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[Michael]

Blacksmithing: Hot Techniques & Striking Projects
By: Jose Antonio Ares

Paperback: 144 pages
Publisher: Lark Books (November 4, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1600593844
ISBN-13: 978-1600593840

I picked this book up at a B&N a couple weeks ago, amazed that ANY new smithing book was in the crafts section of a big box book store.

Its not like any other blacksmithing books I've read before. It's beautifully photographed, on a level with Lorelei Simms book. Originally published in Spain, the translation is, at times, a bit odd.

But I saw techniques and working methods I'd not seen described elsewhere in my smithing library. Such as punching a hole in the end of a bar, then upsetting the metal back to thicken out the ring being formed at the end of the bar. And rolling a rod around to make a spiral that is then stretched out to form a corkscrew shape.

Surprisingly, there is no mention of forge or fire welding at all. All the welding technique is modern. There's also a section on plasma cutting.

There are several projects in the book, from cold twisted and screwed together trivets to a very nice waving pennant style of weather vane. The books ends with examples of artistic metalwork, including some very large sculptural installations formed with giant presses in an industrial setting.