What is a quality anvil for a beginner?

O

Ome108

Joined
Apr 29, 2014
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HI GUYS,
I am looking for a gas forage and I realize that the anvil I had is cast-iron, so I really shouldn't be using that to start on. So what I'm looking for is a really good quality new anvil, and I'll have to keep it outside and covered out and I guess I'll leave it to you guys to steer me in the right direction.
I plan on learning knifemaking and forging as well as forge welding and other interesting blacksmith techniques.
I plan on getting two forges, one for heat treatment and for general knife making and the other forge would be for forge welding, and would have some protection from the flux and easy relining job when needed.
Thank you for any help that you can offer me I certainly appreciate it,

Thanks,

Jon
 
What kind of budget are we looking at? New and old anvils are far from what I would call cheap ($1to $5+ a pound). You're in an anvil rich area of the US so I'd be clued to Craigslist and hunting every couple of hours... Anvils are pretty rugged when it comes to being outside, rust is a non-issue if you're using it. Also paint and a spray of wd-40 will protect it from the elements... Cover it to prevent theft if anything...

For a more inexpensive anvil, research the Brian Brazeal striking anvil... You can change the size, steel type, design features, etc... this would be as inexpensive as going to a scrapyard, or a little more expensive shopping at the local distributor.
 
Hi,
My budget is 2000. For a new anvil.
Do not have time to shop and drive around looking for a used one, that my untrained eye may miss a problem with it.
I always like new when it is something I know very little about.
Thanks,
Jon
How is the smaller refflinghaus at shadow brook? 1900. But no stand and seems a bit low.
I am 5'10"" tall , only 145lbs or so and wirey, long arms.
What height do you want a anvil to be at.
What are suitable stAnds besides the one they sell at the distributor.
Thanks a lot for any info,
Jon
 
With that kind of budget you should be able to buy a very nice new anvil. I'll let others cover the Nimba/Peddinghaus/etc debate.

Google anvil stands and you will see lots of images of different options. Some people use a welded steel stand, or various combinations of wood and steel, or what I opted for, the classic chunk of tree standing on end. Although a stump won't last too long outdoors on bare earth, it is easy to acquire in a rural area, easy to make shorter, easy to nail hammer and tong loops on to if that's your desire, and cheap. But anvil stands are a bit like any other tool, what you want and need may depend on what work you are doing and how you do it. You can forge a knife, horse shoe, and garden gate all on the same anvil, but a set-up that is optimized with tool holders, etc. for any of those tasks will be different. My suggestion for what it's worth, start cheap and easy for the stand and take a while to figure out what part of blacksmithing you are really interested in, and how you like to work. By then you will know exactly what is "wrong" with your stand, and how you want to change it for the work you are doing.

If you treat it well, your anvil will hold much of it's value. The anvil stand OTOH...
 
Jon,
The height of the anvil through traditional means should be as follows;
Standing straight with your arms relaxed to the side, feet 6" apart, with a relaxed but closed hand... measure the distance from your knuckles to the ground... This is the height at which you would want the face of the anvil...

So measure the height of the anvil and subtract that from your acquired measurement... the residual is what height you want you stand to be... a slight 9-15 degree incline running from horn to heel is also thrown out there sometimes...

, but I say go for what's comfortable... I've noticed that forging a blade is a bit more tedious than most forgings... So raising the anvil up a few inches might be good for your back...

There is nothing better than a hardwood stump... Easy to get, cheap, and is just as good if not better than any steel fabricated stand out there...

That kind of budget will get you a decent anvil. I'm a peddinghaus fan boy, but the ref'haus has a decent reputation. Something about being the only drop forged steel anvil make in existence makes me tickle on the inside... I'll probably catch flack for this but I'd stay away from JHM as I've had personal experiences with their product that were rather displeasing. Nimba, Rhino, RatHole, BLU, etc... I think there's also an italian guy floating about the northeast that manufactures a small run of anvils each year... The sky is the limit with your budget...

http://www.incandescent-iron.com/rhan.html

http://bigbluhammer.com/blacksmith-anvil
^ I met this gent before and he's got quality merchandise... He's awesome to deal with from a personal level as well.

http://www.fontaninianvilandtool.com/http___www.fontaninianvilandtool.com/Welcome.html
 
Matthew Gregory said:
When I buy a new anvil, it will be a Nimba. Fully hardened on every surface, which means you can USE every surface. It's a thing of beauty, as well.
Click to expand...

As someone who prides themselves on knowing anvils inside and out, the details surrounding the Nimba being through-hardened on every surface escaped me... That's certainly a nice feature the rest seem to lack.

I know Tom Clark's Ozark pattern was S7, and the Rathole anvil is H13; I wonder if the HT of these Air Hardening tool steels would result in through hardening as well???
 
I like my anvil at wrist height. Most smiths I know use that height, too. I have a post anvil at elbow height for close up work, like peening.

The old "knuckle high" thing was for blacksmithing, and is often wrongly repeated in knife books and advice. Knives and wagon wheel rims are different things. The 4-6" lower face was needed to work thicker and heavier bars of iron, especially when working with a striker. When working knife size bars of steel with a 2-3# hammer, a little higher is better for hammer face placement as well as easier on the back.

The older you are the higher you will want your anvil face. As someone who works in back pain therapy, you will certainly appreciate that.
 
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