- Joined
- Apr 12, 2006
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- 2,506
Any chunk of steel is better than no chunk of steel. 
But one with better rebound is preferable (Tim Lively is the only person I've heard who preferred less rebound). The standard rebound test is to take a large ball bearing or your forging hammer, let it drop under the force of gravity onto the face of your prospective hammer, and note how high it rebounds. Really good manufactured anvils would be 80%, and most aren't that much. So if you go around and try different pieces of scrap, you can find which bounces the hammer or ball bearing best in conjunction with the most appropriate size and shape of steel.
But one with better rebound is preferable (Tim Lively is the only person I've heard who preferred less rebound). The standard rebound test is to take a large ball bearing or your forging hammer, let it drop under the force of gravity onto the face of your prospective hammer, and note how high it rebounds. Really good manufactured anvils would be 80%, and most aren't that much. So if you go around and try different pieces of scrap, you can find which bounces the hammer or ball bearing best in conjunction with the most appropriate size and shape of steel.