Looking for a Cutlers Steady

[KnifeHead]

Anyone know where I might find a cutlers steady to purchase? This is the one that Tony Bose uses.

 

[fitzo]

Kerry, they're very difficult to find. I went searching a couple years back and found one they wanted something like $175 for out of Britain. It wasn't as nice as that. I didn't even bookmark it, sorry.

Edited to add: you might want to ask this question at the British Blades forum, too. They may have a Euro source.

 

[KnifeHead]

Thanks Mike. I was afraid of that. I suppose it is something that could be made but it sure would be cool (and useful) to have the real McCoy.

 

[fitzo]

If you know someone with a heavy mill like a Bridgeport, you can buy one of the 10-20 pound bench anvils and mill it down, since most of them aren't hardened. I just spent 30 minutes searching Google and came up empty. I seem to remember that when I did find it, the name was something other than what I expected. CRS strikes again.

Is that anvil attached to a swivel base, or are those two separate pieces?

 

[J. MacDonald]

What do you need it for? What is it's purpose?

 

[KnifeHead]

Is that anvil attached to a swivel base, or are those two separate pieces?

It is one solid piece. Maybe it was designed to sit in a "well" the same size which would allow it to be pivoted but wouldn't slip around on the bench top.

 

[KnifeHead]

What do you need it for? What is it's purpose?

It is basically a knifemakers anvil. If you notice the right end of it is very thin which makes it easier to work on folding knives if you have to reset handle pins, "adjust" bolster pivot pins, etc.

 

[J. MacDonald]

Have you looked at something like the Starrett bench block?

http://catalog.starrett.com/catalog/catalog/groups.asp?GroupID=136

I have the smaller one and find it to be quite useful. The larger model has a more anvil like area and might be more useful for your purposes. They're nice and flat and hardened.

 

[deker]

You know, I just keep seeing a neutered anvil when I look at that pic. Reminds me of the civil war anvils that pop up every now and again that had the horn and heel broken off. Those go for CHEAP and could be easily machined to look almost exactly like that and give you whatever dimensions you wanted.

-d

 

[KnifeHead]

Thanks John and deker for the additional info.