The roles of the blacksmith as hardware maker, farrier, and village handyman are vividly portrayed in the lively text and exceptional illustrations. Methods for fullering, upsetting, and welding wrought iron are clearly explained, as well as the construction of latches, ice tongs, chains, and a wealth of iron fittings. For those who would like a forge and bellows of their own, there are designs for laying out a blacksmith shop and constructing a leather bellows and forge.