Secrets of the Forge

“A comprehensive study of projects to inspire and interest the seasoned beginner. It is a great way to be introduced to a wide range of work. After reading this book your work may take a skyward trajectory.” - Chris Holt, The Hammer’s Blow (Journal of the Artist-Blacksmith’s Association of North America)


"There is a wealth of knowledge in this excellent book. Exceptionally well organized and presented, "Secrets of the Forge" is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and technical college library collections on the art and science of blacksmithing". - Paul T. Vogel, the Midwest Book Review


“Secrets of the Forge is for the beginner with some experience (knows how to manage a coal fire or uses a gas forge and has learned some basic techniques). It is plum full of projects that will challenge beginning and intermediate smiths. The first project in the book is how to put a spearhead shape on a square bar. The next few projects involve different kind of bar twists. Some of the last projects in the book go through making Damascus, or pattern welded billets for blade making including axes. It uses increasingly difficult projects from simple to complicated to improve skills and techniques”- Forge Facts, A Publication of the Rocky Mountain Smiths


In this fascinating and useful project book for beginning and intermediate level blacksmiths, twenty-four Italian master blacksmiths share their techniques with you on a great variety of jobs, ranging from the basic and simple to the more complex and artistic. The individual steps of each job are clearly illustrated with high quality close-up color photos.


There is a wealth of knowledge in this excellent book. Experienced professional smiths will get as much from it as novices. Antonello Rizzo is also the author of The Blacksmith's Project Book: Intermediate & Advanced Projects from European Masters which picks up where Secrets of the Forge leaves off.