Customer Reviews

The art of blacksmithing

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

This text is an excellent OVERVIEW of the history, context, and general techniques of blacksmithing. If you are looking for a general understanding of the art, this is the perfect text, and on that basis I recommend it very highly.

I do NOT recommend this text for the serious student of the subject. The discussion is generally shallow and has a tendency toward casual errors. It also presents blacksmithing traditions as fact despite modern dispute (E.g., Edge packing, pp 168-169, is now generally considered nonsense by reputable blacksmiths). If you want to learn about practical blacksmithing techniques, Jack Andrew's "New Edge of the Anvil" is much, much better. If you want to learn to make weapons, Dr. Jim Hrisoulas' several books ("The Complete Bladesmith," "Master Bladesmith," etc.) are much better, but very specialized.

Summary: highly recommended as a general overview. Insufficient depth for specialized study.

Bealer is a very important figure in modern US blacksmithing and is credited with sparking a renaissance of the craft. Among US smiths, the Bealer Award occupies a position similar to that of the Nobel Prizes for the sciences. Because of Bealer's stature, this book is treated with undue reverence.

Why undue? The text is long winded and pompous. Bealer was not particularly careful to verify his "research" and some of what he writes is drivel. It is not a tutorial. An experienced smith can read his descriptions and understand how to make the pieces he describes but for a beginner trying to learn smithing this is not the book.

I would rate this book about equivalent to sitting in a bar listening to a master smith after he has had a few drinks. Worth listening to but be a little skeptical. If you are serious about smithing you will want to own this book, especially since the price is so reasonable. If you want a smithing primer, this isn't it.

Alex Bealer's text on the subject of blacksmithing is not only of experience, but also the experience of others. In his book he talks quite a bit about the late Sam Yellin. About smith's that he knows, and about his own smithing experience. It may be long winded to some, or may be pompous. Yet Mr. Bealer is sharing not only knowledge with you. But opening doors to the same past we came from. I have been a hobby smith for 16 years, and this book is one of the finest books on the subject out there. Let the sparks fly, and the anvil ring.

I read this book after reading the Foxfire book on blacksmithing in my quest to learn more. Bealer goes into great detail about techniques and tools of the trade. I would recomend this book to anybody interested in taking up blacksmithing as a hobby. A word of caution is in order here though; no book can teach you all of this skill. I would recomend, in addition to reading this book, locating a smith or a college with a blacksmithing course near you and talking to them to really learn the trade. That being said, this book is a great and accurate introduction to the art. This book is economical enough that even if you don't pursue blacksmithing as a hobby, you won't be out too much and will still have all of that wonderful knowledge.

This is a great text for historical reference. I own most of the blacksmithing books in print and this is one that I often go back to for fun reading.

It may not contain detailed information about specific blacksmithing operations but it gives such a wide range of techniques from the old school of blacksmithing.

If you want a step by step guide for beginning blacksmithing, this may not be the book you are looking for. But if want an enjoyable text that outlines most of the aspects of blacksmithing, then this is the book for you.

When I was learning blacksmithing, this was my first reference to the art and it helped me tremendously.

Buy it, you wont be disappointed!

This book is an excellent resource, both for those going into the field, and also for those with an interest in learning more about blacksmithing. Every skill outlined in the book, is backed up with scads of historical information. This book was wonderfly written and a joy to read.

A gift for my husband. He has been working with the anvil and creating some nice pieces. He was thrilled with this book, took it to one of his blacksmith meetings and was told by some of the seasoned blacksmiths that this is an excellent source of information. He was so pleased with it. Even I was impressed with the layout, pictures, drawings and wealth of information. Definitely would recommend this book to anyone interested in the art of blacksmithing.

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.

I think this is a great book for someone interested in learning about blacksmithing. It is packed full of information and useful illustrations. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to learn the basics of blacksmithing or just looking for information on 18th and 19th century techniques and equipment.