Pieh Tool

Spivey

This is a great reference to identify pieces and parts or wagon hardware and tools.  (The cover is black with gold lettering).  Thousands of really neat illustrations of wagon and hardware and supplies.

This is the first in a series of booklets about 25 years at his blacksmith shop, tooling, fixtures, hot tips and notes, knives, basement collection and products made without a power hammer. He has a 50# Little Giant trip hammer, but in the last few years, he has concentrated on projects that are all hand worked and almost no sledge hammer work.  Right under the title "Hot Shop" is the phrase, "Small Potatoes", that's the description of his shop, line of hand forged house iron, trinkets and other stuff. He is the iron pounder, janitor, mail clerk, sometimes writer and publisher.

Chapman

Hot shop II is the second booklet about Gene's shop tooling, step by step forging techniques, fly press stuff and for you knife makers, two copper handle blacksmith knives.

Chapman

Hot shop II is now on CD! 

The book BK935 is the second booklet about Gene's shop tooling, step by step forging techniques, fly press stuff and for you knife makers, two copper handle blacksmith knives.

Meador

Meador shows how to build a portable forge out of angle iron. By using new parts, the firepot can be built for little more than the shipping cost of a small store-bought firepot, and for a few dollars more, a rock solid stand can be built to hold it. There are a few pages, devoted to blacksmith beginners, that describe how to select a fuel, how to control a fire, how to read the color of the burning coals, how to calculate the cost of a bucket of coal knowing the cost of a ton of coal, and how to make a simple coal rake.

How to Build a Full Size Coal Forge answers one of the most frequently asked blacksmithing questions - "Does anyone have plans for building a forge?" There are some plans available, but they often use scrounged parts such as an old brake drum. The coal forge in this book uses all new parts which are much easier to come by than scrounged parts, and it still will cost considerably less than a manufactured forge of equal quality. The project requires simple hand tools with the exception of something to cut the angle iron, but a chop box could be rented or the Mighty Metal Miter could be built. Since welding is not required, the coal forge is a good project for either seasoned or beginning blacksmith. The design uses wheels which are a necessity for weekenders or conference-hoppers, but the wheels can be easily removed for the classic look. Not only do the plans describe the construction of a full size forge, but they include the plans for making a smoke hood from a flat piece of sheet metal which could have been a set of plans on its own.

Heath

A wonderful how-to book with the entire process of making a bellows. Contains over 40 illustrations with text to help guide the reader through the process. Heath describes how to make a traditional two chambered leather bellows that is about five feet in length. The bellows described is one that was disassembled at the Agricultural Museum in Jackson, Mississippi and rebuilt. Details of how to set one up, how to balance it and lever the lower bag are presented as are exact dimensions.

Meador

Sometimes blacksmiths use clay to plan-out how to make a tricky piece, clay having similar properties to red hot metal, but not the heat and, if you make a mistake, you just reform the clay and start again. Here Don Meador shows you how to do this - no expensive tools, as you can start with a small hammer, some clay and a block of wood. He then shows how to shape various items (hooks and the like), although the end result has no practical use.

Guild of Metalsmiths

This book is created in memory of blacksmith Dave Ferguson. David Ferguson was in the tool and die business for 25 years and love to work with metal, especially Damascus. David had a very strong desire to see the art of blacksmithing continue and not be lost to future generations. He studied blacksmithing with Paul Hubler at Paul's smithy in  Minnesota. The book was written to fill a need for developing blacksmithing skills in creating decorative fantasy animal heads. All projects in this book were hammered out by Blacksmith Paul Hubler. Book details how to make steer heads, a blue crane, a duck head, a wolf head, a ram head, a buffalo head, a bear head, a mouse head, an owl, a horsehead, a horsehead on a horseshoe, an eagle, a rattlesnake and a wizard head. The contributors to this excellent book are Paul Hubler, Bob and Mary Fredell, Marcia McEachron, Pete Stanaitis and Gary Crowther.

