I bought this book knowing it was used. However, I did not expect it to be water damaged. So far all of the text is completely readable. The bottom half of every page is rippled in the way that only a book that has been submerged in water can. I would like to add that the book was fully dried out when I got it. I gave the seller 5 stars, because the price for this amazing book was just under $6. My only concern is that the book will deteriorate with heavy use.From a text standpoint: this is a true gem. The author does a great job of telling the reader what they need to know to get started making tools. While this book is not heavy on the metallurgical aspect of tool making, that is precisely the point. However, the author definitely gives the hobbyist toolmakers, artists, and craftsmen more than enough info to make high quality tools from metal that is either found, and consequently of unknown quality/type, or bought (i.e. tool steel blanks, scrap of known quality, etc.)Saw a few reviews of this text that were unfavorable; don’t believe them. The lack of substance to those reviews should inform you of the uselessness.