[TheForge] Future of blacksmithing

[Demon Buddha]

Dan Tull wrote:
> We have always had the problem of explaining to prospective customers what we do and can do.
> We don't shoe horses(most of us), and we do better work than pier one imports stuff.

	I'd say a baby crapping spinach in his diapers is better than that, but 
what do I know?

> If you can draw it, we can make it, if you have enough money.

	And if you are willing to part with that money.  I've worked with a few 
very wealthy clients (hundreds of millions in personal net worth) and 
most of them were nickel/dime bastards whose buttholes I wanted to 
introduce to a high velocity porcupine.  It's very frustrating when 
someone comes ot you with an attitude, telling you that they don't want 
to pay more than $150 for a $2500 table.  That gets old very quickly. 
Some can be edumacated, but just as many don't care to hear just how 
much work goes into iron.  They either find some dufus willing to do it 
for what they are willing to pay, or they end up at Pier 1 buying crap 
from south of the border.  This was the big thing in Phoenix.  People 
thought it was "rustic", when all it was was pure crap.  Tough business.
> 
> Our local guild( read blacksmithing club) would like to, once a quarter, have a meeting in the public eye.
> Get the public into our auctions so blacksmiths aren't buying blacksmithing. It's hard to pay a lot for something we could make.
> Not to mention the new members we could get with that exposure.

	You might see better success if you made it some sort of more 
accessible event. Accessible in the minds of the public in order to get 
better longevity.  Perhaps a metal arts exhibit?  All manner of 
smithing?  And 4 times a year might be too much... I don't know this for 
certain, but I get that gut impression... unless you have something 
really special in mind.  The only thing I will warn you against is 
setting expectations too high.  I spent a few years watching the people 
at Saturday market in Portland doing their thing.  They work like the 
devil, many of them, and for very little return.  People love to shop, 
but these days they don't like to part with the cashola.  I had a friend 
there, superb silver and gold smith.  He couldn't make it.
> 
> We are trying to get corner samples onto the desk of architects, so they would try to incorporate more ironwork into their designs.
> When we can we GIVE pieces to civic groups,  fund raisers, and silent auctions.

	Great idea.  nearly free advertising.  Excellent approach... has it worked?
> 
> We are also trying to have more "open forge" so people w/o shops can get in the fire, and those that want to practice what the demonstrator just showed them.
> To keep from re-inventing the wheel, What are you other groups doing to promote blacksmithing.

	NJBA - open forges, seminars, workshops (forge building, anvil repair, 
etc.)