Building an anvil

I think either steel will work for an anvil. 4140 is a bit tougher and may be more chip resistant on the edges. HT can be whatever you shoot for up to Rc55.. I think a simple anvil in the Rc50 area is a good target for a homebuilt.

I'll let the welders answer any welding specifics, but the HT should be fine, as the tempering was done at 500°F for Rc50. Most welding shops would heat the entire thing to 400°F and then weld while hot and let slow cool after it was done.




What's the difference ( between a blacksmithing anvil and a bladesmithing anvil)?
The short answer is weight and shape. Blacksmith anvils usually need plenty of weight to forge large metal with heavy hammers. They need cutting plates, pritchel holes, bicks ( horns) and don't need much face length and flatness. They tend to be a tad wider.
Bladesmith anvils can get away with a narrower face and flatness is a big attribute. Other bladesmithing face shapes are closer to square so the blade can be worked at any angle. Many have a completely flat top with no step, and have a working surface beyond the hardy hole ( Nimba).The hammers are lighter and the blade mass is much less, so the anvil weight can be lower. Pritchel holes and bicks are not really needed. The hardy can hold any tool for cutting, drawing, shaping etc.
 
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Think Japanese swordsmith style anvil. Just a big rectangular hunk of steel with a flat hard face, a blacksmith anvil has a horn and heel, hardy hole and pritchel hole. For strictly blade work the horn gets in the way, and there's no need for hardy holes. It's a nice to have, not a have to have. A post anvil works the same way, except what I've got in mind is bigger and longer.

Basically exactly what Stacy posted. Thanks for the info, I'll look into it.
 
I only use about 4" square for making knives... and it's plenty. Just about any anvil has that 4" sweet spot. As for weight: you can't have too much. JMHO.
 
That is true, but why limit yourself? I don't need a power hammer, but it's nice to have. Like I said, it's not a have to have, it's a want to have.

I did a small scale test with a piece of 3/4" 4140. Wasn't that impressed with the performance. It did get harder than the mild steel and was tougher, but file testing I'd estimate no better than maybe 50 RC at best, more likely a little lower. I'd like to get between 50 and 55 RC. I have had good result with hammers I've made from 1045. Quench was in superquench, I heated in my oven to 1550. I did confirm what I suspected, weld it in the soft state and then heat the anvil up and quench the face, no way your going to save the temper of the metal when you've got a 6000 deg. arc on the bottom. So that means I'll shoot for 3/4" to 1" thick material for the face. 1/2" would probably be plenty, but I'm concerned about warpage.
 
I have welded two pieces of railway track side by side, cut off bottom flanges so tops touch then tack them on ends and fill down centre with Arctic 223
 
Did you mill the top flat? I'd imagine you had to heat treat afterward. I've head about using A2 as a hard plate, not sure about welding it though.
 
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