Books on Hand Crafts

Back to Basics: Published in 1981 by the Reader's Digest Association, Inc. in Pleasantville, New York. Covers everything from buying land and building on it and raising your own food to recreation at home and in the wild. This book has valuable information about learning and enjoying tradition Early American skills, from forging a tool to making a corn-husk doll to making dies from plants and braiding your own rugs.
Ceramic Formulas, the Complete Compendium: By Conrad. A popular compilation of recipes for glaze, clay, slip, stains, enamels, glass, and more. $22.95 paperback. Order from The Potter's Shop, 31 Thorp Road, Needham Heights, MA 02194, (617) 449-7687.
[The] Complete Library of Metal Working, Blacksmithing, and Soldering: By Oscar Almeida.
Cumberland General Store: A catalog filled with survival items such as spinning wheels, gardening tools, the complete Foxfire book series, butter making, and windmills. Phone (800) 334-4640 or fax (615) 456-1211 to order the $4.00 catalog.
Dirt for Making Things: By Stoeppelman. Apprenticeship with Maricopa potters. The definitive work on this rapidly vanishing style of ware. $14.95 paperback. Order from The Potter's Shop, 31 Thorp Road, Needham Heights, MA 02194, (617) 449-7687.
Drake's Modern Blacksmithing and Horseshoeing: By J.G. Holstrom.
Foxfire: Edited by Eliot Wigginton, which contains practical knowledge on how to survive as our ancestors did as the turn of the century, complete with diagrams and detailed instructions. Anchor Press/Doubleday, 1540 Broadway, New York, NY 10036, (212) 354-6500.
From This Earth, the Ancient Art of Pueblo Pottery: Steward Peckham, a scholar and expert in southwestern pottery, steps through ancient works with insight, interest, and beautiful photos. $39.95 paperback. Order from The Potter's Shop, 31 Thorp Road, Needham Heights, MA 02194, (617) 449-7687.
[The] Handyman's Book, Tools, Materials & Processes Employed in Woodworking: By Paul N. Hasluck. 760 pages with 2,545 illustrations and working drawings. ISBN 0-89815-203-8 Published by 10-Speed Press, PO Box 7123, Berkeley, CA 94707. 1987. Originally published in 1903. $11.95. Aside from being a true bargain in book prices, this is a remarkable book in hand crafting almost anything from wood, using only hand tools. Includes drawings for various items such as furniture, outbuildings, homes, tool boxes, etc. and a detailed description of the selection, use, maintenance and care of hand tools. Recommended by [email protected] (Richard A. De Castro), on misc.survivalism.
Handy Farm Devices: By Rolfe Cobleigh. Published by The Lyons Press for $12.95. Homemade devices, products and tools that was brought about by good old ingenuity by farmers of the day. A few examples of what’s in the book, and how to build them: a pedal power washing machine, homemade food smoker, making concrete blocks for buildings, a dam for a farm pond, building a corn crib, build a bridge to ford a small stream, a portable chicken coop. It also has house and barn building plans, and even several ways to best layout a small farm. It also contains recipes for various glues, fireproof wash for shingles, and even making furniture polish.
How to Make Primitive Pottery: By Gibby. 60 page handbook covering all the basics of primitive pottery making. Black and White photos and drawings, glossary. Good instructions for novices. $8.95 paperback. Order from The Potter's Shop, 31 Thorp Road, Needham Heights, MA 02194, (617) 449-7687.
Knitting with Dog Hair - A Woof to Warp Guide to Making Hats, Sweaters, Mittens & Much More: By Kendall Crolius and Anne Montgomery. Recommended by [email protected] (Richard A. De Castro), on misc.survivalism.
Lindsay's Technical Books: A catalog of technical books from back in the 1920's and 1930's or even earlier. Topics include how to build sawmills, windmills, construction, etc. PO Box 538, Bradley, Il 60915-0538 (815) 935-5353.
Making North American Pottery: By Simpson. Respectfully written on native American hand building and open firing methods. $7.95 paperback. Order from The Potter's Shop, 31 Thorp Road, Needham Heights, MA 02194, (617) 449-7687.
Practical Blacksmithing: By M.T. Richardson. This is a classic from the turn of the century. If you are interested in old methods, this is a must read. Recommended by [email protected] (Richard A. De Castro), on misc.survivalism.
Self Reliant Potter Series: Four handbooks primarily for potter in developing countries where a degree of self reliance is necessary. Order from The Potter's Shop, 31 Thorp Road, Needham Heights, MA 02194, (617) 449-7687. Paperbacks at $19.50 each for Clay Materials book and Refractories & Kilns book, $24.50 each for Forming Techniques book and Glazes book.
Soap Recipes: 70 Tried-and-True Ways to Make Modern Soap: By Elaine C. White. Published by Valley Hills Press, 1864 Ridgeland Dr., Starkville, MS 39759. Phone 800-323-7102. 224 pages. $23.95 paperback US, $28.95 to other countries. 224 pages. Recipes for classic Castile soaps, Lye soaps, herbal soaps and soaps made from goat fat, beeswax, and milk are accompanied by detailed instructions and explanations. Recommended by [email protected] (Richard A. De Castro), on misc.survivalism.
Soldering and Welding: By B.M. Allen
Turners and Burners: History, technique, and culture of the folk ptters of North Carolina, a $29.95 paperback. Order from The Potter's Shop, 31 Thorp Road, Needham Heights, MA 02194, (617) 449-7687.
[The] Yankee Magazine Book of Forgotten Arts: By Bacon, Richard M. Published by Simon & Schuster, 1978. Hard cover, 217 pages. Covers such topics as cooking on a wood stove, building a smokehouse, using root cellars, keeping a family cow, working with a draft horse, creating dyes from common plants, making soap, wooden toys, paint, numerous others. Recommended by [email protected] (Richard A. De Castro), on misc.survivalism.

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