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["Don Bowen" <don.bowen AT earthlink.net>]

I recently read "The Backyard Blacksmith: Traditional Techniques for the
Modern Smith".  This is what I would call an armchair book, mostly for
people who dream about doing things.  It started out with a discussion of
setting up a smithy before even describing what the tools were.  Some tools
for the shop such as a trip hammer were discussed with little or no follow
up.  There was nothing about making do with found or shop build start up
tools.

 

Where the book did shine was the sections about making your own anvil tools.
I found several good ideas of making hardie tools.

 

For someone starting out as a blacksmith this book leaves a lot to be
desired and for someone knowledgeable this book is too simplistic.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1592532519?ie=UTF8
<http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1592532519?ie=UTF8&tag=braingarageco-20&li
nkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1592532519>
&tag=braingarageco-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=15
92532519

 

I think the book discussed here earlier "Goddard's $50 Knife Shop" is a much
better book for those wanting to play with making iron into things with fire
and hammer.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0896892956?ie=UTF8
<http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0896892956?ie=UTF8&tag=braingarageco-20&li
nkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0896892956>
&tag=braingarageco-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=08
96892956

 

 

Don Bowen  KI6DIU

http://www.braingarage.com/Dons/Travels/journal/Journal.html