Is this suitable as an anvil?

[Bart student]

Hello folks,

I just bought a big chunk of steel, 40 cm (15.7 inch) long, 30 cm (11.8 inch) high, 15 cm (6 inch) wide, has wierd rigs on both sides, weighs 95 kg and is harder than a file. The dude said it was a anvil for a press of some kind (the rigs were for better grip on it.). I intend to use it as an anvil, but the fact that my file just slips on it (and draws lines on my file - need new one), scares me a little bit. Isn't it going to break under constant hammering?
And how is the cheapest way of getting it absolutely flat (it has a rig in the middle, as if it was poured in the form when it was still liquid) ?

 

[Bruce Evans]

The fact that it is hard is good you always harden your anvil.When a anvil is soft it dishes out,Thats wy these new cheap cast iron one's are not real good.You can use a flat faced da sander useing coarse paper first and working down to a polish just as you would on a Knife.it will take some time but it works.Good luck and hope this helps....Bruce

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[mikeS]

Bart,check out www.anvilefire.com or www.keenjunk.com There beginners book covers some of these questions. There is also links to Ron Reils forge page and the NeoTribal metalsmiths. These are good resources for puttting together a smithy. Your anvil sounds as if it is hard and that is good.

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It is better to bear the rebuke of a wise man than to enjoy the flattery of fools.