Randy McDaniel, A Blacksmithing Primer : Anvilfire Book Review

Randy McDaniel A Blacksmithing Primer

A Course in Basic and Intermediate Blacksmithing

The title of this book says a lot about it. If you need very basic step by step instructions in blacksmithing or have little previous shop experience this book is for you! Randy covers all the important basics often overlooked today. Positioning of tools, how and where to stand, the proper way to swing a hammer. This is one of the first books I've read that had the correct method for making a basket twist. The book also includes dozens of basic projects, and a heat and temper color temperature illustration.

The book also includes clear CAD drawings of tools and equipment and instructions on building your own forge. Many of the drawings describe each step in forging an object including the direction of multiple hammer blows. Example*

Spiral bound, 8½" x 10", 174 pages, 400 illustrations. Updated

ISBN 0-9662589-0-8 $25 each, S&H $3. PA residents: 6%sales tax.

Available from the author Randy McDaniel at:

Dragonfly Enterprises, Dept. AF
3283 State Hill Road.
Sinking Spring, PA 19608

Randy McDaniel rams4g@msn.com
See www.drgnfly4g.com the author's web page.

*NOTE: Due to the fine lines of the CAD illustrations we had to do some pretty terrible things digitally in order to reproduce the example shown. Our apologies to the author.

BACK TO BOOKSHELF