what can i use in the place as an anvil

[john king]

what can i use in the place of a anvil. I do not have rail track handy and do not want to buy some.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

A sledge hammer head set into a recess chiseled out of a stump.

 

[gazz98]

You could use my wife's meatloaf. You would have to come to MI to pick it up. Bring a friend. Maybe two.

If you are in the US, scour craigslist for a hunk of free metal maybe?

 

[M. Johnwell]

I use some industrial rollers and dies I got from a steel wire company. They weigh like 70lbs each and, according to the person I got them from, they are 52100.

Another option that I’ve seen is a lot of people use old train track for cheap anvils.

 

[Korean Hog]

I've used a dumbbell anchored down to an oak stump with thick nails and a length of chain.
With that said I was just trying to take the warp out of an edge ( I warped it with poor technique on a pressure treated piling) on a Busse knife that I just about knew wouldn't break, wasn't real concerned about looks...
I just wanted that damn warp out of the edge without having to send it in for warranty work. (Impatient!)

I was successful me thinks, the edge is as straight as my eyes can tell and my WTF is razor sharp again.
If you're trying to forge a knife or do serious/ professional smith work your best bet is to look around/ save up and by an actual anvil meant for that purpose.

Hell... I've used my trailer hitch, brazing torch, and a sledge hammer to fix brackets from my ladder rack I bent after backing into a tree.
It's all just looks vs. function and what your desired result is.

 

[tltt]

Ten pages of improvised anvil talk and pictures - https://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/52308-a-collection-of-improvised-anvils/ .

The sledge anvil is one of the more poplar options, and probably the quickest way to get started.

 

[John mc c]

A visit to the local scrap metal yard will give you lots of options,what I done
Knowing what I know now tho I would have kept that money and got my old anvil sooner

 

[weo]

Basically, anything that's tough enough to handle beating on it with a sledgehammer and that is fixed firmly to something so that it won't move when beating it with the same sledge.

 

[weo]

I've used anvils made of 6-ish feet of steel tube filled with ball bearings, with a 1/2" tool steel plate buried 3+ feet into the ground work as well as a 250# anvil on a good stand in a shop.
I've also seen folks use tool steel plates hammered with spikes into a tree stump that was still rooted in the ground. But I guess FortyTwoBlades already mentioned this..

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

A piece of 1" steel plate ( even mild steel) placed/welded on a stack of barbell weights will work just fine. The plate can be ordered from an online steel provider (get 4140 if ordering) or found in a scrap yard ( take whatever they have). The size can be whatever you want, but 6X6X1" is good. The weights can be found at the local thrift store, yard sales, your neighbors basement, or local trader paper.

Put all the weights on one end of the bar in descending order and tighten the clamps. Weld them together as good as you can. Take out the bar and set the stack, with the small weight on the bottom, on the 6X6x1"steel plate, and weld it to the stack. Turn rightside up and you have a dandy 100 to 200 pound anvil.