Is Blacksmithing an Expensive Hobby? A Breakdown of Costs and Expenses

Blacksmithing has been around for centuries. In the past, it was an essential craft in the community. While today blacksmithing may not be required as before, still more and more people are showing great interest in starting this beautiful craft.

The common worry among the majority of those people is the cost of a blacksmithing anvils, tools, materials, fuels, etc.

So, is blacksmithing really that expensive?

Blacksmithing can both be a cheap and expensive hobby, depending on which level you want to go. Beginner blacksmiths may need to spend only between $200-$500 whereas the cost of advanced blacksmithing may be a few thousand dollars.

It all depends on the type of work you plan to do and the required equipment for these projects.

While that is more of a general answer, I suppose you are looking for some specifics. So, in the following paragraphs, I will answer the following:

• What influences the cost of blacksmithing
• What tools do you need to start blacksmithing
• Costs of beginner blacksmith
• Costs of an intermediate blacksmith
• Costs of an advanced blacksmith

Let’s start.

What Factors Influence Blacksmithing Costs?

As I have said before, blacksmithing can vary tremendously in terms of expenses. For instance, someone who only wants to produce small and simple projects may only need a set of basic tools. On the opposite side of the spectrum, someone who plans on making Damascus knives will need either a power hammer or press, therefore he will spend a lot.

Now let’s examine in greater detail what primarily determines all these costs.

Workshop Construction Costs (if necessary)

You may guess it already. The blacksmith must have some working space where he/she will do the work. The blacksmith’s workshop is also called a smithy, so I will use these two terms interchangeably for the rest of the article.

If you already have an existing workshop that doesn’t require any construction work then your cost is $0. On the other hand, if you have space but it also requires construction work, the cost varies widely.

The expenses may include floor and wall construction work, insulation of the shop, and other things. As you can see, it is very hard to even give an estimated price amount.

Lastly, if you don’t have your own space, you will need to rent it so the cost will depend on the price of your rental fee.

Estimated Cost of Blacksmithing Tools and Equipment

As a blacksmith, you need to have appropriate tools and equipment for translating your ideas into a finished product. It doesn’t matter if you are a beginner or an experienced blacksmith. Without them, you can’t do anything except dream about forging.

Blacksmithing tools and equipment usually present the largest expenses in this craft. A beginner doesn’t have to spend too much on the tools in the starting phases as you don’t need any special tools then. However, as smith keeps improving he will typically need more specialized tools for advanced projects.

Tools are generally divided into two categories, including hand tools and power tools. Hand tools are usually much cheaper than power tools and therefore are much more common among novice blacksmiths. In terms of cost, anvil and forge are the two most expensive tools that cannot be afforded without.

Other basic hand tools include a hammer, tongs, vice, chisels, punches, drifts, and fullers. Power tools like a power hammer, hydraulic press, various types of grinders, and drill presses are more expensive so you won’t see every beginner using them.

Also, don’t forget about safety equipment. Blacksmithing is all about forging a heated piece of metal therefore it requires a proper level of precaution.

This is why wearing things like safety glasses, earplugs and proper clothes for blacksmithing is essential. If you are a beginner smith, my recommendation is to create a habit of putting on safety glasses immediately after you enter the shop.

Every serious blacksmith wears safety equipment and takes the necessary safety precautions during his work. Don’t be that tough guy who doesn’t do that. As far as I’m concerned, I didn’t see any blind blacksmith who is still forging.

Unfortunately, there are many smiths with impaired hearing. They would probably tell you that this could have been avoided only if they were wearing some kind of ear protection.

Now let’s list four basic tools that every blacksmith must have in order to start.

Anvil

First and foremost, you need something to work on, something that will serve you as a working table. For a blacksmith that is an anvil and it is crucial. Anvil provides hard metal surfaces on which the heated metal can be worked fast and efficiently. Its weight ranges from 10 to 500 pounds. When some blacksmith uses the term anvil, they typically refer to a London or German-style anvil.

Anvil is composed of several parts and each of them serves its purpose. Blacksmithing techniques like punching, cutting, drawing out, and upsetting are mostly all done on the anvil. For instance, bending is typically done on the horn whereas the drawing out is mostly done on the face of the anvil. Remember, the anvil is the center of the blacksmithing shop, so having a piece of good knowledge about it is very important.

Understanding all of its concepts allows you to work more efficiently, safer, and comfortably. Don’t forget that poor knowledge is one of the biggest enemies in any craft, not just in blacksmithing.

First and foremost, the anvils price depends on the material and size. The heavier the anvil is, the more expensive it is. Also, cast iron anvils are the cheapest option of all, ranging from $20 to $200. On the higher end, forged steel anvils are much more expensive due to their better mechanical properties. They typically range from $100 to $2000, depending on the size.

