[TheForge] Re: Test mail

[Bruce Freeman]

Bob,

Anytime I feel folks are starting to worship a book, I get suspicious.  And I got that feeling from some folks about Bealer's book.  

I read the book several years ago and really don't remember all that much.  I do vaguely remember his discussion about "packing the edge" of a knife.  Pure nonsense.  I'm a chemist and have read a bit about metallurgy.  You CANNOT pack the metal atoms any closer together with a hammer.  

Curiously, this is not to say that "packing" is totally in error.  I suspect this may be an ancient carry-over from bronze sword-making.  Bronze swords at some point HAD to be work-hardened or they'd never keep much of an edge.  And the "packing" technique might just do that.  Iron can be work-hardened too.  There's no need to work-harden a steel edge.

I look at Bealer as a historian, not as a technician.  I prefer those historians who get the technology right, but that's not necessarily easy to do, so I don't fault those who make occasional mistakes.  Nonetheless, such authors CAN inspire folks to inquire more deeply, and if they do so, they've done us all a service.

Still, I maintain that there are many excellent books on metalworking and blacksmithing, but Bealer's book is not one of them.

Bruce 
NJ

>>> schade at acegroup.cc 10/28/2005 5:47:30 PM >>>

On Oct 28, 2005, at 7:55 AM, Bruce Freeman wrote:

> In my opinion almost ANY other beginners book on blacksmithing is 
> better than Bealer's book, "The Art of Blacksmithing."  Bealer's 
> writing was inspirational to a lot of people, but he ran a bit loose 
> on the facts.  Treat it as a good read, then look for facts elsewhere.
>
> There are now many books available, not just Jack Andrews',  "The Edge 
> Of The Anvil" and  "The New Edge Of The Anvil" (both good books).  Do 
> a search on amazon.com for "blacksmithing".  Get back to us with 
> questions before spending a lot of money.  You're SURE to get opinons 
> back from THIS group!
>
> Bruce
> NJ
>


I hear this all the time on b'smithing sites and I always ask for 
examples of Bealers mistakes but to date I have never heard anything 
specific. Contrary to many others all I found of interest in the Edge 
of the Anvil were the very nice Yellin pictures at the end of the book. 
Worth the price for those.

The one thing I recall being surprised at after reading Bealers book 
was the first time I tried upsetting. The picture in the book made it 
look easy. I had a way too big bar and a way to cold heat and couldn't 
understand why it wouldn't smoosh out like it did in the book. But that 
was my inexperience not Bealers mistake.

The book that worked best for me in those early days was a little 
pamphlet/book "Blacksmithing for the Home Craftsman" by Joe Pehoski. I 
think it was $3. I think it was up to $5 the last time I looked.

Bob


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