Using a block of wood on an anvil?

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Feb 16, 2022
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I was hesitant to make this a thread, but I figured I might as well, because I've been wondering this for a while.

So I've been watching this guy on youtube for a while, he goes by shurap, he's a Ukrainian guy that specifically does various Damascus blades. I love the videos, and the end product is usually quite nice looking. That's besides the point though.

What I'm wondering is, why does this guy sometime put a block of wood on his anvil, and hammer the piece on that. It seems like he usually does this on his initial heat, when he does do this. I've never got an answer when I asked him.

I was wondering what the purpose would be? If anyone here knows, or has an idea, I would be grateful for an explanation.
 
What I'm wondering is, why does this guy sometime put a block of wood on his anvil, and hammer the piece on that. It seems like he usually does this on his initial heat, when he does do this. I've never got an answer when I asked him.

I was wondering what the purpose would be? If anyone here knows, or has an idea, I would be grateful for an explanation.
steel is conductor of heat , wood is poor conductor of heat , so 🙂
 
I thougth he was also doing it to not stress the forge welds in the first couple of heats and to slow down the consolidation to avoid unwelded portions. He usually does it only on pieces that have a lot of voids and need consolidation (like chain), so I thougth it might be for that reason. What Natlek says, also makes sense.

Take it with a grain of salt, as I don't forge.
 
I have a thick maple block with steel tabs on the side that sets on the anvil face. I use it with a Lignum Vitae mallet to straighten blades right out of the quench, and sometimes fr4esh out of the forge during HT. It does not suck the heat from the blade and cause rapid cooling.
 
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