Now available!
Contemporary Blacksmithing for Beginners is a how-to book of blacksmithing that explains basic forging tools, proper safety practices, advice on ergonomics and how to move metal effectively, plus step by step directions for 18 fun and unique projects designed by me. This book was written with inclusivity at its core. Blacksmithing is such a meaningful part of my life and I want everyone to be able to participate in it, no matter your background, body, or physical ability. I want this book to be a gift to my community, and my community is everyone!
I started writing this while I was nursing my daughter, and finished final edits two years later, while I was nursing my son! I am proud of this book and hope it will be insightful, instructive, and fun for anyone interested in blacksmithing. If you want to be a blacksmith the goal of this book is to teach you how to think like one. If you teach forging you can use the information and projects for ideas and as a foundation for your own classes.
Contemporary Blacksmithing for Beginners is now available online and at select bookstores. If you would like it to be offered at your indie bookstore please reach out to me!
How to purchase
Check out your local bookstore to see if they carry it! If you have a bookstore recommendation please let me know. If you want to order online I strongly recommend using Bookshop.org. The price is no different than other online retailers, but a percentage of their profits go to support independent bookstores. You can search for your own local bookstore to support, and part of the proceeds for that sale will go to them, even if that particular store doesn’t carry the book you want. If you don’t pick a specific store the profits will go to a pool that is used to support all of the stores.
This book is divided into two sections, Information and Projects. The Information section contains chapters like The Blacksmith’s Shop, Health and Safety, and Metallurgy. Projects are grouped by the techniques covered. For example, the Tapers section has three projects, a nail hook, s hook, and spoon. Each project builds on the information learned in the previous project.
Check out the table of contents to see how it’s all laid out. I hope the information I’ve covered looks interesting and useful and the projects sound fun. For a sample project keep scrolling for directions on how to forge a spoon!
Want to try out one of the projects? Sure thing! Click the button below for the full spoon project from the Tapers section. If you have any questions please feel free to reach out any time!