[TheForge] Whitesmiths

[theforge@mailman.qth.net]

A lot of tinsmiths do call themselves whitesmiths (apologies to the tinsmiths 
on this forum).  But they aren't.  As I was taught, a whitesmith is someone 
like a cutler, or surgical tool maker, who works in iron, but takes greater 
care in doing so that he does not allow the scale to be beaten into the 
piece, and who files and polishes the work upon completion.  

Silversmiths sometimes call themselves goldsmiths, if they work both 
metals...seeing as how gold is more valuable, it was thought to give them a 
higher cache to be referred to as a goldsmith.  Never have heard them called 
whitesmiths.

Jerry V
Williamsburg, VA

<< According to Bealers book a blacksmith is so called because the METAL turns
 black and the old language "to smite" got rounded off to smith. So we are
 the 'smiters of the black metal'.  If I am correct tin or silver smiths
 could be called whitesmiths. ( I think I read that somewhere). >>