Anvil height

[Atlas Knife Company]

How high off the ground do you want the face of the anvil? Around waist high? A little higher or lower?

 

[Troop]

I have mine a little above waist level so it's easier on my lower back.
Find what is a comfortable height for you. Waist level is a good starting position.

 

[Rick Marchand]

They say you should be able to stand next to the anvil, rest your fist(nuckles down) on the face and still have a slight relaxed bend at the elbow. That is just a starting point, IMO. I keep my anvil "junk high"... that is, if I lay my hammer on it, the end of the handle hits me in the junk if I'm not careful.

 

[Raymond Richard]

The older you are the higher you need the anvil. Knuckle high is a good starting point.

 

[Mike Turner]

They say you should be able to stand next to the anvil, rest your fist(nuckles down) on the face and still have a slight relaxed bend at the elbow. That is just a starting point, IMO. I keep my anvil "junk high"... that is, if I lay my hammer on it, the end of the handle hits me in the junk if I'm not careful.

That is where you want it for heavy forge work, I like one higher for light work such as scrolling small pieces and peening pins. If your anvil is too high and doing heavy forging you run the chance of injuries to your arm like tendonitis, problems with your elbow and wrist. But you also have use good form while forging, elbows in .

 

[Rick Marchand]

That is where you want it for heavy forge work, I like one higher for light work such as scrolling small pieces and peening pins. If your anvil is too high and doing heavy forging you run the chance of injuries to your arm like tendonitis, problems with your elbow and wrist. But you also have use good form while forging, elbows in .

Thanks... good point on fine work. I have a small anvil and RR track that are mounted on a bench. The faces are just under my ribs.

 

[Southclaw]

They say you should be able to stand next to the anvil, rest your fist(nuckles down) on the face and still have a slight relaxed bend at the elbow. That is just a starting point, IMO. I keep my anvil "junk high"... that is, if I lay my hammer on it, the end of the handle hits me in the junk if I'm not careful.

OUCH!

I have mine where I can rest my nuckles on it with my fist.