Silversmith 323245 223302130 2008-07-03T13:45:05Z BulldozerD11 6890629 added refs (unreferenced tag removed) [[Image:Silver band.png|thumb|150px|right|Band made of Silver.]] [[Image:T&T Hand-hammered dish.jpg|thumb|150px|right|Dish made by hand-hammering.]] A '''silversmith''' is a person who works primarily with [[silver]]. Unlike [[blacksmiths]], silversmiths do not shape the metal while it is red-hot but instead, work it at room temperature with gentle and carefully placed hammerblows. The essence of silversmithing is to take a flat piece of metal and by means of different [[hammer]]s, stakes and other simple tools, to transform it into an useful object.<ref>http://www.chambersharrap.co.uk/chambers/features/chref/chref.py/main?query=Silversmith&title=21st&sourceid=Mozilla-search</ref> While silversmiths specialize in, and principally work, silver, they also work with other [[metal]]s such as [[gold]], [[copper]], [[steel]], and [[brass]]. They make [[jewellery]], [[silverware]], [[armour]], [[vases]], and other artistic items. Because silver is such a malleable metal, silversmiths have a large range of choices with how they prefer to work the metal. Historically, silversmiths are mostly referred to as [[goldsmith]]s, which was usually the same [[guild]]. Silver is cheaper than [[gold]], though still valuable, and so is very popular with jewellers who are just starting out and cannot afford to make pieces in gold, or as a practicing material for goldsmith apprentices. Silver has also become very [[fashionable]], and is used frequently in more [[artistic]] jewellery pieces. There are several different types of silversmiths: Some are involved in the fabrication of the metals, where items are typically cut and then constructed with differing connections, such as soldering or riveting. Others work in wax and then cast their pieces using a process called [[lost wax casting]], where the wax original is evaporated in a burn-out process in a [[kiln]]. There are silversmiths who specialize in forging and forming, producing pieces that are typically made from a single piece of metal that has been hammered or formed under the pressure of percussion or squeezing from a press, such as a hydraulic press. There are silversmiths who only make jewellery and there are silversmiths who only make utensils.<ref>The History of Silver, Claude Blair, ISBN 1-85501-900-0,The craft of silversmith P225</ref> Traditionally a Silversmith gets its name from the production of "[[silverware]]" (cutlery, bowls, plates, cups, candlesticks and such). Only in more recent times has a silversmith expanded to work on jewellery, due to the similarity in techniques. == References== <references/> == External links == * [http://www.thedevilsworkshop.ca/howitsmade Video of a ring being forged by a silversmith] — ''With permission from The Devil's Workshop'' * [http://www.silversmithing.com Society of American Silversmiths]" * [http://www.martinvaresio.com.ar/eng/index.html Silversmith]" {{Metalworking - Metalworking Smiths}} <!--Categories--> [[Category:Silversmiths| ]] [[Category:Silversmithing]] [[Category:Silver]] [[Category:Smiths]] [[Category:Arts occupations]] [[Category:Metalworking]] {{decorative-art-stub}} <!--Other languages--> [[de:Silberschmied]] [[nl:Zilversmid]] [[no:Sølvsmed]] [[sv:Silversmed]]