system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
[LOTR] How did Saruman become knowledgeable in Ringlore? It's not like there were textbooks or scientific papers on the subject.

Was his knowledge mostly gained by experimentation?
gpt
The first thing to note is that Saruman was one a maiar of Aule, just like Sauron was. They were "apprentices" to the vala of smithing and crafting. Just by existing, Saruman has more knowledge and skill in the realms of forging/smithing/creating/building than almost any other being in creation. He has the same fundamental knowledge and power-base as Sauron. He is one of the few beings actually capable of doing it in the third age.  

Also:

> It's not like there were textbooks or scientific papers on the subject.

Well, there kind of were. With the exception of Sauron's One Ring, all the others were made by elves, Celebrimbor in particular. They had been given the knowledge on how to do this by Sauron himself in his grand plan to mind control all of Middle Earth's leadership. The elves had centuries to reflect, ruminate, study, and write about what they knew of these rings. And of the dangers posed by Sauron's trap. 

Granted, it's doubtful that these ancient writings contained many technical details in the fear that a future elf might come along and restart the trap. But Saruman being the genius that he is, he'd be able to extrapolate certain details and apply them to his own ring-making.