anvil? (temporary?)

NickWheeler

NickWheeler

Joined
Dec 3, 1999
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I went down to one of the old mill buildings from when my great-grandfather owned/operated the saw-mill way back when to find an anvil.

Apparently another family member sold the blacksmith's anvil, but there was what he called a "flat anvil" still there.

I brought it home. It's just a big, rectangular piece of cast iron. Now based on my experiences of loading 100 lb. cast iron weight plates onto leg machines for members at the gym...I'm going to say this thing weighs in the neighborhood of 150-200 lb.

Do any of you think this would work to heat and beat for awhile if I dado it into a block of wood for an anvil ???

Thanks,
Nick
 
Nick you lucky dog! Most blade work does not require a standard anvil but just a flat surface. Sounds like you hit the jackpot. Are you sure it is not cast steel rather than cast iron - give it the spark test - I'll bet it is cast steel, which is even better.
 
Okay Bill, I'm assuming I just whack it with a hammer for your test. So if I get a spark am I gold or no???

See, I'm more ignorant than you realized
wink.gif


Thanks Bill,
Nick
 
No, don't whack it with a hammer! What he meant by a spark test was to use an angle grinder somewhere on it that would not interfere with the function of the anvil and observe the sparks. If the sparks are complex then it is steel.
What you have is a very desirable anvil. The horns while useful aren't neccessary for blade work. In fact many bladesmiths use anvils that have little more than 4 of 5 inch square steel faces. -Guy Thomas
 
dont know much about the subject, but I do know a little, having owned a few...a good anvil had a HARDENED face plate on it. I dont know what you have but be careful, you might end up with a quarter sized piece of metal hanging out of your arm or neck!! A very good source for the type of steel you are looking for is train tracks...just cut off as much as you need. I have a small one that I have used for many many years. Have a 200 lbr and a 85 lbr but never use them for what I do.

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I have a big piece of steel plate that is 3 inches thick , 14 inches wide and 18 inches long, it came from a tool and die shop, but has not been hardened. Would this make an anvil or is it too big?
Mike
 
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