Anvil horn damage, repair or leave alone.

Thom Moss

Thom Moss

Joined
Jan 8, 2019
Messages
53
My Peter Wright anvil, the face is in good shape but the table and horn have been used to cut or test a lot of chisels. I have read the Gunther /Schuler anvil repair process, but I am still on the fence if I should attempt the repairs to the horn myself or just leave it alone. I would just do the horn, leaving the table mostly alone, to avoid any chance of damage to the face. Any advise? Or anyone want to talk me out of, or into doing it?

https://imgur.com/MpX6gl1
 
MpX6gl1.jpg


Sure why not ?

Id finish with angle grinder flap discs.

The anvil has huge heat sink properties, but I'd make sure you don't go over a tempering temperature.
 
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Put a metal belt in a hand-held belt sander and clean up the horn. Don't worry about removing every divot, just make the surface smooth with no raised areas around the divots. The things you will use the horn for won't really be affected by any minor grooves.

The Count and I were typing at the same time. A disc grinder and flap wheel would also work fine.
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
Put a metal belt in a hand-held belt sander and clean up the horn. Don't worry about removing every divot, just make the surface smooth with no raised areas around the divots. The things you will use the horn for won't really be affected by any minor grooves.

The Count and I were typing at the same time. A disc grinder and flap wheel would also work fine.
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Thanks Stacy, what bothers me is the long indent running the length of the horn. I just picked it up this weekend, (about 1 mile away from you 254 lbs for $350) so will live with if for a bit…
 
Thom Moss said:
what bothers me is the long indent running the length of the horn.
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I can't think of much, what I would call "finish forging" done on the horn (unless you are planning on doing a lot of scroll work), especially in knife making, so I wouldn't worry about it. IMO, the horn is mainly used as a bottom fuller to speed up drawing out thicker stock, or for shaping scrolls, as mentioned earlier.

$1.38/lb???? You got the deal of the year there!
 
Yeah, there have been a bunch of cheap anvils around here lately. I don't need another, but there is a colonial era 250# anvil for $300 in our area on Craigslist.
 
You guys are lucky. An anvil around here costs 600 bucks for an "antique" or at least 600 for a new 100# one. When I get tired of my 60# railroad track anvil, I'll probably buy the 62# Atlas anvil. Seems like the best deal if you have to source one online.
 
Well I did some more reading, just could not leave well enough alone. Twenty 6010 rods later, some flap discs, I was able to build the horn back up. Still need a stone cup to flatten the table area and some more clean up but happy with it. I didn’t touch the face at all, kept a close eye on temps.
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