[TheForge] demos

Tue Jun 18 08:52:09 2002

Yes, silversmiths were known as whitesmiths (so too were those who polished 
metal).  I had heard a listing of other metal working professions by color too.

Blacksmith - Ironworker
Whitesmith - Silversmith / Polisher
Yellowsmith - Goldsmith
Greysmith - Pewterer / Tinner (tin knocker) / Lead worker
Redsmith - Coppersmith

Take the last three with a grain of salt.  I've been unable to verify them 
etymologically.

Daniel Crowther
Swordsmith
http://www.oakandacorn.com
http://home.nycap.rr.com/clancrowther

At 09:36 PM 6/17/2002 -0400, you wrote:
>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).
>
>Also for wrought iron.  The old language "wrought" means to work.  Since
>wrought iron was worked under a hammer to get its shape it was wrought.
>
>
>bill futer
>
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