'Black Smith, Apprentice to Master' Alex Pole

‘A guide to an ancient art that will take you on a journey through the stages of becoming a blacksmith, while allowing you a glimpse behind the scenes of life in a modern-day smithy.

Discover the world of metallurgy through Alex’s knowledge and experience as he guides the uninitiated through the processes of forging, along with an exploration of the tools used by blacksmiths through the ages. Including Alex’s personal journey from apprentice to master, each of the seven chapters takes you through seven traditional methods. From drawing down to lengthen a piece of steel, upsetting to increase the size of a metal, punching holes through hot steel or splitting when forging utensils, you’ll learn why bending and swaging are techniques for making knives and ladles as well as fire welding, the pinnacle of the blacksmith’s art and the most complex technique to master.

 Whilst relaying the importance of heat, the differences between steel and iron and how to light a forge, BLACKSMITH: TOOLS & TRADITIONS OF AN ANCIENT CRAFT also unearths fascinating tales through history for what was once considered a mystical craft. Discover the rituals of Japanese sword making, venture into the world of anvils and their presence in popular culture, see how women worked metal for centuries and recite the proverbs and sayings you’ll hear from a smithy.

This is not a how-to book but an engrossing account of life on a forge and how we may be inspired to escape into the world of this timeless craft and discover a passion for the old ways.’ Alex Pole