acquire traditional and modern art skills.
Students in this faculty choose from a list of materials like metals, glass, or wood, and master them for the fabrication of useful objects.
Under this school is an option for metal and jewelry design where you will learn metalsmithing and how to apply it for the design of beautiful objects.
9. Austin Community College, Texas
Tuition Fee: $286 + $ 50.00-course fee per course, and a $1.00 insurance fee per course
This community college offers a course in welding technology where blacksmithing is taught to students. Under the welding technology, the university also offers AAS (Associate of Applied Science) degrees including:
- Technical Welding
- Architectural and Ornamental Metals
- Entrepreneurship/ Welding Hybrid Awards
10. Studio Thorne Metals schools for blacksmithing
Tuition Fee: Class dependent.
If you’re interested in a blacksmithing education that prepares you to become a modern-day blacksmith, then you should consider this school. Paul Thorn, an architectural smith, and instructor alongside other experienced blacksmiths teach interested students about the art of blacksmithing.