the ANVIL, not just for blacksmiths anymore

So I am going to be killing some time anyway, so I thought I might try to add some usefull information to the site. Over the years I have worked with a lot of welders (people who weld). Some of them, really talented guys who fabricate well. A lot of the time in my shop I use one of my anvils to work out a shape or straighten a shape, or flatten out metal. Most of these talented guys who have worked with me, associate the anvil to old time blacksmith work and have never really used one. Come to find out the anvil is a great tool and should be in every fab shop. Sure you put a forge with it and you get a whole different look to the work you are doing. There is an assortment of chisel like tools to drop into the square hole (called a hardy hole). This acts like a 3rd hand, and let you slice and dice hot metal with ease. But shapping is really where the anvil is unbeatable (no pun intended). Using the steps just behind the horn you can change the shape of any curve, on say strap iron for a alt. bracket. You can also flatten and straighten the same bracket if it has a twist in it. Alot of guys have chunks of old railroad iron in the shop to use to wack on metal, but it is really not the same as the versitle ANVIL. The picture below is my 250 lb anvil. I have 3 others at 125 lb and less.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anvil
Pretty good reading, but you have to have some interest.

This is when I was building my seats.

Hey Bone,
When I was a kid, my dad used to tell me that I could tear up one of those with a rubber hammer...........Well, I'm not THAT destructive anymore.

You are kidding me Bonehead. I grew up thinking that this was the intended use of an anvil



Just kidding of course. Great post. I really need an anvil. I'm always looking for something to use to beat a piece of metal into shape.

This is one of those things that I've always needed. I always end up using the driveway and a hammer.

Where do you get anvils by the way?

I have always picked mine up used. It is hard, to tear one up unless Flat has been around with his rubber hammer. The 250 lb anvil sells new now for over a grand. But used ones area about 1/2 price. The smaller the anvil the smaller the price. Auctions are good places to find them. New ones can be found at blacksmith supply places, HF has cheap imitation anvils. Those, I could probably break with a real hammer.

Thanks, I thought I saw one at the last swap meet I went too. I guess I should of picked it up.

When I was a kid we had horses. Every once in a while we would take them to an old blacksmith, I even remember his name, Mr. Baxter. (funny I remember that and can't remember my own phone number )

.......anyway, I remember him having a big old anvil and a forge and watching him heat steel and shape it into a horseshoe on that anvil. Sparks flying as he hit it each time, holding the shoe with these long tongs. Pretty much a lost art anymore, I bet.

I bet you are right Bonehead, one of those would really be handy to have.


Don

Farrier Supply houses are another good place to get them too.

Here is a link to one of the first ones I came up with in a search!

http://www.farriercorral.com/Anvil-s/1.htm

They have 70 and 125's there.

Unfortunately, the one my grandfather had at his farm for EVER was stolen about a week before I went to get it. Ironic. It sat in the same place, on the same stump for at least 60 years, but when I decide to give it a new home, it vanished.

Man that is crummy. The old ones are usually better than the new ones.

Bonehead said:

. Alot of guys have chunks of old railroad iron in the shop to use to wack on metal, but it is really not the same as the versatile ANVIL.

Click to expand...

You can put me in this category. I've got a nice 18" piece of train rail. A real anvil is better, I've been on the lookout for an old anvil for awhile, but IMHO the train rail is much better than the cast imported anvil like devices that they sell at HF. I don't have the versatility of a real anvil, but the rail definitely isn't going to break no matter how hard I beat on it.

Yes, I have used RR iron before, it works great, and I think it is better than a cheapie anvil too.

i have been doing blacksmith work for about 4 years now, it is lots of fun (to me anyway)

i still cant find a used anvil that i can afford, those anvils sold at HF are know as "ASO" or Anvil Shaped Objects

i am still using a peice of RR track as an anvil, they work just fine, and if you call around to the RR track places you may get a short section for free

here is a link to my webpage with all my forging stuff (free hosted site) it just has a few pictures of the stuff i have made over the past 4 years

http://metalmaster1766.bravehost.com/forge.html

Ron

Hi am new here and had to post on this old anvils are better but due to colleters they cost to much so good ones are now made . casting is second to forged anvils but if it is 'lively' its worth useing liveiy means it will rebound the hammer 50 to 70% as high as the hammer is dropped amd yes i do have a few anvils 1/2 lb threw 275 lb

You gotta love a good anvil collection.

Good thread.I been looking for 2 yrs now for an anvil,been wantin one for several yrs. Been goin to auctions but collectors been biddin them up to $500 or more for a 125# and 150# anvil. I thought about a harbor freight anvil but a friend said he broke his while shaping flatbar.So much for that. I still got a chunk or RR iron I'll just have to keep using but it don't work as well as an anvil.

i 've always wanted a good sized anvil, but they're not cheap, a most of the used ones i've looked at are always real beat up. i'm always looking though.

I would buy one if I came across a good deal on one. I use a piece of railroad iron. What I didnt know is the steps behind the horn. When I shaped mine to look like an anvil (from my mind) I didnt put those steps into it. I see how those would be real helpfull.

Fedex guys love anvils.

i just found a 120lb anvil from 1918 he wanted $150 for it. it looked good and all no cracks but i have overdue bills to pay so i couldnt pick it up plus i spent $70 that same day from that guy, i found my seats im gonna use and the covers for my glovebox and guages