Hands on Traditional skills and where to learn them

Metalsmithery

What is it?Metalsmithery involves annealing copper, brass, bronze, silver or gold – that is, heating it until it is red hot, then allowing it to cool – before hammering it into shape. The key difference between a metalsmith and a blacksmith is that, while a blacksmith works with ferrous metals when they are hot, a metalsmith works with non-ferrous metals when they are cold. Metalsmiths may also be called silversmiths, goldsmiths or coppersmiths, depending on the principal metal they work with.

What do metalsmiths make and what tools do they use?Metalsmiths make everything from bowls, goblets, cutlery, teapots and coffeepots to trophies, chains of office and all kinds of jewellery. They use hammers and stakes, or small anvils, as well as soldering torches and polishing brushes.

How is it done?The first techniques a beginner will learn are sawing and filing metal into simple shapes, according to Brian Clarke, who holds regular metalsmithery classes. "I teach people the basics of silversmithing over four days. In that time they will learn how to heat and form metal through the annealing process. They will learn how to cut, file and solder a ring and set a stone into a round bezel on top of the ring. They will also learn how to make and solder a spoon with a handle and decorative end."

How long does it take?A beginner will need about a day to make a spoon or ring. An experienced metalsmith will need less time, of course, but it depends on the intricacy of each piece. "It's a slow process. You have to be patient. Things happen in their own time," says Clarke.

Where can I sign up?Brian Clarke runs silversmithery classes for beginners and people with some experience in his workshop, at Ballinaclash, Rathdrum, Co Wicklow, on Saturdays from 10am to 6pm (€70 per class) and on Thursdays from 7pm to 10pm (€40 per class). Classes must be booked in groups of four. He also runs occasional workshops in more advanced techniques at his Wicklow workshop and in Autignac, near Béziers, in the southwestern French region of Languedoc-Roussillon, in May and September. See silversmithingworkshop.com or call 0404-46385 or 086-3432907. The Crafts Council website, ccoi.ie, has contact details of silversmiths working throughout Ireland.