Blacksmith: Apprentice to Master: Tools & Traditions of an Ancient Craft

This book was very well written and included a lot of blacksmith history. I am a novice entering the trade so I am looking for a variety of books to round my book knowledge. When I ordered this, I thought it would be covering just the 7 critical skills needed to begin to understand the skills of a blacksmith. Mr. Pole goes into depth on not just those skills, but he weaves into the book anectdotal stories and history (I happen to love history) about the trade of blacksmithing. I especialy enjoyed the chapter where he discussed nails. I have used nails a lot, but now I have a much better understanding of the origins of them and what it took to provide enough nails for all of the burgeoning industries. All in all a great read, informative and enjoyable. I would recommend it to anyone looking to fill in their blanks in the blacksmithing trade.

Written by master, and details wonderfully his journey. Many tips and tricks, many still beyond me, but they're there when I reach that point. Very glad I bought it!

Durable book with excellent pictures, stories, and techniques for anyone that enjoys metal work.

Not great on a technical side, but good for history and traditions. The book is good for anyone interested in Blacksmithing.

I bought this book as I follow Alex and his forge on Instagram. As a Blacksmith I eagerly awaited this book. I have bought a couple of cooking items from Alex and they’ve made great presents.Why buy the book if you already have a forge? Well that’s simple the book offers a really good insight into Blacksmithing including terminology, history, techniques & customs. There’s always that extra bit of knowledge to gain from a book like this.The book is well constructed and presented, the attention to detail definitely has the Alex Pole quality to it. This wasn’t a rushed book, the layout and presentation has clearly been thought out.A gentle humour and a confidence without arrogance comes across, the humility & passion makes the content all the more engaging.Alex clearly states this book will not teach you how to become a Blacksmith however it will help you, lead you in a direction and inspire you. This book will become a classic. I’m going to order a couple more as Christmas presents for the Woodsmen I work with as they’ll appreciate it.Sit by the fire, pour yourself a large dram open the book and take yourself to a better place.