Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

The subtitle of this book is "Easy techniques for the kitchen-table jeweler" and it is aptly named! This book could easily serve as a self-contained course for new metalsmiths learning jewelry techniques. It contains all the details, with excellent photographs, that can assist a newcomer to learn soldering techniques with real confidence. The fact that the author doesn't insist on an expensive torch set-up but uses butane torches is a real plus for the kitchen-table jeweler. I have paid for courses that contain less information than I gained from the first 25 pages of this book! In addition to soldering techniques, the author includes chapters on sawing, filing, drilling, dapping, polishing and the use of patinas. All of these techniques are also taught in enough detail to answer all the questions I ever had. Finally, there are projects that introduce cumulative soldering techniques that result in hollow metal beads, a box clasp, a bezel-set stone and mixed metal jewelry. These are not trivial projects! I look forward to making all of these pieces and increasing my skills.This is a fantastic book!