Finally found a suitable anvil :) Need Advice

yoda4561

yoda4561

Joined
May 28, 1999
Messages
2,606
Hias again :) I finally got a forge up and (sorta) running, its more or less (less I think) a japanese style forge, and my air supply is a hair dryer with a trench+ bronze cover plate as a tuyure pipe replacement. I'll use pipe as soon as I can find something non-galvanized. I'm admittedly lazy when it comes to digging around scrapyards, so I went looking for someone that'd sell me a piece of steel locally suitable for an anvil. I found a place within driving distance that stocks 6 inch thick steel plate, at a cost of 60 dollars a square foot plus a flat 25 dollar cutting fee. I was considering getting a half square foot section (6"X6"X12") which weighs 120 pounds. Still, I always hear heavier is better, so I also considered getting it in an 18 inch length for a bit more mass. I plan on sticking it in the ground (dirt) lenthwise for a 6X6 working face. Suggestions?

Other Questions:

1) Im not sure what steel alloy the plate is, although Im inclined to think its A-36 structural steel, will it be possible to someday weld a hardface made of tool steel, or build it up with some of that hardfacing rod eventually?

2)Im pretty sure using the 6X6 face will be best for bladesmithing, but Im open to other suggestions if they'll work better :)

Thanks!!!
 
I've got something similar, 4"x10" mild steel. Worked great untill the face got battered up. Never tried hardfaceingrods, did try welding a 3/4" thick piece of spring to the top and that made a huge differance. However the welds kept breaking loose from the hammering.(I was useing a 10lb. sledge at the time, light hammering would probably have been OK.)

I am now searching for a square block of hardnable steel such as 1050 or similar that I can harden into a useable anvil. Wrap the whole thing with Kao Wool, stick the gas burner in the wrap, heat to non-magnetic and use a water hose to quench. It should work if I can ever find a chunk of high carbon down here.

A side not, for forging to shape I realy like the rectangular shape of the Japanease bladesmith style anvil. No horn to get in the way. I've got a general purpass anvil already and it has a hardy hole so that's not a concern.
 
I am not sure what the japaneese style looks like I have been lucky enough to get 4 working anvils from 20 lb to 219lb.
They all work however when I hit the big anvils they almost hit back. The 20lb is attched to a sheaoak stump about 15 inch round and a bit over knee high even with that the big anvil seams to get more work out of a hammer blow than the lighter one.

the 20lb is only about 2 to 2,1/2 in wide working face in front of the little hardy hole would be 5 to 6 in I have made a lot of blades on it when it was all I had and i stil use it now sometimes.

If you make lonf blades it is nice to have a longer flat area to tap against to dstraighten the blade. For that at one stage I had a metal counter ballance from a tilta door 3 ft long 2,1/2in wide 7,1/2 hige

I cut a slot in the top of another sheoak for that one. A mate still has it.

Just a few ideas for you. Pretty much any piece of steel can be used some just make it a little easyer. Have fun with yours.
 
Well, although I'd really like a 2 foot long section (240 lb anvil :p ) Physical limitations insist that I only get what I can carry, so a 120 lb anvil it is. 6 x 6 x 12 inches. if I bury it so its a 6in square post, with half in the dirt or in a bucket of concrete, will this do any good? of just lay it out lenthwise on some sorta support or on the ground.
 
Thanks for the suggestions guys, I'm gona try both post style and layed down flat. Reg, a Japanese style anvil is basically a relatively compact rectangular hunk of steel. Theres no horn or anything like that. Rather plain looking, but if the swords they make on em are any indication its no great loss for bladesmiths :p
 
Yoda we had a saying a bad tradesman blames his tools.
I suppose it works the other way as well a good tradesman can do well
by addapting to what ever tools he has.

I'm sure you will do well which ever way you go. The only other little tip is My mate made a heavey steel frame from angle iron to hold up his anvil. It worked well however it was much louder than when he replaced it with a wood block. I Have also used a half drum of sand with a wooden float on top that was quieter as well.
good luck.
 
Originally posted by yoda4561
Well, although I'd really like a 2 foot long section (240 lb anvil :p ) Physical limitations insist that I only get what I can carry, so a 120 lb anvil it is. 6 x 6 x 12 inches. if I bury it so its a 6in square post, with half in the dirt or in a bucket of concrete, will this do any good? of just lay it out lenthwise on some sorta support or on the ground.
Click to expand...

Tim Lively's Unlugged video for 20 bucks will show you he is using nearly exactly what you are describing. It appears he used a 5gall plastic bucket with concrete holding his square anvil upright.
 
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