the complete metal smith (book)

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SR_matt

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Jan 4, 2007
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ok so the is slightly of topic but i wanted to toss this out there to any one that is getting into this and or metal working and to thank all the people that have suggested this

the book "the complete metal smith" by tim mccreight is the single greatest thing any one can buy that is getting into metal working. i just started my "intro to jewelry"class this year (dont start in your department here until sophomore year) and i can say with out a doubt all the info i have been given in class has been in this book. its a little away from knife making but it will give even experienced smiths ideas, tips, and tricks how to do stuff and just things you never even knew existed.

if you are going to get this supposedly the newer edition doesnt have all the diagrams the older one does, i have the one copy wright in 2004 ISBN is 1-929565-05-4 which is the "professional edition" and i will say with out a doubt it is the bible for any one doing metal

just wanted to put it out there
-matt
 
from what i was told by my instructor and another student that had looked at both versions. i have not got my hands on the new edition. the description i was given was it was all the same info just no diagrams or at least much less

-matt
 
I have the 1991 revised edition, it's chalk full of illustrations.
here is a page from my edition...

cms.jpg
 
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I have that book. :) Its good, has basic to in depth information on a large amount of techniques. It is geared towards jewelry for the most part but I imagine that any knifemaker could come away from it with some new ideas.
 
Mines the original 1982 edition. McCreight's book is a must have for metal workers.
Another great book on metalwork is "Jewelery Making for Schools, Tradesmen, and Craftsmen", by Bovin. Chocked full of info on almost every jewelry technique (most of which can be used in other metal work). Readily available on ebay for just a couple bucks. Next on the must have list are "Creative Gold and Silversmithing",by Sharr Choate, and their companion book, "Creative Casting."
Stacy
 
Stacy, both books look to be an excellent resource.

In regards to knifemaking, if you had the $cheese$ to buy only one of the 2 books mentioned, "Jewelery Making for Schools, Tradesmen, and Craftsmen", by Bovin or "The Complete Metal Smith" by Tim Mccreight, after having read both....... which would you recommend ?


:)
 
$0.99
http://cgi.ebay.com/The-Complete-Me...39:1|66:2|65:12|240:1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

$3.00
http://cgi.ebay.com/Creative-Castin...9828193QQcmdZViewItem?_trksid=p3286.m20.l1116

$10.00
http://cgi.ebay.com/Creative-Gold-A...2164048QQcmdZViewItem?_trksid=p3286.m20.l1116

Creative Gold and Silversmithing is like an expanded McCreight Complete metalsmith. It covers a lot of information on jewelry work and casting. McCreight's book covers many other areas,too. Get McCreight's book, then you will want the other.
Stacy
 
Kryoclasm said:
I have the 1991 revised edition, it's chalk full of illustrations.
here is a page from my edition...

cms.jpg
Click to expand...

that is one of the exact pages my instructor was using to show us stuff on the first day or 2. i am honestly unsure of what my instructor was talking about with the less illustrations though, mine doesnt have a page exactly to that but it has 2 separated pages on files. doesnt have the up/down view of the files but has all the cross sections. and it doesnt have a diagram of the cuts but it explains them. i think this is the edition they were refering to as this appears to be the newest https://www.findingking.com/p-5905-the-complete-metalsmith-by-tim-mccreight.aspx but i cant find a copyright on it. but also saw this http://store.b2bprofessionaltools.com/63004631271-jpg.html which is a set of tapes that is supposed to go over a bunch of basic things and shw you how to do them.

and thank you stacy, i will probably pick up those books soon
-matt
 
He may have been referring to the student and professional editions. The pro edition is almost twice the size of the student.
 
ya im not sure, both of them kept saying the student edition was fine (and i was smiling cause i was crazy enough to read the pro edition cover to cover a year ago)

-matt
 
This is the one I have...
the ISBN is 0-87192-240-1
The copyright is on the Acknowledgments page. It is 1991.
lit_complete.jpg




SR_matt said:
that is one of the exact pages my instructor was using to show us stuff on the first day or 2. i am honestly unsure of what my instructor was talking about with the less illustrations though, mine doesnt have a page exactly to that but it has 2 separated pages on files. doesnt have the up/down view of the files but has all the cross sections. and it doesnt have a diagram of the cuts but it explains them. i think this is the edition they were refering to as this appears to be the newest https://www.findingking.com/p-5905-the-complete-metalsmith-by-tim-mccreight.aspx but i cant find a copyright on it. but also saw this http://store.b2bprofessionaltools.com/63004631271-jpg.html which is a set of tapes that is supposed to go over a bunch of basic things and shw you how to do them.

and thank you stacy, i will probably pick up those books soon
-matt
Click to expand...
 
hmmm well then i stand corrected.

im going to have to ask susie tomorrow if mine is the "new" one she referred to but idk cause she described it as the gray/odgreen color
-matt
 
Matt

I have the 1982 version
ISBN 0-87192-135-9

I like your edition better.

This edition has a font designed to make it look like handwritten notes.
I find it tightly spaced and more difficult to read than "normal" text.
 

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well mine has some had written and drawn type notes, at first when i got it i got pissed and thought i got a used book, then looked at it and read around it and realized it was supposed to be there. but i do like the notes as they really show how symbols look not what a computer thinks it should be
-matt
 
I have the 91 version and have to agree it is a great book. It covers a wide variety of stuff from casting to patinas, anodizing, mokume, engraving, stone setting, basic metallurgy, and on and on...... At the same time the book does not go into to much depth on any of the subjects it covers. The book is more a complete BASICS of Metal working. Lets say some one wanted to get into engraving I would recomend getting a book specific to that but all those times you find yourself wondering how could I do this or what is the melting point of that, this book is the perfect first place to look.

Just my .02 cents
 
^^ that is a very good point but it does at least give you an idea of at least what will be needed to do those things and let you go "o i can probably do that" or "no way in hell im gona be able to pull that off"
-matt
 
Two other excellent books in the vein of Mcreight's were authored by the late Oppi Untracht. Jewlery Concepts and Technology and Metal Techniques for Craftsmen make excellent additions to a serious knifemaker's library.
 
Here is a link to the other book Stacy suggested

http://cgi.ebay.com/Jewelry-Making-...39:1|66:2|65:12|240:1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14


I also have the metal smith book you guys are showing.Let me add this,It is much easier to learn jewelery then use that as you learn knifemaking ,being a self taught bladesmith I struggle to learn allot of techniques needed to do some handle and guard styles I really wish I would have learned jewelery making as it would help out now...Does that make sense?.....

Bruce
 
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