Anvil Brands and Materials AM I missing something

C

cartierusm

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Feb 23, 2017
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Ok so I'm just starting to forge and of course I can't find an anvil locally used so I'm exploring the new market. From everything I've read I want a steel anvil not a cast iron.

Now I've called a few local farrier supplies and they are recommending some anvils that they know bladesmiths use.

One of which is JHM, but on their website it says ductile iron, but being one of the recommended anvils I called them to inquire further. I'm pretty sure I spoke to the owner of the company that said it was iron and that they're not really any makers anymore that make steel anvils, but he wasn't sure.

So I called back the farrier supply and posed that questions, but that threw her for a loop. I'm assuming most people don't really understand that Iron and steel are different and an anvil is an anvil cause they both look like metal.

So what am I really looking for? Are emerson traditional 200lb a steel anvil that would be good from bladesmithing?
 
I have a JHM anvil. The body is ductile Iron with a hardened steel face. Its a nice anvil. I love the thing.
 
A friend has a TFS farriers anvil. They are very good.

Btw, if you are buying secondhand, if you come across one, dont discount a farrier anvil.
Despite some farrier specific features, They are plenty good for knife & trinket work.
Nice thing about anvils, holding & often increasing their value. Its hard to lose money buying a secondhand anvil.
 
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Iron is fine as long as it has a tool steel face. Wrought, cast, whatever. What you don't want is an iron anvil with no face.
 
JHM anvils are fine. I've used them and they are at least fair to middling. A good general work shape and the top is decently hard for sure.
Never did care for Nimbas all that much, myself. Good quality, just odd mass distribution and a wide face. Plus, I like an anvil with the traditional "step" at the horn.
The Ridgid-Peddighaus anvils sold by Kayne and sons are good, and have an entire steel top half.
I've heard good things about the Rat Hole Forge anvils (now Fontanini) although I've not used them. They are made entirely of H-13 tool steel and the shape is cool.
The only cast iron anvil worth a darn that I'm aware of is a Fisher, which is really great since the tool steel top is quite hard and bonded on well. Vulcans, less so. Neither are now made, though.
 
Ductile Iron and Cast Iron are two very different metals. Ductile Iron isn't the same quality as steel for an anvil, but far better than cast iron. Ductile iron is a common material for farrier anvils. JHM anvils I'm pretty sure are all cast ductile iron, not welded on face plates. I don't know of a maker that still welds on plates. That's the old fashioned approach, primarily with wrought iron but some cast (Fisher, Vulcan). There are still new steel anvils being made. Most are cast steel now, but there are some forged as well (Rigid Peddinghaus is an example of a drop forged anvil).

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Thanks for the info, all.

I saw a TFS in person so today, 200lbs, and an Emerson 100. Ring was totally different and the rebound of a ball bearing. The TFSs are dutile iron as well. Nicely made, but I think I'm leaning toward the Emerson.
 
Salem Straub said:
JHM anvils are fine. I've used them and they are at least fair to middling. A good general work shape and the top is decently hard for sure.
Never did care for Nimbas all that much, myself. Good quality, just odd mass distribution and a wide face. Plus, I like an anvil with the traditional "step" at the horn.
The Ridgid-Peddighaus anvils sold by Kayne and sons are good, and have an entire steel top half.
I've heard good things about the Rat Hole Forge anvils (now Fontanini) although I've not used them. They are made entirely of H-13 tool steel and the shape is cool.
The only cast iron anvil worth a darn that I'm aware of is a Fisher, which is really great since the tool steel top is quite hard and bonded on well. Vulcans, less so. Neither are now made, though.
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What do you do with the step you cant do with the edge ?
 
12345678910 said:
What do you do with the step you cant do with the edge ?
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If your just bladesmithing it dosnt really matter but if your doing general blacksmithing it does..It can be used as a swage were the edge cant and also a backing to forge against, like when upsetting a axe blade...Lot easier to forge 90° angles in that step than trying to bend it over the edge and then upset the corners..Anytime you need two faces its there, but again it mostly comes into play when your blacksmithing and only occasionally bladesmithing.
 
Kentucky said:
If your just bladesmithing it dosnt really matter but if your doing general blacksmithing it does..It can be used as a swage were the edge cant and also a backing to forge against, like when upsetting a axe blade...Lot easier to forge 90° angles in that step than trying to bend it over the edge and then upset the corners..Anytime you need two faces its there, but again it mostly comes into play when your blacksmithing and only occasionally bladesmithing.
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I'll keep that in mind.
 
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