blacksmith literature

[D.B]

I'm looking for books in Washington about metalworking.
can you recommend book store/s that have this type of books?

also, if you read book of this type - please write here your opinion and the name of the book (and writer, if you remember).

Thank you!
D.B.

[Ed Thomas]

DB:

You didn't say whether you were in Washington state, or Washington DC. The ABANA conference is going on right now in Seattle. It ends tomorrow, as I understand it. www.abana.org

They always have several terrific book vendors there. I don't know how much it would cost you to get in for the last day, if anything.

Other than roaming vendors who set up at blacksmithing events, the only standing sellers of blacksmithing books in any quantity are blacksmithing suppliers, such as Pieh Tool Company www.piehtoolco.com, and Centaur Forge www.centaurforge.com.


Right now, the most comprehensive vendor I know of is: www.artisanideas.com

What sort of books are you looking for? Maybe we can make suggestions based on what you want.

[BT]

If you don't already know about these, the COSIRA books are an excellent reference, and most importantly, FREE for the download.
go to http://www.countryside.gov.uk/NewEnt...blications.asp

These are in .pdf format.

[pmusics]

BT, thank you very much indeed for your information! Best Regards, pmusics

[D.B]

hello again and thank you for your posts.


BT,
I wasn't familiared with that site. Thank you very much!

Ed Thomas,
I meant to Woshinston DC.
About the "sort of books" - I'm mostly interested in books that describes methods and instructions how to process the metal and create certain shapes (as for art, for example).
I have basic knowledge and proper tools, but i need ideas and some basic guiding. Do you know any book that can suit my needs?

Thanks again,
D.B

[Ed Thomas]

DB: There is an excellent blacksmith group based near you: "Blacksmith Group Of the Potomac" (BGOP), with several hundred members. www.bgop.org There are several decent books out there, but if you can get to a BGOP meeting and talk with folks there you might be able to borrow or at least look at the books before you commit to a purchase. In my opinion, the two finest "How-to" books are:

"A Blacksmith's Craft" by George Dixon
http://www.artist-blacksmith.org/for...es/francis.htm
It is the first of two volumes; the second is still in the works. There is no finer blacksmith in this country than George Dixon, and his ability to capture the essence of the skills in pictures and writing is the best there is.

"The Artist Blacksmith" by Peter Parkinson
http://www.blacksmithsjournal.com/view-EXTRBK-01AB.html
Peter Parkinson is an artist in England and an accomplished blacksmith in his own right. His directions and guidance are the extraordinarily clear.

So my recommendation is to download the COSIRA books as BT recommended, and look them over because they are free and darned good. Then go to the next BGOP meeting and see what they have for a library. Find out what members live near you.

Finally, go to the National Cathedral and look at all the iron. I'm going up there this month to visit my son in DC and tour the phenomenal ironwork there again. There is no replacement for studying the real thing and then trying it out in your shop afterward. You get good in a hurry using the masters as inspiration.

There are plenty of other books and I have lots of them. Those two are the best.