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Repairing, A Metalworker's
Gold Mine!
(Note: This essay was
written in 1985, but it is still true today!)
If you are a metalcraftsperson you may
be overlooking a potential gold mine right in your own shop. I was, for quite a
few years. I had to supplement my income with outside jobs. I did a lot of work
on speculation; a lot of footwork trying to develop a reputation; did a lot of
"freebees" too. It seemed for a while that I was destined to be a part-time
metalsmith at best.
Fortunately, though, I made a great discovery. By applying the same techniques I
use to create my own metalware, I found I could repair the metalware someone
else has made. In doing so I could provide a great service to my community. I
also found that this was a way to generate a significant income for myself. That
added dimension made it possible to employ myself full-time as a metalsmith.
Now, instead of struggling to find customers, they seek me out (I had to put in
a concrete pathway because of the deep ruts cut into my lawn from those seeking
my services). Even though I am located in a hard-to-find, out of the way place,
word-of-mouth advertising keeps me constantly flooded with more work than I can
handle.
Think about it, everything made from metal needs care
and attention. Metal gets dented, crinkled and cracked. It gets torn, broken and
tarnished. All of those problems, and more, need the attention of a qualified
person. For want of someone readily available many valuable pieces are simply
scrapped; with the artistic effort that had been invested in them lost forever.
If you work with metal, chances are you already have most of the skills to
provide this service, to help preserve the products of fellow metalworkers and
make good money doing it.
My story isn't unique. I had been enjoying metalsmithing as a hobby and I had a
part-time business, after hours, repairing musical instruments. Like I said
before, I had to supplement my income with an outside job. In 1974 I lost that
job because of the recession. After several futile months of trying to find
other work it occurred to me that there might be a way to combine the skills of
repairing musical instruments with metalsmithing. Bingo! The response I received
was almost overwhelming. In the past several years I have met or have heard
about many others, men and women, with widely ranging backgrounds, who have
discovered this same gold mine and have found it to be very fulfilling and
lucrative.
Historically, metalworkers have usually involved themselves with repairing as
well as manufacturing. An advertisement by the silversmith James Rutherford in
the South Carolina Gazette, Nov. 18,1751 (quoted in The Colonial Silversmith,
by Henry J. Kauffman, Nelson Inc., Pg. 39) illustrates this point:
"James Rutherford, a regular bred gold and silversmith, just arrived from
Edinburg, makes and mends all kinds of plate, and other work in his business,
after the best and newest fashions, on reasonable terms..."
It was taken for granted that one able to fabricate from scratch could also mend
and restore. Now in the days of "modem technology" it is assumed that you must
be a specialist -- that you can't be good at more than one thing. An idea like
repairing and restoring, as well as manufacturing might seem novel, but
it really isn't. It also makes good economic sense to use the same tools for
several different purposes. I use my tools for repairing as a means of earning a
basic income. Then, when time permits, I use the same tools to create original
metalware. One facet of metal-working augments the other; using the same tools,
techniques and workspace.
Perhaps what I like best about repairing is the variety of jobs I encounter, on
the same day I might solder a crack in a century-old vase, replace a handle on a
new silver-plate teapot, seal the glass bottom of a pewter mug and take the
dents out of an old brass spittoon. The trick to maintaining balance with this
ever changing kaleidoscope-like parade of repair work, is knowing that you are
just arranging and combining the same basic metalworking skills with each
repair. Those basic skills include the same ones used in the jewelry,
silversmithing, goldsmithing and metalsmithing crafts:
How to file, sand, polish and buff.
How to use the Jeweler's saw and other metal cutting tools.
How to solder-soft and hard.
How to use hammers and other shaping and forming tools.
How to cast metal. (Many repairers don't include this in their bag of tricks
but it is a definite asset.)
Understanding of the properties of metal.
Basic plating techniques. (This isn't necessary. I only spot-plate metal to
help disguise repairs to silver-plate articles. It is an asset if you have the
facilities to plate. I receive several calls a week asking if I do silver
plating. Frankly, I am too busy to do plating.)
When you repair, you isolate each problem and
solve it much like you were making the piece to begin with. Usually, though, you
have to have more of a command of the metalsmithing skills because there is less
room for error.
Most repairs fall into one or more of the following categories. The list is
deceivingly small and simple. But "simple" doesn't always equal "easy".
Dent Removal
Resoldering
Replacing broken or missing parts
Refinishing
Crack and tear repair Replating
Design restoration
For example, a hinge that breaks off a teapot is soldered back the same way it
was originally. The soldering skill is the same but now you have to be careful
not to allow the solder to run onto the silver plating. And because the melting
temperature of the teapot is often just slightly higher than the solder you have
to be extra careful not to melt the whole thing.
Dent removal is another example. Metal is moved, shaped and formed the same way,
no matter if it comes in the shape of a flat sheet or a round bowl. But removing
dents in a finished bowl takes extra care so as not to make the problem worse or
more noticeable.
If you are a skilled metalsmith, theoretically, you
could start repairing right now. However, there are pitfalls that you should be
aware of that can turn a simple job into a "can of worms". It takes skill AND
specific knowledge to be good at anything and this is especially true for the
repairing trade. The wisest way to get into the trade is to do it gradually;
practice on 'junk' first. Then begin taking on only the types of jobs that you
have mastered and can predict a good outcome. By a constant development of and a
strict standard of quality, you will gain an outstanding reputation that will
last a lifetime and command an enviable compensation.
The "school of hard knocks" can be
discouraging because there are so many twists and turns. It is also tricky;
especially if you ruin someone's precious treasure by experimenting on it.
Having another repairer that can teach you the tricks of the trade is about the
best way to learn and the fastest. There are individuals scattered around the
country who are very good at repairing. If you can find one and talk your way
into being an apprentice you will receive a invaluable education. Unfortunately,
the chance of finding such a person diminishes with each passing year.
It is a great achievement to create something from
metal. Yet in many ways to be able to re-create something is even more
meaningful and challenging. To bring something back to its former beauty, to do
your work so well that no one knows your services were even needed transcends
the basic ideals of craftsmanship. AND people are willing to handsomely
compensate those who can do it.
The majority of metalware repairers I know of are so
busy they can barely keep up with the demand. In the next few years the need for
qualified repairers is going to become even more pressing. If you are a
metalcraftsperson who has high ideals, who strives for quality results,
repairing can be a means to financial stability. But beyond just increasing your
income, you can also have the prestigious position of being a guardian of some
of the cultural heritage in your community. What better GOLDMINE could you want
than that?