New Edge of the Anvil: A Resource Book for the Blacksmith

Rating:
Summary: Make no mistake; this is a beginners book.
Review: I bought this book because it was highly recommended by blacksmiths. One man proclaimed it the best beginners book for blacksmithing that he knew. I guess I missed the word 'beginners'. This book is built as a series of lessons that start out really simple and then build up. It seems to be written as a text book for a blacksmith's class, although, it is not put forth as such a book. And I think, if used as such in a class with an instructor it might be an excellent book.

The writing seemed slow and laborous to me. I found myself rushing over much of it. It begins with the basics; I mean like unbelieveably basic. I don't think that I was ever that basic. I already knew how to burn my hand on hot iron and smash my finger on the anvil.

There are some good explainations in here. But nothing that you won't find in some other blacksmithing book. (Except, maybe, how to build a smithing teepee.) There are a fair amount of drawings, but more wouldn't have hurt.

Then, suddenly, on page 127, they jump into work done by pros. And not just your average pros, mind you, but work by Samuel Yellin, Martin Rose, Elizabeth Brim, Fred Crist, Nol Putnum and others. Pretty stuff, I must admit, but not many smiths reach this level of expertise in their entire lifetime, let alone, after 125 pages. Nearly half of the book is this 'portfolio' of these guys. Pictures of their work. If I would have wanted an art book, I could have bought an art book. I would rather have seen more examples of technique. I sort of feel like I bought an advertisement (though, some of these folks are dead.)

Evidently, this book is aimed at the 'artist blacksmith'. Don't kid yourself into thinking, however, that you are going to start on page one and by page 125, you are going to be on the level of Elizabeth Brim.

If you don't know your b**t from a hardy hole, and are interested blacksmithing as a decorative art, then I can recommend this book to you as your first book. It is good quality. If you already own a single book on blacksmithing it will have all the information that this book has in it, except for the pretty pictures of Sam Yellin and the other's work.

If you are interested in blacksmithing as a sidline to something else, and just want to make your own tools or machine parts, then there are other books better than this one. This book only gives about 130 pages of so of actual blacksmith techniques. The rest is design and 'artsy' stuff.

Rating:
Summary: Great Smithing Book...
Review: I've both versions of these book, and find both of them to be excellent books. Plus, if Nol Putnam has recommended it, then its got to be good, as Nol is one of the best smiths I know in my area...

Rating:
Summary: Great Smithing Book...
Review: I've both versions of these book, and find both of them to be excellent books. Plus, if Nol Putnam has recommended it, then its got to be good, as Nol is one of the best smiths I know in my area...

Rating:
Summary: The is THE one book you need to get started as a blacksmith.
Review: The New Edge of the Anvil is a revised and expanded edition of Andrews' earlier and most successful book. I urge all my students to buy, read, use and then reread this book. Clear words, excellent pictures, good explanations, tables, charts...all you need to encourage you to pick up a hammer and start hammering. The new sections include wonderful pictures of historical ironwork (go practice making some of these!) and then the directions that six contemporary smiths are taking. I confess that I am one of these smiths, and that I have known the author for years. Because this is such a good resource, it is wonderful to be able to recommend it heartily without our friendship compromised. Buy it!

Rating:
Summary: The single, must have, reference book for all blacksmiths.
Review: This book has been a constant guide and reference for me for the past fifteen years. Every time I look through it I find something of value that I missed or forgot. The quality of the text, phots and drawings in this new edition are of the highest quality and make the book a continual delight to read and review. If I could have but one book about blacksmithing, this would surely be the one.