Excerpt from Forgecraft This book is intended for the student, the apprentice, and the artisan who works at the forge. For any one who cares to understand forgecraft, some things explained here will be found profitable. The author has found it impossible to complete many of the themes begun in this book, and had no intention of attempting to exhaust the theme when he began writing. Forgecraft is a fundamental subject and the only argument that fully proves many of its principles is a piece of iron or steel shaped and treated properly. Intelligence rather than great strength is now recognized as the chief requisite for success in this trade. But skill can not be acquired without experience, and while knowledge of the theory is more valuable to the possessor than practical skill, the latter ought to be gained first in order that the understanding may be correct. To all who would acquire more information on the subject of this ancient art, which is the same...