Type: Print Publication

Author: Stephen McGehee

Description: In the words of the author, "Irony is a 16 page magazine of my drawings, covering my notebooks for the last 7 years' demonstrations, shop equipment, tools, pretties, and other material pertaining to shop design.  I have covered demos of famous and unknown blacksmiths, visited the smithies of many, recorded tools, techniques, and exceptional details of interest to us all.  Irony is truly the sketchbook of an apprentice.  I also include appropriate bits of philosophy and some of my bizarre sense of humor."

Cost and Availability: Irony is a subscription publication. The basic cost is $37.00 per year (longer terms are slightly cheaper).

The Review: If the copy I reviewed is any indication, "Irony - the sketchbook of an apprentice blacksmith," is a publication that is well worth the cost of a subscription.  

     The author mailed me a copy of the December, 2001 issue (No. 8) devoted to the topic of coal forge design and construction.  The tabloid format booklet was reminiscent of  the best of the ABANA chapter news letters available.  A pleasing combination of hand written and computer formatted type faces with copious illustrations that were complete, understandable and professional in execution.  

 What I liked:

• The booklet was published on beige paper stock of good quality. The cover sheet, while identical in color,  was of a heavier weight paper, which makes the whole publication a little more durable as coffee table reading.
• The booklet was predrilled to make it easy to keep consecutive issues neat and tidy in a three ring binder.  This may seem like a simple thing, but I feel it is an important detail that is frequently overlooked.
• The illustrations were exceptionally well done.
• The type faces, paper and ink colors were well thought out and resulted in an easy to read publication that didn't strain my eyes.
  

What I didn't like:

While the illustrations were exemplary, the written content was executed in a mediocre fashion and I assume it was transcribed from the authors original shop notes. While I do not claim to be an expert myself, I do recognize a well written article or turn of phrase when I read one.  The author should spend a little more time refining the written content of Irony, if for no other reason, to make if flow better and make it more enjoyable to read. 

My Rating: