Practical Blacksmithing

New York: Weathervane, 1978. facsimile reprint. Hardcover. Good/no jacket. Much shelf wear to tips, corners, and edges of the book, previous owner's stamp to the front endpaper else clean and unmarked; no jacket. Laid-in is a catalogue of "Early American Wrought Iron Hardware hand forged at the fire by Donald Streeter, Iona New Jersey." "Richardson explains strength tests for wrought iron and steel, heating and hardening steel, rotting and crystallization of iron, selecting quality steel, restoring burnt steel, artistic ironwork, and the general usefulness of these metals. Learn how to work on chains, knives, sleds, wagons, horseshoes, and more. Inside you will also find plans for blacksmith shops, which detail chimney building, forge construction, and blueprints for a variety of workbenches. The tool collector will also find this guide of immense value as Richardson covers the history of blacksmithing tools. He provides a catalog of antique tools, which are no longer commercially available, accompanied by instructions for repairing, preserving, and replicating them. Similarly, this book provides historians with a glimpse into the progression of metalworking and its aesthetics and also includes an addendum of original advertisements printed in the original editions of the late 1800s. M. T. Richardson's Practical Blacksmithing is the comprehensive guide for modern artisans of this ancient craft." Books and other items ship promptly with a tracking number and (generally over $15.00) jacket protectors if applicable. Clean recycled packing material will be used when possible. The Book Shed has a been a member of the Vermont Antiquarian Bookseller's Association since 1997. An online bookseller with a bookshop sensibility!