As more and more people join the do-it-yourself revolution, they are breathing new life into many time-honored skills and crafts. Blacksmithing is among the trades that are enjoying a resurgence for both practical and artistic uses, yet there isn’t an abundance of readily accessible information available to beginning blacksmiths to help them get started and understand the craft. Author Ryan Ridgway, a veterinarian and blacksmith with more than 15 years of metalworking experience, hopes to fill that void with this comprehensive volume geared toward answering the many questions that new blacksmiths often have. By explaining the physics of moving metal, the different styles of anvils and forges, and alternative fuel sources, Ridgway sets his book apart from less detailed volumes. Forty practical, easy-to-follow projects are presented, showing aspiring blacksmiths how to make tools, such as hammers and chisels; farm implements, such as gate latches and hoof picks; and items for home use, including drawer pulls and candle holders.

The Art and Craft of the Blacksmith is a visually stunning introduction to the tools, techniques, and traditions every modern smith needs to know.

Eizo is a middle-aged, overworked software engineer who loves cats. One night after working late, he saves an injured cat from a speeding truck. The cat survives, but Eizo does not... Luckily, that cat turns out to be a god-like being who offers him a second chance in another world! Eizo decides that he wants a slower life, one where he can live off the things he creates with his own hands. So, why not become a blacksmith? He does have one other stipulation: a cat companion for his quiet life. These requests are granted, and Eizo is whisked away to a new world and imbued with blacksmithing knowledge. He soon finds out that his abilities are above average—in fact, his new skills are so overpowered that they’re like cheats. On top of that, his cat companion turns out to be a half-tiger girl! Eizo’s blades soon garner attention, and he realizes that he can turn the tides of battle with his forge and hammer. With so much commotion in store, will Eizo truly be able to enjoy a quiet life?

The Backyard Blacksmith takes the mystery out of blacksmithing, but not the magic... There is an increasing interest and revival in the art of blacksmithing as a hobby and art, and both men and women are becoming at-home blacksmiths. Blacksmithing is a simple, rewarding craft anyone can enjoy in their backyard or home workshop -- even beginners can produce useful and beautiful projects on their first try. The Backyard Blacksmith shows you how blacksmithing can be easy to learn, and a rewarding hobby, with some patience and a working knowledge of metals, basic tools, and techniques. Through instructions and illustrations, readers will learn to make simple tools and useful items, such as nails, hinges, and handles, and also an interesting mix of artful projects, such letter openers, door knockers and botanical ornaments.

The tenet of this book is provide a tool for artists/blacksmiths and metalworkers. It tells how to work metal: heating it, cutting it, upsetting it, drawing it out, twisting it, forge welding it and shaping and assembling it. It tells about metallurgy and tool making, metal finishes and corrosion, sources of information and supplies, charts and guidelines for many tasks. It explains the process of design, how to use the computer in metal design, how to set up a business and how to manage it. Providing an inspiration for all blacksmiths are portfolios of the wrought iron work of Martin Rose and Samuel Yellin, two of America's premier metalworkers of the past. To further inspire and to show the new focus of blacksmithing in the metal arts, six contemporary metalworkers show a series of demonstration pieces of their iron work. This 256 page book is bound with an improved binding system (Otabind) that allows the pages to lay flat.

Born from fire and forge, Blacksmith is an exploration into the life and practices of the modern smith, and the history and folklore of this ancient art. Alex Pole guides the uninitiated on a journey from apprentice to master. Celebrating tools and traditions, from the humble nail to the history of the axe, he shares his passion and wealth of knowledge as a blacksmith to allow you a glimpse behind the steam- and smoked-filled scenes of life at the forge. Through sparks, fire and heat, delve into fascinating detail about the technique and skill that is required to master this age-old trade, and in the process discover a new appreciation of everyday objects and the people who bring them into existence. Beautifully designed and richly illustrated, Blacksmith is an essential guide to this timeless craft.

"This book will teach you to hand build a knife using the traditional method of blacksmiths of old-forging. Traditional forging of a knife blade is a process which uses the ancient techniques of moving hot steel with hammer and anvil alone into a knife-form that is ready for filing, heat treating and sharpening with no or very minimal electric grinding. Almost anyone with basic hand tool aptitude can learn to make a knife by forging. Forging skills are not outside the average person's facility or capacity. If this is a new encounter for you it will necessitate your swinging a hammer; not at a nail but at a piece of hot steel, learning and applying some ten or twelve blacksmithing techniques and secrets, and experiencing some trial and error. I have probably taught hundreds of men, women and a few children to do this and I am confident you can learn to do this too. As a wise man said: "Life is trial and error, mostly error". I make errors every time I go to my anvil. So will you. This book also teaches traditional fit-and-finish skills with hand tools alone. It explains an ancient riveted full-tang handle construction system that surpasses modern methods. This book is designed for both first-time, back-yard beginner smiths to experienced knifemakers and any general blacksmiths in between wanting to build a knife using these ancient ways"--