Cold ambient hammerin'

[dhannon]

I've only just begun to hammer (rather than remove stock). Is there a low ambient I should not go below for hammerin' on the anvil? I've an unheated shop and don't want to do the ole brittle fracture thing on the anvil.

Thanks,

Dan
Hannon Bearpaw Knives
http://home.nfolink.com/~dhannon/index.htm

 

[Rick Leeson]

Heat a steel plate and lay it on the anvil to pre heat it before forging. It will keep anvil from damage and also give you more working time as the warm anvil won't suck all the heat from the work.