lost a good blacksmithing book ,was left to me by a good old mate ,it was an hand illistrated book maybe back in the seventies,but loved this book,cant for the life remember the name but its the only blacksmithing book that mentions a blacksmith is the only person that can hang a horseshoe upside down to put luck into an anvil,cheers ,glen

It might have been "The Blacksmith's Cookbook", written by Francis Whitaker. I don't know when the cookbook was first published, but if it is the book you are referring to, you can buy a modern version at

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=blacksmith's+cookbook&rh=n%3A283155%2Ck%3Ablacksmith's+cookbook&ajr=0

good to hear from you dave,got on to the amazon site and found it,its called the village blacksmith by aldren watson,will try and grab the blacksmith's cookbook as well,great site no idea there so many books on smithing,thanks,glen

Check out this site as well

http://www.astragalpress.com/index_astragal.htm

I get a lot of blacksmith books from them

530,lot of books on the subject on this site ,will start saving to grab more ,thanks mate ,glen

Ronald Webber of the U.K. wrote "The Village Blacksmith," a book which does not tell you how to make a dang thing. It is full of lore. I think he maintains that in England, the horseshoe is nailed over the shop door with heels down so that "the luck will continuously pour forth upon the forge." In the U.S., we're often told that the heels should be upward "to hold the luck in."

gday frank,yes this book is as you say not the be all and end all of blacksmith books but was one that i must replace as it was left to me by a mentor and good old boy,yes the horse shoe is renowned for catching luck all over the world(even found a few for a couple from thailand last week who send them over to relo's to hang in front of there houses),mate very impressive work ,shame were so far apart would love to do 1 of your courses,(not haveing an aussie holliday any time soon) ,cheers mate ,glen

I think the book you are refering to is " The Blacksmith, Ironworker and Farrier " by Aldren A Watson.
Published by W.W Norton & Company, New York. I too love this book!

gday velo,this 1 was called the village blacksmith ,will look for your book for , sure,velo,do you own velocette motor cycles ,happy hammering ,glen