In terms of the ideal size of the anvil, that primarily depends on the working projects. If you are working with jewelry, 300 pounds is not for you. Contrary, if you are working with big pieces of steel, a tiny 20-pound anvil won’t do the work. Another factor is portability. How often do you plan to move it? If the answer is often, you need an anvil of up to 100 pounds. If not, you can go as heavy as you want. Generally, the heavier the anvil, the better.

Forge

Without something to heat the metal, you cant forge almost anything. Blacksmith uses it to heat the material to the point where the metal is ready for forging. In terms of construction, it can be extremely simple or elaborate. Forge for blacksmithing needs two things: lots of air and some type of fuel. You need fuel to start, maintain the fire, and also the air to regulate it. Today, you can choose between gas forge, coal forge, wood forge, and electric forge, depending on which fuel you are planning to use.

The cost of the forge mainly depends on the desired fuel type. Coal forges range from $200 to $1500 whereas propane forges usually range from $150 to $1000. However, if you want a proper heat-treatment forge, be prepared to spend $500 up to $10,000. It all depends on the skill level and the type of work projects. On the other hand, if you want a DIY forge, you could pass for only $50 or so.

Hammer

Of course, you also need something to strike that heated piece of metal. That is where a hammer comes in. Basically, a hammer is an extension of the smith’s arm. Without one, forget about forging. A hammer is to a smith the same as a brush is to a painter, a tool that is used to shape the material into a finished product.

Keep in mind that there are many types of blacksmithing hammers, including a cross-peen hammer, straight-peen hammer, round peen hammer, ball-peen hammer, diagonal-peen hammer, and many more.  Depending on your experience and skill level you may use more or less of them on a daily basis.

Another crucial factor in choosing the ideal hammer is its weight. The heavier the hammer is, the harder it is to keep it under control and work for a long period of time. Blacksmithing hammers are usually categorized into three groups which are small hammers (1-2 pounds), medium-size hammers (2-4 pounds), and large hammers (more than 4 pounds).

Expect to pay somewhere between $20-$200 for each blacksmithing hammer. The price primarily depends on the type and size of a particular hammer. For general-purpose work, you will most likely need to spend around $50 for a decent hammer. However, after some time you will be able to make your own hammers and therefore save a lot of money.

Tongs

Blacksmithing tongs are another basic tool that every blacksmith must have. While sometimes you can get through without one, in other 99 percent of the time you will need them. In most cases, the metal will be too hot to hold only with your hands, especially if you work with a short stock. The critical thing to have in mind is that they should always fit the work you are doing. If they don’t, don’t use them. Using the wrong tongs for a particular work can be extremely dangerous.

Imagine burning your hand because you didn’t wear proper tongs for the working project. This is why you should always take enough time to learn about your tools and their usage. In terms of length, somewhere in the range of 16 and 22 inches is ideal. The longer they are, the heavier they are of course. The advantage of long tongs is that you can stay at a longer distance from the forge. On the other hand, the short tongs, unfortunately, don’t allow you that.

Note that factors such as the type of project and skill level play a crucial role in choosing the ideal length of the tongs. Blacksmithing is known for its long work hours in which you often put a lot of stress on your wrists. So, if you are a beginner blacksmith, I would recommend starting with a set of lighter tongs because the lighter they are, the more you can hold the metal.

In terms of price, forging tongs usually cost somewhere between $30 and $100. The average price is around $50 for a good set of tongs. Wolf-jaw tongs and v-bit tongs are the most common types used for general-purpose work. As you get advanced you will need more and more types and sizes. After some time you will be able to forge your own pair so you won’t need to spend so much money on them.

If you are someone just starting out, I would highly recommend buying a good set of wolf-jaw tongs. They can hold all sorts of different shapes and sizes of metal. Wolf-jaw tongs are easily available and they are not expensive. Novice smiths usually use stocks like 1/4″, 3/8″, and 1/2″ that these tongs have been proven to hold securely. But don’t get me wrong here, wolf-jaw tongs are not just for beginners, both intermediate and advanced blacksmiths use them regularly.

For smiths interested in knifemaking, the best choice are box-jaw tongs. They hold the blade perfectly secure and therefore minimize the chances of slipping off. Just keep in mind that they should be exactly sized for the particular width of the metal piece. Box-jaw tongs typically cost around $50.

If you want to find more information about blacksmithing tongs, be sure to also check The Complete Guide to Blacksmithing Tongs.

Estimated Costs for Beginner Blacksmiths

Due to the simplicity of the work in starting phases, beginner blacksmiths typically don’t require a lot of tools and equipment. In most cases, all they truly need are the forge, a hammer, tongs, and an anvil.

