Free Blacksmithing books on the web

[habu68]

Just bloody wonderful :-) I was surfing this morning and came across this site. It's a on-line copy of the Joseph Stokes blacksmithing books. This is part of what I think of as the tri-group of blacksmithing books. These are the how-to books I recommend.(just my opinion) Three different groups of books by British authors on blacksmithing. All of the authors are/were apprenticed smiths and when I write apprenticed, I mean under the old systems. I can not over emphasize what this means, a passing on of skills from as far back as you can go in time. Everyone of these books are filled with no nonsense, practical how-to blacksmithing.

The first group is the Cosira books. The intent of the authors of these books were to provide the rural smith with guidance in making the transition from purely agricultural smithing to the area of decorative smithing.
Craft publications

The second group are Mr. Stokes books. Their purpose was to help the third world smith make his craft economically viable in a land with limited modern resources*.
Workshop Report on the integration of population education into programmes for rural youth in Zimbabwe

Agricultural engineering in development
I'm not finding volume three, but copies of all these books can be bought from Norm Larson in CA.

The last are the Mark Aspery's book with two more volumes to follow.

Between the Mr. Stokes and Mr. Aspery's books, there isn't much left to say about hand forging of tools.

*Responding to a ad, Joseph Stokes was hired by the United Nations to teach machine shop in Africa. When he got to the location, he realized that what was needed wasn't machine skills, but something far different. What they needed was to learn metalworking skills that would help them become self-sufficient. With that began the UN's agricultural blacksmithing program. Mr. Stokes went on to write the three volume set of books for the UN's program. His idea was to teach rural smiths how to make tools out of scrap metals* and then to use those tools to make farming tools. The next progression was repair of farm equipment. Off and on over twenty years, Mr. Stokes returned to Africa and taught classes. He did his five year apprenticeship right after WWII in Oswestry, Shropshire, England, UK in a shop without electricity.

*He joked with me, that after he taught a class, no truck or car left on the side of the road, was safe.

[habu68]

Foundry, casting and blacksmith instruction. International Library of Technology ... - Google Book Search

[Ice Czar]

Handbook for Ironmongers A Glossary of Ferrous Metallurgy Terms (pdf)

Volume 11

[habu68]

Originally Posted by Ice Czar

The Davistown Museum Handtools in History Series

Volume 6: Steel and Tool Making Strategies and Techniques before 1870
Volume 7: Art of the Edge Tool
Volume 11: Handbook for Ironmongers A Glossary of Ferrous Metallurgy Terms
18th and 19th Century Toolmaker Information Files
Collins & Co.



additional reference citations
The Davistown Museum Axes Bibliography
excerpt


The Davistown Museum Complete Bibliography

Dang it Ice Czar you've done it again..

[Ice Czar]

Comparing Simple Charcoal Production Technologies

MONTSERRAT FUELWOOD/CHARCOAL/COOKSTOVE PROJECT
A cooperative effort by the GOVERNMENT OF MONTSERRAT, MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE (GOM)
CARIBBEAN DEVELOPMENT BANK (CDB)
VOLUNTEERS IN TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE (VITA)
UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (USAID)

[Wayne]

Hi all,
Just a quick note about a couple of books,
firstly
Medieval decorative ironwork in England by Jane Geddes most of you have probably heard of this one, however I have just recieved the july E-mail from Oxbow books and they have put this on special offer £24-95 down from £75-00

Secondly a new book I have just received but have not had chance to read properly yet

Iron in Archaeology, early european blacksmiths by Radomir Pliener isbn 808612462-2
an A4 sized hard back book some 380 pages long. bibilography/index and B/W plates take up the last 100 pages...
Starts with iron in the bronze age and covers subjects such as -starting stock, tools, smithies, technology etc
Lots of nice line drawings of ironage/roman and darkage anvils,tongs,swages,punches,shears etc
This is also available through Oxbow for £30
I do not know how this apply in the states but Oxbow have an American partner/retailer if you go through thier web site oxbowbooks.com

[triw]

Habu; Thank you for this great tool. I use FetchBook - New & Used Books - Find the Lowest Price to find great prices on books but this is great. Thanks again William

[Quenchcrack]

I love old books and own more than a few myself. My thanks to those who searched and posted the links. I downloaded many new books. I have an electrical engineering book in my library that I used in college. It does not not contain the word "transistor". I keep it to remind me to revere the old but stay current!!!!

[Finnr]

BOOKS!!! My living room looks like an explosion in a library. I love books!
Finnr

[dntfxr]

What an awesome resource! Thanks!