The Art of Blacksmithing

[Pault17]

Alex Bealer's revised edition.
438 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0-7858-0395-9, and ISBN-10: 0-7858-0395-5
I hope this is not a duplicate.
Another great book for reference. I have sen reference to this one several times, but never a review in this section.
The method or writing/organizing this book is almost like story-telling. Mr. Bealer goes through just about the whole book as if he is describing things to someone while he is standing in his smithy doing the work. This is a slightly different approach than the textbook style used by some, but is very effective.
The illustrations are clear enough to give you the gist of what is being described, so you can form a mental picture that matches the words. I have found this to be useful over and over again.
I would definitely recommend this as part of a budding blacksmith's literary repertoire.

Edited January 19, 2009 by Pault17
isbn and page numbers

[billp]

A friend of mine that I use to do Civil War reenactments with just gave the this book. At the time when he got it he thought of getting into blacksmithing but over time just never did. So after running into each other and telling of my endeavors at blacksmithing he thought the book would do me more good then just laying around at his house.

To say the least I was very grateful as I have been looking for a copy but only found out it's out of print so said Barns & Noble. So now through my friends generosity I now have one and am looking forward to reading it over and using as a reference in my work.

BP

[parrish654]

couldn't agree more, I myself am a budding new artist and found my copy on fetchbook.com for about $7.00 and found that had I had this book first, I may not have purchased my other books. It is concise and crystal clear as well as very attention holding. I am on my 3rd day of reading and am just about 1/2 way through it, I steal away at work and at home just to have a few more moments with it, I can't put it down. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT to any one who has ever entertained the thought of getting involved with the art.

[GunsmithnMaker]

One that I've had for a while and found in my collection today. So, I thought I would add the pictures of the front and back covers so that people can more easily identify the book. I don't remember reading this book, so I'll hold my opinion for later.

[dbrandow]

I also really like this book, its very comprehensive. The thing to keep in mind when reading it, though, which is something I didn't fully grasp the first time through, is that its closer to being a historian's take on blacksmithing than it is a blacksmith's take on blacksmithing. I know of others who deride it for this, but this book is one of my favourites.

[HWHII]

Back in the 1970's, before I served my apprenticeship, this was the second book I ever read on blacksmithing, after I had read "The Modern Blacksmith" by Weygers. Alex Bealer did a tremendous service to this craft by writing this book. He conveyed the excitement of it through his narrative discussions of this craft. I am infinitely saddened that I never met the man................he inspired many newbies and professionals alike. Every page of that book conveyed his love for this craft. I still refer to it from time to time.

I have read this book 3 times over the last 12 years sence I first checked it out from the public libary then bought it. As my blacksmithing skills have progress through the years every time I have read the book it brings new meaning to me.

[Marksnagel]

When I first started blacksmithing my son bought me the same book that Pault17 posted about. It's a hardback and was published in 1995 by Castle books.

Great tool that taught me a lot. Very well written so that even I could follow it and as Paul said, it's like Mr. Bealer is in the shop with me.

Great addition to my library.

Mark<><

[maddog]

As the lone dissenter, I never cared for Bealer's book. It does have a lot of information in it and considering it's Bealer, every smith in North America should have one but I find his writing rather bombastic and I have heard that he was not always careful when researching some of the details he describes. However, it's a long time since I read it. On the strength of the glowing reviews here, I will give it another try.

[Nobody Special]

Well, I joined the Alex Bealer group this weekend.....and what do you suppose they had in their loaner library? Fantastic read. I started forging with not a lot more than the Weygers book  and youtube. They got me excited and on the forge, but.........

 

This however was like having someone standing next to me explaining all the little things that thus far I've picked up by reading and watching, and rereading, and asking a milion annoying questions, and then going out on the forge and messing up repeatedly until I figured it out. Crystal clear. Wish I'd picked this book up a lot earlier.

 

I don't think it's bombastic at all. Educated, yes. Passionate, yes. Has a lot of historical bits, yep (and I love them, btw). But, loud, obnoxious and pompous? No way. Gonna take a second read through in a day or two, and hit Amazon for my own copy shortly after.

[Frank Turley]

I met Mr. Bealer briefly at the 1976 ABANA Conference in Carbondale, IL. He was a little bit apologetic for not really being a blacksmith. I believe he said that he was involved in insurance and real estate at that time. However, he certainly had the strong hobbies of woodworking and blacksmithing. I assured him that no matter his profession, the book came out at the right time, 1969, to provide a spur for the revival of smithing in the U.S. I was the first recipient of the Alex Bealer Award which began in 1982. The award is in the form of an engraved froe, and I treasure it.

 

Sayings and Cornpone

"Whenever you start, it's the right time."

     Chinese proverb

[Eddie Mullins]

I am new to the hobby/craft/obsession and building my library. This is one of the books I currently own.

 

I think it is a good book for its purpose, providing a good historical overview and general information. It is not a "How To" instructional resource on blacksmithing. Because of my current stage of the smithing journey, and my own preferences, I am eagerly seeking the how to information. So although I think this is a good book, with limited time avialble for reading, this one is not at the top of my reading list currently. 

[Bruno C.]

I own this book, and have read through it.  I find it useful and comprehensive.  Not as many pictures as I would like (no pop-ups either :(  ), but for the careful reader can be very informative.  Although some of the material is dated,  specifically the section regarding Aus Forging for tools/blades, which I don't think applies any more with modern steels or techniques, (or was it just a myth to begin with?) .  Overall, I would say it's a great read for beginners or Master Bad-A** blacksmiths alike.  I've first read through it a few years ago when I was first learning about blacksmithing, and have learned a great deal from it.  Definitely not a "how-to" book, but great for reference, and will stay on my shelf.

[sing_j_]

This was the first book I ever read for blacksmithing. A old farrier and very dear friend of mine, got it new when it first came out. He and I were talking and I told him I'd be nice if I could get ahold of a book about blacksmithing. He gave me his original copy of this book. It's a wonderful book and touches in depth in very aspect of that you can smithing for.

[Stefflus]

I've skimmed through it before, but I just yesterday really finished reading it thoroughly.

 

I find it's inspiring and covers many things, but as others mention he's rather bombastic about packing, and he doesn't communicate properly that he's guessing wildly about historical things like primitive forges, Wootz, and "charcoal iron".

[yves]

Bealer was enthousiastic and communicated this enthousiasm to others and enough of these that he was one of the architects of the resurrection of the blacksmith in the USA if I am not mistaken.

 

His book is interesting and has the virtue of giving an insight into the vast world of the blaksmith.

 

Is it sufficient? For one who wants to learn technniques, there are of course better books. If one develops a special interest in a period or in a type of objects one has to go somewhere else.

 

I have read Bealer often when I started. It carried me over to the next set of questions answered by others. I believe it did for me the job Bealer had set out for himself.