The Backyard Blacksmith: Traditional Techniques for the Modern Smith,   ISBN:9781592532513

Customer Rating: 

Great book, she tells it like it is. A good book for someone to get started in blacksmithing for yourself or in the trade. Highly recommend

Customer Rating: 

I have many blacksmithing books both old and new. I purchased this book more out of curiosity than need. Imagine my surprise to find a superbly presented little treasure, which covers the fundamentals in a way that even the rank beginner can understand, and an old bloke like me can learn things from. The photos and illustrations are superb, and the clarity, and ease of reading is excellent. This book is a MUST in all blacksmithing libraries. If the beginner has no other book, they will be able to get a handle on traditional ornamental blacksmithing from this book alone. One of the best buys I have made in ages.

Customer Rating: 

This is PRECISELY the very book I have been searching for, in regard to blacksmithing! If only this book had existed 20 years ago!

This is a metal-art which fell into decline in the 20th century, but SHOULD be revived. There was a time, when alomost everyone who worked on a farm, new at least a little bit of basic blacksmithing. I believe that when people became complacently dependant on the mass-produced products of factories, it made society somewhat dumber! Our ancestors, mostly farmers or tradesmen, may have generally lacked formal education, but they were not fools. Learning to make things on your own expands your mind!

Lorelei Sims, an artist as well as an artisan, provides us with a slick, well-organized, highly-informative, and thoroughly-illustrated manual. Divided into three parts, all the information you need to commence upon this worthy metal-art, is described within.

The first part covers the very basic information, such as assembling your smithy, the tools and equipment you will need, and the various types of iron and steel you can work with.

The second part teaches you basic techniques and skills in working the metal.

The third part features a number of useful projects and the steps to complete them, where you will apply the skills and knowledge from the first and second parts.

All this is portayed with high-quality color photos, giving the student a better perspective than the line-drawings and black-and-white photos utilized in similar books.

There is a Resource section in the back, that lists a large quantity of contemporary information on blacksmithing, such as organizations, schools, magazines, websites, and suppliers.

There is only one thing I wish she had covered in more detail, and that is the use and assembly of gas-forges. This book focuses on using the traditional coal-forge. Unfortunately, the proper coal isn't always easy to find these days.

If you buy only one book on blacksmithing, THIS SHOULD BE THE ONE.

Customer Rating: 

This is a very good and comprehensive introduction to the craft of blacksmithing. It is written well enough that it is worth reading even if you are only interested in getting beyond the mystery of working with iron. I will be taking a two week course this summer, but I intend to take this book along and it will remain a reference.

I offered it to a friend who dabbles in the craft and he said it was the only book he owned on the subject.

Customer Rating: 

This is a Great book! I got it for my 14 year old Son. I know several Blacksmiths but none live close by so I was looking for some help. This is great at getting you set up and giving you ideas for projects. Thanks Lorelei it is a great Book!