BOOK: 101 Metal Projects for the Novice Blacksmith

Please note I have several hundred blacksmithing/ironworking related products listed.  My emphasis is on providing tooling to the beginning or hobby blacksmith at an affordable price.  Here a good way to search my listings is to do Advance Search, Search by Seller, enter: scharabo and then ask for 200 results per page at bottom of form.  Once in listings you can also do keyword searches.  Will always consolidate shipping and try to find the best shipping options for buyers.  S&H is at actual plus $1.00 handling per shipment.  Excess S&H payments over $1.00 are refunded to buyer.

For knife/block/bench anvils, 4140 hardy hot cuts and nail headers I recommend eBay seller crisplines.  Excellent work at quite reasonable prices.

This book was created by Al Cannella and self-published in three-ring binder notebook form.  I felt it deserved wider distribution and a lower cost.  I purchased the book copyright from him and had it professionally printed in quantity.

It grew out of a question he was being constantly asked by beginning blacksmiths, essentally: "Where I can I find simply, yet practical, projects to get started on".  Al attended many blacksmithing meetings and conferences and worked up his notes into the book.  Projects include:

Softcover, sprial bound, 8 1/2" x 11", 135 pages total.  Unpackaged weight is fourteen ounces.

For a S&H estimate use the shipping function for one copy of this book. 

If you know the whereabouts of one of the following, somewhat obscure, U.S. anvil brands, please contact Richard Postman, author of Anvils in America, at 320 Fisher Court, Berrien Springs, MI 49103: American-Ross, Badger (decal), Baker, Bay State, Boston (as part of logo), Bradley, Butts & Ordway, Champion, Colonial, Columbia (not to be confused with Columbian), Cranberry, Cray Brothers, Eaton, G.E., Gipsey, H.C. Co (H. Cannon Co.), Hoover, James Case/Case, Macarco, Nelson/Big 4, Oak Leaf, OmSteel/Omaha/O/S, Red Barn, Rev-O-Noc, Phoenix, Riverside, Rock Island, Samson, Six-pointed Star (but only if it has patent dates on back or bottom), Southern, Southern Steel & Supply/SSS, Thomas, Woodruff or Yost.  In particular he is interested in a high quality photograph clearly showing the anvil (horn to right) against a solid very light colored background, the logo and any other markings which may be on the anvil, measurements and weight.  A good way to bring out stamped letters or numbers is to lay the anvil down and dust with flour.  Brush off excess flour, leaving it in depressions.  Sometimes characters jump out and sometimes the placement of a single one can help identify the anvil.  If you would like assistance in identifying an anvil you have you can contact me through the Ask the Seller a Question feature.

(Another source of projects is anvilfire.com.  On their homepage look for the link to iForge.  Under it are about 200 illustrated projects.  Two other books of interest are Practical Projects for the Blacksmith by Ted Tucker and Iron Menagerie (animal heads) by the MN Guild of Blacksmiths.  As a book for a beginner I recommend The Backyard Blacksmith: Traditional Techniques for the Modern Smith by Lorelei Simms.  I no longer carry this book since others are selling it for less than I can buy it for.)