Tainan's silver industry was regarded as preeminent in Taiwan, but its master silversmiths, unwilling to pass the skills outside their families, didn't take on apprentices, so Lin traveled all around Taiwan to view the silver hats of temple deities.
雖然台南的金銀工藝堪稱全台第一，但在「不傳外人」的觀念下，多數老師傅根本不肯收徒，林啟豐只好全省奔走，到各寺廟去觀察諸神佛的銀帽樣式。