• Forge: Hell’s Forge Portable Propane Forge Single Burner
• Hammer: Graintex CH1694 4 lb Cross Pein Hammer
• Tongs: Picard Wolf’s Jaw Blacksmith Tongs
• Anvil: Happybuy Single Horn Anvil 55Lbs

Estimated amount: $450

Estimated Costs for Intermediate Blacksmiths

After a couple of months of dedicated practice and effort, you can consider yourself an intermediate blacksmith. Now you will need more tools like punches, chisels, drifts, and more. You can also choose between gas and other solid fuels for your forge. In this phase, you can also think about power tools like drill presses and belt grinders.

• Forge: Hell’s Forge Portable Propane Forge Double Burner
• Hammer: Picard Hammer – Blacksmiths’ Hammer, Straight Pen Driving Hammer
• Tongs:  Picard Wolf’s Jaw Blacksmith Tongs, V-bit Bolt Blacksmith Tongs
• Anvil: 66 LBS Round Horn Anvil Solid Blacksmith Forged Steel
• Drill press: WEN 4208 8 in. 5-Speed Drill Press
• Belt grinder:: Palmgren 2″ x 42″ Belt, 6″ Disc bench finishing machine

Estimated amount: $800-$1000

Estimated Costs for Expert Blacksmiths

This is somebody who is already selling your work and people in his area (or wider) know about him. Years of constant dedication and hundreds of forging sessions were done. An experienced blacksmith will typically add either a power hammer or hydraulic press to his arsenal to reduce stress on the joints.

• Forge: Portable Propane Triple Burner
• Hammer: Mustad 2 Lb. Rounding Hammer
• Tongs: Picard Hammer – Blacksmiths’ Tong, flat-nosed
• Anvil: Happybuy Single Horn Anvil 66Lbs Cast Steel Anvil
• Drill press: WEN 4214 12-Inch Variable Speed Drill Press, Orange
• Belt grinder: Palmgren 2″ x 42″ Belt, 6″ Disc bench finishing machine
• Hydraulic press: Black Widow BD-PRESS-20H 20 Ton Hydraulic Shop Press

Estimated amount: $1400-$1600

Estimated Forge Fuel Costs

Of course, you also need something to fuel your forge with. When it comes to fuels for a blacksmithing forge you have four choices:

• Coal
• Gas
• Charcoal
• Wood

Coal

Coal is considered the best solid fuel for a blacksmithing forge primarily due to its extremely high burning properties. For example, you can do forge welding without a problem using coal as fuel. With coal, you can also achieve a nice localized heat without limitations. Unfortunately, good coal for blacksmithing is getting harder and harder to find. Bituminous coal and anthracite coal are the only two types used for blacksmithing purposes.

Expect to pay around $60 for a 50lbs of bituminous coal. Anthracite coal is much more expensive than bituminous coal, sometimes even 2-3 times more. It is hard to say how much coal you will spend on a weekly or monthly basis. Beginners tend to spend more due to inefficient fire management

Gas

Gas is becoming more and more popular in blacksmithing, especially among beginners. The major reason for that is the simplicity of using the gas forge. Unlike with a coal forge, using the gas forge doesn’t require learning fire management which can be overwhelming for many people. All you have to do is to turn it on and regulate the intensity of the flame from time to time. Also, you don’t need to wait for your forge to heat up.

Gas is also easily available, so you don’t have to wait days and days from the day you ordered it. Note that there are distinctions between propane and natural gas. Propane burns less volume per hour and beats natural gas in terms of temperature level. This is why propane is the favorite fuel for the majority of a blacksmith.

In terms of cost, a refill of a standard 20-pound propane tank will cost you around $10. If you want to refill a larger propane tank (let’s say 100 pounds), that would then be somewhere around $50 Consumption rate mainly depends on the amount of work and the number of burners. The price will vary depending on the location and who does the refill.

Charcoal

Charcoal is another popular solid fuel for forging purposes. Although is not good as coal, it can still achieve the high temperatures required for forging. Because it burns out so quickly, it doesn’t require much airflow.

Charcoal is known to spark a lot so make sure you place your forge at an appropriate place. It is actually burned wood by the process called pyrolysis. I would strongly recommend using lump charcoal instead of briquettes.

Usually, you will pay around $40-$50 for a 20-pound bag of good-quality lump charcoal. The consumption rate will depend on your fire management experience and the amount of work you are doing. However, in general, a bag of 50lb should last between 20 and 30 hours.

Wood

You may be surprised by what I’m about to say but wood can be a good forging fuel, especially for novice blacksmiths. It is easily available and cheap. Wood can achieve temperatures necessary for forging.

On the other side, wood burns much quicker than coal you so will need to replenish it more often. Keep in mind that not all types of wood burn the same. Some types burn hotter and faster than others. However, it is not as effective as charcoal or coal.

Since there are many types of wood you can use for forging, it is very hard to give an estimated cost. In terms of consumption rate, a 25-gallon bucket would last somewhere between 6 and 10 hours.