The Art of Blacksmithing Hardcover – November 29, 2009

If you are interested in blacksmithing this is the book for you. IT starts by giving the history of blacksmithithing and then goes on to all the tools. There are multiple very detailed hand drawn images to show and explain all the man concepts discussed. The author also explains all the different types of techniques used both to heat the metal and to move the metal. This a a must have.

This is one of those works that gets overlooked, but is a must for writers aside for anyone wanting more information on metal working and smithing. I especially recommend this as a foundation for anyone wanting to know more about forges in the Middles Ages and a prep for understanding how swords and armour were made. This is a starting point, but also a wealth of information I have not found elsewhere.Beaton's book starts with a discussion about the Blacksmith. Quickly moves on to the black metal. He discusses the set up of the Blacksmith shop, then into a more details coverage of his tools, tricks and techniques. Once he has that established he go into rich writing how how the metals are formed. Especially helpful, is the home utensils chapter, a back to basics that will be invaluable to writer. Also handled are iron decorations and winds up with weaponry.This is a must for period writers. You cannot get a better study of this subject. It will add so much to your writings to fully understand the role of this very vital master of the trade who kept people safe and provided them with the means of defence, right down to the care of horses that were so valuable to a man's very life.

The book came in excellent condition, pages were yellowed, (as expected of an old book) and there were only three page corners folded. No funky smells, and overall a great deal!

I'm still reading this book. The first few chapters are a bit dry, but do set the scene for the rest of the book. I had to laugh when the author said blacksmithing is on the rise.. around here any blacksmithing gear is bought up by yuppies who hang the tools on their wall and call it period art... it means the demand is high, but it doesn't mean the yuppies know which end of the hammer to hold, just that it suits the dining room better than the kitchen decor.The book... once in the real meat of the book (chapter 4 on) there is good instructional material, and more than adequate diagrams (single line and monochrome sketches) to assist the reader in learning the techniques and methods. There is a strong focus on the older techniques, but some mention of the newer technologies being used by modern hobbiests and adherents. There is enough diversity in the content to appeal to bladesmiths, farriers, armourers (SCA), and wrought iron workers, although the focus is definitely on wrought work, and general techniques.

This book is a terrific introduction for those interested in working metal. It gives a wonderful historical perspective of the smith and his keystone position in the development of European and American cultural identity. It traces the history of European iron and steel manufacturing and gives a detailed description of the processes as they developed from the beginning, with large fires and iron ore mined from the ground, all the way through the 19th century, focusing on antiquated processes. It scarcely covers modern, industrial steel manufacturing, however this book is a historical understanding and absolutely fascinating for those interested in becoming artisan metal smiths. While reading the book there was almost an olfactory sensation, and my head was left ringing with the pulsation of the ringing anvil.

Whether you are a hobbyist, a tinker, or just want to know how stuff used to be done, this is the book for you. In warm tones, it will walk you, step-by-step, through the process of setting up a forge, learning the tools of the trade, and performing tasks from the most basic to the intermediate. In a world where everything seems to move at a breakneck pace, this work calls you back to a time when a craftsman placed a personal stock in each piece he fashioned and did it with a sense of pride! Though not a rare book, by any estimate, I consider it among my most treasured volumes.

I've just started to get into blacksmithing and this is a great book that I enjoyed very much. My only negative comment would be about the illustrations, most if not all are line drawings and they really don't do much to further the content, some real pictures would have been much better. But other then that it is a well researched, extensive history on the different facets of blacksmithing throughout history and a great background book that was enjoyable to read. Highly recommended for someone that is brand new or is just interested in the history of the art.

This is a very nice book with great information but many pages throughout book are blank or so faintly printed that are unreadable and make parts of book useless. Have ordered two separate copies trying to get one in complete readable condition but several pages are so faintly printed that they are beyond difficult to read. Be prepared for an imperfect book- the information provided is excellent if you can get past the missing pages. Amazon says to just keep returning the bad copies and getting refunds and to reorder to try again- but this requires multiple trips to UPS and frustration of waiting and hoping the next copy will be complete.