Stiddy, Steady, Steddy, Cutler's Anvil

[BradleySmall]

I am reading through a repair book not, and I have also seen reference to this tool in another place. They always show some sort of engineered drawing, so I thought, great I will put it in CAD.
The recommendation is always make them from some good hardenable steel. These things are 1-1/2" x 3-1/2" x 5" ... where does one get such a piece of hardenable steel? Anyway, sharing renders. I do have the CAD file, one could theoretically 3D Print these for fun. I can try to machine it, but it sounds like moving some serious metal. And I still don't understand the big curves.

That is the Harris model. He likes holes and slots.

This is based on an image that keeps getting posted without attribution. I assume it is from a book, but whos? The page I keep seeing is:

... If there are other models out there that have dimensions I can try my hand at CADding them up too.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Mine looks almost exactly like that. I made it from a cutoff block of S-7 I bought on eBay for $10. The bottom was a piece of H series steel. I bolted the base plate to the upper stiddy from underneath.

 

[JDWARE]

My own well worn stiddy is by Sheffield maker T. Case. The second photo is of Sheffield cutler Ernest Mills working on a stiddy. I know Stan Shaw used one, too. But I haven't found much need for it. I hammer pins on the flat jaw tops of a heavy bench vise. I think current tools, technologies and working methods favor other ways. Most of the old Sheffield cutlers, with a few exceptions, were highly skilled assemblers of parts made by other specialists - forgers, grinders, polishers, horn-workers, etc. The stiddy was an efficient tool for their tasks of fitting, adjusting and pinning together knives quickly.
Saludos
J

 

[Pinoy Knife]

looks like something you have to make/build yourself one..
im thinking a small piece of railroad track that lives in my basement..
machine the top flat, cut the slots in and adjust the thinner shelf shoulder.. 1 / 2 days of work
and it should last forever and a few days..

 

[BradleySmall]

My own well worn stiddy is by Sheffield maker T. Case. The second photo is of Sheffield cutler Ernest Mills working on a stiddy. I know Stan Shaw used one, too. But I haven't found much need for it. I hammer pins on the flat jaw tops of a heavy bench vise. I think current tools, technologies and working methods favor other ways. Most of the old Sheffield cutlers, with a few exceptions, were highly skilled assemblers of parts made by other specialists - forgers, grinders, polishers, horn-workers, etc. The stiddy was an efficient tool for their tasks of fitting, adjusting and pinning together knives quickly.
Saludos
J

The only real benefit I see to the "Stiddy" with the flat split horn design is to be able to work on scales while the liners are still attacked to the knife; without having to cut the pivot or other pins. Otherwise, any good flat hard surface should do fine. I have even used a drilling hammer head held in the vise.

 

[BradleySmall]

looks like something you have to make/build yourself one..
im thinking a small piece of railroad track that lives in my basement..
machine the top flat, cut the slots in and adjust the thinner shelf shoulder.. 1 / 2 days of work
and it should last forever and a few days..

well, I assume that for you, it would be fairly simple. I doubt I could even flatten the top of my rr-track in a half of a day with my grizzly. I may give it a try though. Gotta start somewhere.