Subject: Re: Whitesmith?

From: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 27 Jun 1996 13:05:06 -0400

I read in the book( Early Iron Ware ) that whitesmiths were the
guys that took some of the things that blacksmiths made such as
knives, skewers, and pipe tongs,  and would file, polish, chase or
engrave them . Rmoveing all hammer marks and shineing them  thus
getting the name whitesmith. It said they were also very uncommon.

Forge On!

This is just something that I have read.

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From: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 27 Jun 1996 18:12:37 -0700

Watched a demonstration at the last ABANA conference held at Alfred New 
York...1990 I think, in which a "whitesmith" was described and 
demonstrated as one who files and polishes iron to a silvery surface.  
Iron will take on nearly as deep a polish as silver, but not as rich, and 
certainly much more work.  On the other hand, iron costs about fifty 
cents a pound!  A whitesmith indeed, works iron to a high finsh.