Contemporary Blacksmithing for Beginners

A beginner's guide to blacksmithing, featuring accessible projects for making beautiful and practical items while learning to safely and mindfully practice your craft. Interested in blacksmithing but unsure how to start? In this comprehensive how-to book, you'll work through 18 simple step-by-step projects, choose design variations, and adapt the designs to suit your style. You, too, can learn to think like a blacksmith! The projects in the book focus on making simple, effective, well-designed, and, above all, usable household items. In these pages, you’ll learn about • essential tools for your beginning blacksmith shop; • 18 blacksmithing projects for your home—hooks, key rings, bottle openers, hand tools, and more; • important safety information covering the proper clothing and PPE for the job; and • an ergonomic understanding of how to swing a hammer to shape metal effectively regardless of your size or strength. Expert blacksmith, welder, and teacher Joy Fire presents accessible projects for beginners of every type, enabling readers to confidently forge their own path no matter their background, size, or skill level.