Book List | Rocky Mountain Smiths

In this book; Robert Raymond follows the fascinating route from the earliest known metal smelting site; in the arid Sinai Desert or Israel; to the flood-plain of the Yellow River in China; to discover the secrets of the exquisite Shang bronzes; and to reveal newly-discovered iron-casting techniques which were 1500 years ahead of the West; to the stronghold of the Hittites in Anatolia; where the Iron Age may be said to have begun; to villages in India where metal-working techniques have hardly changed in 5000 years; to the misty peaks of the Andes in Peru; in the steps of the conquistadors' savage treasure-hunt for gold; to the gaunt ruins of the Industrial Revolution in England; to the world of mechanical robots in Japan; and to the desert sands of Alamagordo in the United States; where the unstable metal uranium was made to produce the world's first atomic explosion. Metals played a vital role in the rise and fall of empires; and the broad historical shifts of power and influence from one part of the word to another. Metals were a critical factor in all of mankind's most significant advances: the introduction of coinage; the invention of printing; the harnessing of steam; the discovery of electricity; the achievement of flight. And a small but critical group of radio-active metals; which are both consumed and created in that last and most fiery furnace; now present us with a deadly dilemma and an awesome choice. This is the story of man the metalsmith; through all his amazing creations; from the most sublime works of art to the most devastating of weapons; and of his raw materials; the metals which run like shining threads through the whole tapestry of human history.

Civilization - History; Metallurgy - History; Technology and civilization

Publisher Pennsylvania State University Press. 2000. 274 pages

Metallurgy is a highly specialised subject; introduction to which is confined to fearsome looking volumes full of technical data shrouded in the mystique of the professional; so making them intelligible only to the professional. It is hoped that this book; which has been compiled for the guidance of the small users; will disperse some of the mystery that has in the past been responsible for 'blinding them with science'; and whet their appetites for a greater understanding of the structure and properties of those materials that they are so adept at shaping; whether it be on the hearth or on a machine; but from which; and by their skill; they earn their daily bread; and contribute to the needs of the nation.

Metallurgy

Publisher Countryside Agency. 1979. 82 pages

This book has drawn great praise from the public and also from master smiths such as Uri Hofi. It is a real whopping treatment of the Blacksmith's Craft in 430(!!) pages jam-packed with useful information. This book; among many other things; gives a lucid account of how to forge weld; has the plans to make several sizes of leather bellows; has scientific specifics of what happens to iron when it is heated in a blacksmith's forge; presents some of the basic physics with force and acceleration formulas that come into effect when a blacksmith swings his hammer; what happens when steel is heated; quenched to harden; and reheated to draw the temper in steel. Young's modulus is presented as is Poisson's ratio when iron is heated and hammered. An explanation of the electrical polarity of iron atoms is given along with the effect forging iron has on the lattice structure of iron molecules and dendritic grain arrangements in a forged iron. Why forged steel is much stronger than cast steel is given. An example of an "S" curve is presented of the quenching process. Forging Damascus knives and swords is presented. How to sharpen a plow point is given - and much more. Bob Heath has been practicing his craft for decades and you'll be glad you shelled out a few dollars for the advice and information Bob has collected over all these years.

Beginning metalworking; Blacksmithing; Forges; Metal working; Metallurgy

Publisher Heath Iron. 1998.

From a review at Amazon.com: Very clear explanations of the properties of the various metals and alloy groups; especially steel and steel alloys; copper and copper alloys; aluminum; and zinc; with especially good treatments of the effects of the many alloying elements. Some of these properties are quite paradoxical and still difficult to predict and understand their effects even today; but it makes for fascinating reading nevertheless. For example; it's understandable why adding such metals as tungsten; vanadium; titanium; or cobalt; and so on; would increase the temperature resistance and toughness of steel; since these are very tough elements with high melting points themselves. But why does adding aluminum produce a very fine; austenitic (i.e.; non-magnetic) grain structure; thereby increasing the overall strength of the alloy? Or why does silicon; a non-metal; greatly increase the fatigue resistence of steel; which is why it's often used in car and truck springs and other similar applications? Even stranger; why does nickel; a magnetic; ferrous element itself; when added in large enough percentages to steel; produce alloys that are non-magnetic or austenitic themselves? All of this made for fascinating reading and discussion. In addition to the above interesting sections; there are also very good discussions on such topics as the different types of furnace operations; annealing; hardening; and tempering; casting and finishing processes; heat treatment; defect analysis; and a nice section on thermodynamics and crystallography; as well as some special topics like powder metallurgy.

Metallurgy

Publisher Dover Pubns. 1969. 390 pages

One of the most important scientific classics of all time; this 1556 work on mining was the first based on field research and observation and the methods of modern science. In 1912; the book was translated by former President Herbert Clark Hoover and his wife. The book contains an unprecedented wealth of material on alluvial mining; alchemy; silver refining; smelting; surveying; timbering; nitric acid making; and hundreds of other phases of the medieval art of metallurgy. The text even covers the legal aspects mining - the use of boundary stones; forfeitures of titles; safety requirements of tunnel-building in the 1500s; and so on. 289 authentic Renaissance woodcuts.

Metallurgy; Mining

Publisher Dover Publications. 1950. 672 pages

Beitr. teilw. dt.; teilw. engl.; teilw. franz. - Literaturangaben

Metallurgy - History - Congresses; Metal-work; Prehistoric - Congresses

Publisher Deutsches Bergbau-Museum. 1999. 362 pages

Metallurgy is a highly specialised subject; introduction to which is confined to fearsome looking volumes full of technical data shrouded in the mystique of the professional; so making them intelligible only to the professional. It is hoped that this book; which has been compiled for the guidance of the small users; will disperse some of the mystery that has in the past been responsible for 'blinding them with science'; and whet their appetites for a greater understanding of the structure and properties of those materials that they are so adept at shaping; whether it be on the hearth or on a machine; but from which; and by their skill; they earn their daily bread; and contribute to the needs of the nation.

Metallurgy

Publisher Countryside Agency. 1979. 82 pages