Choosing An Anvil

[PDE]

Hello, i am in need of an anvil for knife making, and i was wondering what brand i should get, steel type, weight, etc. Please reply thanks.

 

[Russ Andrews]

If you're going to forge flat stock into knives, 125 lb+.....if you're planning to forge
round other thick stock, then you'd be better off with larger.

How you mount it is as important as what you use. The base should not allow
the anvil to walk or bounce.

Brand.....I prefer older ones. Hay Budden, Peter Wright are very good old
anvils if they're in good shape. Try the well known auction site under blacksmith
anvils. Good older ones go for around $3 + per lb. newer ones cast steel not cast iron,
may be 2x that.
I'd recommend taking your time..also it's best if you can go see the anvil,
and take a ball bearing with you. Drop the bearing on the face and watch
rebound....90-95% is best.

Also....try Craig's list in your area...

 

[Sam Salvati]

I'd recommend a Sea Robin Forge anvil, but Chuck doesn't make them anymore. I love mine

 

[PDE]

Damn, have you been helpful with the last posts i made concerning knife making. Thank you so much for taking the time to help me out. I will look around for an older anvil and should i mount on a stump? or maybe weld up some kind of tripod-stand out of steel? i guess just the heaviest shit i can find, am I right?
Thanks, Russ I am greatful for the amount of time you spend on this forum to help out people like me. I also want to say that if I ever produce a knife that is as half as good as your knives, then I will consider myself to be doing something right. Thanks again, Damian

 

[Russ Andrews]

Thanks Damian.
Stumps work great...and they're usually free...! Some use stacks of 2X4s
or 4X4s, and there are tripods. I'd recommend trying the stump first...
Mine is mounted on a big section of Pin Oak.

 

[PDE]

Yea right now i have several large pieces of water oak around three feet in diameter and a foot and a half tall. I also have some pine around the same size. Would density be a problem? Water oak is dense and heavy, Pine is pretty springy. Both types of wood are still pretty fresh, but I am thinking the oak would hold up better under the beating.

 

[Russ Andrews]

I'd prefer Oak, but the Pine would probably work. Most 2x4s and such are Spruce....
...not much harder than Pine, and seems to do OK.

 

[PDE]

I'll set aside the biggest piece of oak i got for when i find an anvil