An interesting idea book for anyone in metalworking. I love the zero-waste philosophy and the photos were good. I'm anxious to try some of the techniques to make my own unique pieces.

The New Silversmith is a technique and tutorial guide by Nicole Ringgold with an emphasis on sustainability and processes for silversmiths. Released 4th June 2024 by Quarto on their Quarry Books imprint, it's 160 pages and is available in hardcover and ebook formats.

This is not a beginner manual and the instruction presupposes familiarity and some experience with basic metalworking concepts: forming, shaping, sawing, torchwork, soldering, materials, and safety processes to name a few. The author writes well and authoritatively on all of the above and more. There's a lot of frank honesty in the way she speaks about workshop procedure and safety - there are some unalterable *must follow* rules, and some which can safely be ignored in *some situations*.

There are numerous really good exercises on annealing, work hardening, shaping and forming, sawing, filing, etc. These will not replace the need for instruction from a good teacher, but they do provide extracurricular instruction for keen smiths learning beyond the absolute basics.

The book is very well photographed throughout (it's one of the strengths of the book), and the photos are clear, and in color, without hands or tools in the way of the action. The author has a minimalist attitude about tool acquisition which is refreshing. She gives some good tips on substitutes and alternatives for some (expensive) tools and encourages readers to add more specialized tools only as, and when, they're needed for specific purposes.

Special/important information is provided throughout the book in highlighted text boxes inset into the chapters. This makes is much easier to find specific information without wading through a wall of text to locate it.

The chapter on general torchwork is superb, and her photos of flame composition are stellar (and -fiendishly difficult to photograph - whatever the publisher is paying the photographer, it's not enough).

The tutorial projects are varied, and except for the chainwork projects, are all representative and inspired by nature. Each project includes a bullet list of tools and materials, followed by step-by-step instructions and many process photos.

Five stars. This is a very well written manual. It is not a substitute for actual instruction, but would be a very good resource as an adjunct to hands-on learning with a mentor or class. It would be an excellent choice for public library acquisition, maker's spaces, vocational/technical instruction, or the artist's studio.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

I have long been an admirer of silversmithing and am getting into the art form. I have been wanting to do a preliminary course at a community college, but the flexibility of having my own workspace and materials led me to books like this and online videos. I follow many accounts on social media and found online tutorials to be the most helpful, but I was pleasantly surprised by this book!

The optimism and leadership of Nicole Ringold throughout these projects is motivating as a reader. The images and instructions were easy to follow, beautiful, and prepared me for the tasks at hand.

I loved the theme of nature as muse throughout these projects. I can’t wait to work through these chapters and share my work in the future.

I received this book from Net Galley/publisher in exchange for an honest review of my opinion.

That little basic jewelry course i took prepared me a bit for this book.

It's a book written by an experienced jeweler, that features many project done in her specific technique and style. It is geared towards intermediate and seasoned jewelers but it's a great read for beginners, too. It has step by step guides and images that are really helpful and gave even me the courage to try them one day.

What I liked the most about this book is, along with the great level of information provided, the philosophy of its author. It's a book that teaches you how to start very small and get creative so to be mindful of your material, while keeping the environment in mind, i liked it a lot.

I received a copy of this in order to share my view on it.

Very detailed book about silver smithing, the author provides very detailed information and pictures for each technique. I also really liked the overall designs of the items shown, they looked very unique!

This is a great book for anyone interested in silverwork. It was filled with so many pictures to help you build your skill..

A detailed and well thought out how to guide to silversmithing. With images and detailed guides for each technique, it’s also personalised by the author with practices that work best for them. An essential read for those starting out.