whitesmith

Whitesmith is a craftsman who works with metal to form and finish lightweight or non-ferrous metals, such as tin, pewter, copper, brass, and silver. The role emphasizes surface preparation and decorative or functional finishes rather than heavy forging. This distinguishes whitesmiths from blacksmiths, who work primarily with iron and steel by forging at high heat.

Typical tasks include cutting, bending, seam joining, planishing, filing, and polishing sheet metal. Whitesmiths use tools such as planishing hammers, slicks, hammers, files, tin snips, riveters, soldering irons, and buffing wheels. Finishing steps range from bright mirror polish to satin or brushed textures, and many projects involve soldering or brazing to assemble parts and create watertight or decorative wares.

Common products include teapots, cups, trays, kettles, lanterns, and decorative boxes, as well as hardware fittings and light architectural details. The craft also overlaps with tinsmithing and jewelry-making, especially in studio settings where precision finishing is valued.

Historically, whitesmiths appeared in medieval and early modern guilds as specialists in brightening and finishing soft metals. The rise of mass production reduced the separate role, but whitesmithing remains a living specialty within artisanal metalworking and jewelry fabrication today.