The Complete Metalsmith: An Illustrated Handbook

I got this for myself in 2014 and I bought another for my daughter just this month. It looks like it may be out of print as it was only available used, which is a shame. This book is great for the beginner (me, still) as well as a great reference for anyone involved in using, casting, and jewelry making. It's well laid out (including tabs you can copy and put in the book) with easy to read text and very clean diagrams. The stones section is marvelous!

This book covers everything you wanted to know about metals,stones, tools, history, procedures, techniques, workshop furnishings, etc, and then some. It is not a beginner's how to book, though it shows many techniques and procedures succinctly and provides a wide foundation of knowledge, with nice hand drawn illustrations. It it a wonderful reference to add to your metalsmithing library. The binding allows it to lie flat for easy reference. You have the option of attaching plastic tabs to the various chapter headings which are marked on the edge of the page, for quick access to the material you are seeking.There are numerous charts and tables. I consider this one of the best books in my metalsmithing library, and I highly recommend it.

Tim has created a timeless reference. This is NOT a how-to book for jewelry making. It IS however, one heck of a reference text. It is 'Metalsmithing 101' if you will. There is a brief history of the art of metalsmithing along with a timeline of its' development. There are charts, explanations and graphs of every aspect of metalworking. There is an extensive amount of info on tools and their uses. There's lists of suppliers, periodicals and metalworking organizations. Tim even includes plans for a great jeweler's workbench. The in depth glossary is an education in and of itself. And it's all topped off with a complete index.

This book was published back in 1995 however is still chock full of vital information for any jewelry-smith. There is so much information out there that it is impossible to remember it all and each section has vital statistics to reference back to. There is also a handy guide inside with useful tips and tricks that can help from novice to expert. I have seen the newest released version of this book and can state with confidence that you can get this copy for a drastically reduced price and not miss out on vital information changes with the newer release.

This book covers all basic skills and materials for the beginning metalsmith. I have yet to put it into practice but it was recomended by my instructor. It is written much like a text type book, very concise and full of information. I am very visual so there are never enough pictures for me, but the written instruction will be crucial for refrence.

This book lays out the basics of metalworking in an accessible, easy-to-read format with clear illustrations. Trying to write a review is daunting, because the information in the book is so densely packed, and the areas covered are so diverse. Reading each page is like taking a week-long course in metallurgy, blacksmithing, jeweling, or engineering. This book could easily have been a whole series, but instead the author trimmed out all the formalities and fluff. The result is that every sentence of every page is packed with informative and useful content.

Great insights and illustrations.

AMAZING book, SO glad that I got it! Was torn between this and the professional one and decided on this one to start with and then learned that there is really NO difference between the two information-wise from those that owned both. I like the spiral bound version as I can fold the pages back and it fits easier on my bench. Totally would buy again - and this should be considered a MUST HAVE by anyone wanting to learn about metalsmithing.