A good set of books...

  I just purchased a batch of books from the York Archaeological Trust.  I haven't had time to go through all the books yet but one of them was well worth the cost.  The book "Anglo-Scandinavian Ironwork from Coppergate" is definitely a book worth owning for anyone interested in Medieval blacksmithing.  They have quite a few tools documented.

  One batch of tools is identified as punches.  The punches (they are a very basic design) look like something that could have come from my own toolbox.  There are even some that look like the punches were distorted during use.  As a punch is used, it gets hot, hammered against the anvil and it either mushrooms or bends.  A few of the punches in the collection appear to have done just that.  So a medieval smith, like me, was constantly having to retouch and reshape his punches.

  A bonus from this book that I was not expecting was a section on locks including one that closely resembles the Mastermyr lock I reproduced a few years back.  I think I may have to try some of the locks sometime in the future.

  Also in the book was too micro fiche.  I was not expecting that.  They contain additional information including metallurgical information.  I will have to see if the local libraries have a fiche reader so I can see what's on them.  I would like to get a better idea of common levels of carbon content on the tools.