Anvil for Steel Forging

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  • Brand new to the knife making hobby. Looking for a amateurs anvil to get started or ideas to make one at home. If you have one for sale at a amateur's price level couldn't hurt to throw it up or PM an offer. Personal experience and suggestions would be great, rather not go wrong right from the start. If you got them, show them, love to see your set up!
     

    ohen cepel

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 2, 2011
    4,509
    Where they send me.
    Hard to find a good one these days at a fair price it seems. Not sure where they all go/went.
    Many make a small one out of rail road track. However, need a source of track for that.
    May be worth it to hit some local scrap metal yards. Won't find an anvil but may find a start point, also can find some great material that way also! My brother has had great luck doing that. Again, need a little imagination; what looks like small pieces of Ti can be turned into neat bottle openers.
     

    dontpanic

    Ultimate Member
    Jul 7, 2013
    6,631
    Timonium
    They're on CL all the time. Keep an eye out. They are mostly priced about $6/lb. If you see one for $4/lb or less then it is a good deal.
     

    lsw

    לא לדרוך עליי
    Sep 2, 2013
    1,975
    If you decide to buy a new one from Harbor Freight, Northern Tool, etc. look for one made of steel. The cheaper anvils are cast iron. They're not exactly useless but for real metal forming work you'll want a steel anvil. Once in a while HF has some Russian made steel anvils. They're a little roughly finished but far preferable to the cast iron anvils.
     
    Last edited:

    tailboardtech

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 16, 2011
    1,315
    upperco
    If you decide to buy a new one from Harbor Freight, Northern Tool, etc. look for one made of steel. They're a little roughly finished The cheaper anvils are cast iron. They're not exactly useless but for real metal forming work you'll want a steel anvil. Once in a while HF has some Russian made steel anvils. They're a little roughly finished but far preferable to the cast iron anvils.

    What he said, the castiron ones can shatter on you after repeated hits. I have seen the aftermath of one and most of the time the castiron ones will have an air pocket in them somewhere. And for the anvil launching I know of a farm up in northen Balt co. That it happens at once a year at the party:innocent0
     

    Sam Salvati

    blacksmith
    Apr 22, 2013
    630
    Finksburg
    Anvils are something thats like a good scope, buy once cry once. However you dont go out and put a nightforce on your first 10-22.

    I have many anvils, and many blocks of steel that would make a great first anvil. If you are interested i like to trade for guns ammo and money.

    This is my Baby, 110 pound Jymm Hoffman Continental pattern. the steel stand is much handier then a stump, the 2" top as well as the thick waist of the anvil make it act like it's 200 pounds.
     

    bigjohn

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 29, 2007
    2,752
    Sold mine for $500. Like new condition. 200lbs. They go for lots more for a quality one. Check local farm auctions. Take a ball bearing and drop it on the face. It's should ring not clang. Make sure the face is flat, take a straight edge also.
     

    Slowhand

    Pre-Banned
    Dec 13, 2011
    1,869
    In a van, down by the river.
    Keep an eye on Craigslist. I found one there. Guy in Odenton deals in them a bit. He told me a lot of old anvils that sound wrong were in barn fires and lost their tempering. I'll look for his info.
     

    Bertfish

    Throw bread on me
    Mar 13, 2013
    17,606
    White Marsh, MD
    I got one for $75 one time. Weighs about 200 pounds. The top surface is in poor condition; I've often thought about having it milled flat but I don't do any real blacksmith work. Basically its used when I need to pound the hell out of something.

    I got mine by putting an ad in the Bargaineer but that was before I knew about Craigslist.
     

    Sam Salvati

    blacksmith
    Apr 22, 2013
    630
    Finksburg
    One thing thats important, if you are getting into blaesmithing, there's no need actually for a traditional anvil. In alot of ways, you'll be wasting your money. Most traditional blaesmiths for a long time have used stump and stake anvils.
     

    clay pigeon

    Banned
    BANNED!!!
    Feb 5, 2012
    120
    One thing thats important, if you are getting into blaesmithing, there's no need actually for a traditional anvil. In alot of ways, you'll be wasting your money. Most traditional blaesmiths for a long time have used stump and stake anvils.

    You have a good point, OP you should take a look at a Bridge anvil. My friend has one that weights about 350 lbs and the flat measures about 8" x 30"
     

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