My birthday is just around the corner and my girlfriend is looking for suggestions. I can't really think of much of anything that I need or want (she laughed when I suggested a power hammer, she thought I was joking, go figure!) So I suggested a book, which she felt to be a bit more of a reasonable suggestion. But, I'm not sure which one. I know one never really stops learning in our chosen field, but I already know what a hammer is and how to light a fire (use a torch right?), I can make round rod square and square rod round, so I don't think I need anything from the "So you wanna be a blacksmith" section--don't get me wrong on this though, I'm open to suggestions. I think I'd like a picture book showing lots of pictures of household ironwork, ornimental (gates and fences) is fine, but I really like making the funtional stuff. I once saw a book on colonial ironwork and really liked it, are there similar books available for 19th centry items? I've got about a month to decide.

Dennis
There are lots of those type books in the centaur forge catalog , so you could have multiple choices
If you dont have a catalog you can probally go online and request one
Mike

There are also choices over at astragal press.
If you haven't looked into metallurgy maybe a basic metallurgy book?

ron

A couple of books with lots of pics are The Contemporary Blacksmith, by Dona Meilach, ISBN 0-7643-1106-9, Gates, furniture, lighting, etc...

And Decorative Antique Ironwork, by Henry D'Allemagne, 0-486-22082-6. Scissors, locks, sign brackets, lots more. Many items from centuries gone by.

Though the later may be out of print, it is often available used. Try ABE bookseller or Alibris. I got it for 8 bucks.

If you don't already have it, the book "New Edge of the Anvil" by Jack Andrews. It has a large informative section with directions and drawings for specific projects, mostly basics. In the back there is a section of other blacksmith's works both sculptural and functional. It's a phenomenal book.

Plain and Ornamental Forging by Schwarzkoph it a very good one and was created to teach smithing in a school.

plain and ornamental forging - Yahoo! Search Results

"Schoene Alte Wirsthaus Schilder" ???

Thomas

I have to reccommend Julius Schram despite the time he lived in and his politics, he did beautiful work, and wanted the design to flow out of the technique used to accomplish the work, he valued skill and forging, and longevity for his work. Very cool books.

Fionnbharr; you going to be at Quad-State?

Thomas Powers
SKA wilelm the smith

hey mate.

i really have to reccomend the ted tucker book "Practical Projects fot the Blacksmith"

very good book.

projects include :
meat skewers, book holder, tongs, trivits, hinges, fireplace fork, nails, wall lamp, hooks, plant stands, kitchen utensils, wine rack, harpoon, beltbuckles ect.

also some stuff on tools and making a good inexpensive forge a good read

thanks

from brett aka pcII75

hey mate.

i really have to reccomend the ted tucker book "Practical Projects fot the Blacksmith"

very good book.

projects include :
meat skewers, book holder, tongs, trivits, hinges, fireplace fork, nails, wall lamp, hooks, plant stands, kitchen utensils, wine rack, harpoon, beltbuckles ect.

also some stuff on tools and making a good inexpensive forge a good read

thanks

from brett aka pcII75

Get a free catalog from Lindsay Books .... Lindsay's Technical Books

Many neat & odd reprints ...some on blacksmithing,,,lots of odd stuff too.
I think the one Irnsurgeon suggested is available there too.
Milt

Two suggestions:
Anything from the Dover Pictorial Archive series (Lots of different subjects , but several deal with ironwork and blacksmithing) These books are fairly innexpensive which means you can afford lots!

While you said that you don't need another beginner book, I'll still recommend "The Backyard Blacksmith" by Lorelei Sims 1) because she's from my neck of the woods and 2) because it's full of pretty colored pictures of neat little projects!! (some functional some decorative)

Oh forgot to mention, the Dover books are not how-to's they are more along the lines of "OOOHHH there's a design that would be neat to make" and then you figure out how to make it.

Colonial ironwork by Plummer is loaded with pics of colonial work, and is available from Centaur. It is a beautiful book, looks good on the coffee table. A great idea source, and I highly recommend it. This is the description from Centaur:

(Plummer) 256 pages, 505 photos. This authoritative reference on forged iron of the colonial period in America is not just for the historian or the collector, but for the artist blacksmith interested in the details of the hardware made during this time. The wrought iron collection of James C. Sorber is shown in 505 descriptive black and white photos, many of which depict multiple items with explanatory captions and dimensions. Also included is a list of blacksmiths' touch marks with the names of items on which they are found.

Get a copy of THE BACKYARD BLACKSMITH it was just published in 2006. You get this one and NEW EDGE OF THE ANVIL and those will be the only books that you need.

I posted a day or two ago, but don't see it now. 2 recommendations: Colonial Ironwork, by Don Plummer is a photo inventory of an incredible collection of just about every category. A great idea book for the traditionalist. The second book is The Iron Menagerie, by the Guild of Metalsmiths out of MN. It's a short, inexpensive how-to of animal heads, with good step by step pics of each head, and a line drawing section of all of the individual tools -- all easy to make. Speaking of which, Piehl forge down in Arizona now carries these punches, in S7, both individually and in sets. A tad pricey, but they looked pretty nice.