catches/clasps/hinges - book recommendations?

Hello everyone

I'm beginning to build up a collection of books on silver-smithing (as this is my prime method of learning for now), but would really like to find one that has a lot of info on making different types of catches/clasps and use of hinges. I've made a couple of basic box catches using info I've found online but would really like solid info/tutorials in book form of different types, so I can begin to understand the technical stuff behind how they work. Hopefully then I can begin to incorporate them into designs without them looking completely incongruous. I've trawled through Amazon, but without actually seeing a book, its difficult to tell how useful or not it would be!

Has anyone any recommendations?

Thank you all

Lucy

Hi Lucy. The trouble with books is that you cant ask them questions and for the sake of brevity or clarity, they leave out the minute details. so if yo get stuck ask here because someone is bound to reply.

Three books worth having are:Tim McCreight, Complete metalsmith
Tim McCreight, Metal Smiths Book of Boxes and Lockets

and lastly Jewellery Making Manual, by Sylvia Wicks. This was my first ever jewellery making book and being old, shows how to make old fashioned items such as spectacle settings and much stuff you can now buy ready made.

Some public libraries will get books for you on loan, so that you can see before you buy. Regards, Dennis.

Thanks Dennis, that's really helpful. I'll track your suggestions down! The boxes and lockets book in particular sounds like it might be what I'm after, but I also like the idea of the old fashioned stuff.

Lucy

This one:

http://www.brainpress.com/Books.html#Hinges

Excerpts - http://www.brainpress.com/Ganoksin.html#HingesExtracts

I second the suggestion Peter made. It is much better than the McCreight book on hinges and is really easy to follow. But if you do need clarification, I discovered a short and polite email to Mr Lewton-Brain gave a detailed response.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by medusa

I second the suggestion Peter made. It is much better than the McCreight book on hinges and is really easy to follow. But if you do need clarification, I discovered a short and polite email to Mr Lewton-Brain gave a detailed response.

---

That's good to hear Liz, it solves a major problem with learning from books. Dennis.

I'm a big fan of Mr L-B. I also really enjoy his style of writing which I think really helps.

Thanks Peter and Medusa, I will look that up too. I actually ordered the Brepohl book the other day on a bit of a whim and it arrived this morning which was quite exciting :) so I'm going to be leafing through that for a while I think!