Burton

Metalwork Techniques to Create, Customize, and Sharpen in the Home Workshop

Burton details how to make handmade tools fitted to individual hands. Extensive information on the choosing and heat-treating of salvaged steel. Burton also discusses how to obtain a razor sharp and hard cutting edge while maintaining the strength of the metal. 

Smith

Originally printed in 1902 this is a wonderful, comprehensive guide to blacksmithing.  It includes many topics not found in other smithing guides such as elevation of appliance for rounding bolt head and others.

Aspery

The Skills of a Blacksmith are a series of books that started as course notes for the blacksmith school. The series is designed to lead the blacksmith along a set course of technique and understanding. Outstanding step by step photographs! Packed full of projects, a great glossary, a safety section..basically a course in blacksmithing. Truely a must have resource!

"Mastering the Fundamentals of Leaf-Work" builds on the skills from his first book (BK782). This book is perhaps the most comprehensive work on organic forms.

In the first volume the basics of the stylized leaf and stylized flower are introduced. Mark expands on this in volume 2. He shows how to make the necessary tools for leaf-making. Tools ranging from crimping and leafing stakes to how to forge your own leafing hammer. Volume 1 and 2 shows how to make every tool you'll need and explains why in great detail. He shows the forged and formed rose and continues through a multitude of leaves such as the Cottonwood and Ginkgo, and the Acanthus Leaf. The book also covers the Stylized Bird and Split work as well. This book is a great tool for anyone wanting to get a better grasp on organic forging.

In 1936 on an island off the coast of Sweden a farmer plowing a recently drained swampland was stopped by something buried in the ground. He found his plowshare entangled in an old chain. As he dug deeper he found the chain wrapped around a chest that contained many old tools. Subsequent investigation by Sweden's archaeologists revealed that it was a tool chest from the Viking era of about 10 centuries ago. They were blacksmiths and carpenters tools over 1000 years old! The chest itself is an item of great beauty, typical of Scandinavian influenced furniture. The book describes this archeological find in detail with clear photographs and drawings. You will discover that our tools have not changed all that much from those of a thousand years ago, and you will be surprised at the wide variety of tools as used by the Viking woodworker and metal smiths.This book is a great treasure to blacksmiths and woodworkers alike.

McAleer

This book is guaranteed to infuse and inspire you with the playful creativity this process has to offer! Using a variety of tools and techniques you will rapidly be taken beyond any traditional utilitarian appearance seen with corrugated material that is part of our everyday life. Discover how you can get those waves into your metal. Several years in research make this book a must for personal expression in metalsmithing and a necessity in your personal library.

Ares

This beautifully illustrated volume will instruct you in the art of metal crafting, providing information on working with iron, copper, tin and other common metals.  First, you'll be introduced to metalworking tools and machines. Next, you will learn basic techniques for forming and shaping objects, as well as forging, welding, brazing, soldering, and finishing. Finally,you'll be guided step-by-step in the construction of several beautiful and useful objects, including sculptures, wrought-iron fixtures, trays, tables, and other items for inside and outside the home.

This is a great book to own if you want to learn the basics of metalworking.  Illustrations and detailed instructions for 55 projects: coasters, candlesticks, water pitchers, platters, silent butler, reading lamp, many more. Work with pewter, copper, silver, brass, and aluminum. Information on tools and processes, and over 60 other plates. 

Anyone who works metal must have a copy of this. The ideas in here will fire you up.This 1907 American edition of 'Metalworking"; has 2,206 illustrations covering just about anything you would want to do to a chunk of metal. Under "foundry" you'll learn about building Faraday's blast furnace, a gas injector furnace, a brick-built furnace, an oil furnace, crucibles, flasks, sands and on and on. "Smiths' Work" is not about the farrier's trade, but about decorative iron work; making beautiful iron flowers, gates, plant stands, fireplace firedogs, brass fire screens, fireplace fenders, and a score of other Victorian blacksmithing projects. You get descriptions of the tools and anvil and the smithing chapter alone has 274 illustrations! And on it goes: files, scrapers, buffing wheels, annealing furnaces, hardening and tempering equipment, drills, boring bars, and much more. You'll learn about the torches, bellows, furnaces, hearths for brazing and riveting.