Anvil Advice

[redneckswami]

Good morning, ya'll.
Thought I'd see if I could get a bit of input on anvils. I've almost saved enough dough for a new anvil (much to my longsuffering wife's chagrin ), and wanted to see what some of you thought would be better - a 335lb or a 500lb, and maybe some of the reasons for your opinions. I'm going to get a Euroanvil, and am unsure which weight would be best. I have a 110lb historical relic now, and while it was a great "starter", it's time to move on to one that's less worn. Anything heavier will be great! I'm leaning toward the 335lb, because that would leave enough cashola left over to build a KMG clone (which I need pretty bad...). Think 335lb would be heavy enough? Any feedback is greatly appreciated!

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Unless you plan on forging anchors, 335 will all a knifemaker needs. 20 times the hammer weight is the minimum, IIRC, so anything above 200# will be able handle a 10 pound sledge. 50:1 is the hand forging rule, so a 4# hammer needs a 200# anvil. 335 should do whatever you want it to.
Stacy

 

[B Finnigan]

My 125# has been more then adequate and I can move it around if needed. Even with a screwed up lumbar disk. 500# makes my back hurt just thinking about moving it.

 

[Will Leavitt]

Chuck Robinson's Anvils.. IIRC his 200# is about $300 without the stand. My 90# bounces like a 250# 601-798-0060

 

[mete]

Here's an interesting idea for an anvil !!! www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_2807666.html?menu=news.quirkies

 

[stefanj]

Here's an interesting idea for an anvil !!! www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_2807666.html?menu=news.quirkies

I wonder how the bounce and ring was??

 

[m. wohlwend]

I have used a 135 lb Peter Wright for a long time now. I built a anvil stand out of layered 2 x 6's and and I bolted the anvil to that with forged brackets and large lag screws. Then I bolted the 2 x 6's to over 300 lbs of concrete. With tools hanging around the stand I am pushing 600 bs total weight. The result is an anvil that doesn't budge even when using a 4 lb hammer, and it only "tinks", I don't get a ring... although I have tried to forge on a couple of cast anvils that rang "like a bell". They wore me out.
I would'nt spend my money on an anvil over 150 lbs, instead I would invest that money in other knife making tools, such as a better grinder, forge, heat treat oven, etc..

 

[redneckswami]

Thanks for the feedback, fellas. After looking at Chuck Robinson's anvils, I'm thinking I may keep using what I've got, make another one, a post-type, out of as big a hunk of round or square stock as I can find at the local scrapyard, and just spend the cash on some other stuff - HT oven, etc... - as suggested. Thanks!