Anvils

[Rich Riddle]

Completing tasks around the shop and farm have required hammering on the back of a vise at times to bend metal. An anvil became available at an auction, so it's now in the shop. It likely weighs in about 70 pounds or so. Can anyone say anything provide any information? There don't seem to be any maker's marks on it.

Front.JPG
Lower.JPG Not sure what the notched accomplish.
Top.JPG Even the top has little dimples on it. Is this thing cast?
Bottom.JPG The underside of the anvil.
IMG_1742.JPG This little removable wedge came with the anvil.

Thanks for any insights.

[Jim Koepke]

This little removable wedge came with the anvil.

My knowledge on anvils is zilch. They do come in handy when something needs to get hammered.

The removable wedge is a cut off tool. A hot piece of metal is set on it and a hammer brought down to cut it off. The square hole is called a hardy hole, the wedge is often called a hardy. The square hole prevents tools from twisting in use.

Google > hardy hole < or > hardy hole tools < to learn more.

jtk

[John K Jordan]

Rich,

It's great to have an anvil! I have three, one quite small one I made myself from a piece of railroad rail. (cutting the anvil shape on that was a challenge!)

I'm no expert on anvils, but you can find a lot of info in nearly any beginning blacksmith book. After reading a couple of books I started looking for a 300 lb or heavier anvil but never found one I could afford. One of mine is about 120 lbs (I think) and one is lighter - heavier is better but even the 70 lb one you have is far, far better than no anvil!

I understand the best anvils are forged but some are cast. Some have a hardened steel layer bonded to the face. The cast steel anvils are supposed to be pretty good but I've read that cast iron anvils are not useful for heavy-duty use. The sides and bottom of my largest one has the surface texture you show but the top is ground flat and smooth. Metal being worked will pick up the surface texture of the anvil so I'd want it smooth. If yours is pitted all over maybe it was badly rusted then cleaned.

Maybe pick up a blacksmithing book for some info, or I suspect there is a wealth on-line.

JKJ

[Jerry Bruette]

Want to have some fun with that thing.......go to yutube and look up anvil ringing. You'll need a second one and a six pack in order to be entertained for an afternoon.

Hold my beer while I.........

[Rich Riddle]

Thanks for all the information. I found this information at iforgeiniron dot com. It was listed as part of the beginners guide to purchase an anvil.

"Wrought iron body with welded steel face. The oldest construction method of the bunch. These anvils have a forged wrought iron body with a steel face welded to the top. There are numerous British and American makers that used this method and it makes a superb anvil. The fact that so many survive today is a testament to the quality of their construction methods. - Older anvils had the face plate made up of several different pieces of steel, as steel was harder to make in large sections. Notable makers include Mousehole Forge, Peter Wright, Hill, Isaac Nash, Henry Wright, Wilkinsons and many others.

All forged anvils have identifying features that give away their construction. The most obvious is the presence of handling holes at the waste of the anvil and often a handling hole under the base of the anvil. This is where large tongs gripped the body while it was forged. Another indication of forged construction is having a stamped makers mark, depressed into the steel rather than raised out of it.

Forged wrought iron anvils have two very common “faults” - “delamination” and “sway”."

The holes in the second picture are the handling holes, so luckily this one is a forged anvil. A smart person would have looked up information in anvils prior to getting one, but ........

[Shawn Pixley]

Thanks for all the information. I found this information at iforgeiniron dot com. It was listed as part of the beginners guide to purchase an anvil.

"Wrought iron body with welded steel face. The oldest construction method of the bunch. These anvils have a forged wrought iron body with a steel face welded to the top. There are numerous British and American makers that used this method and it makes a superb anvil. The fact that so many survive today is a testament to the quality of their construction methods. - Older anvils had the face plate made up of several different pieces of steel, as steel was harder to make in large sections. Notable makers include Mousehole Forge, Peter Wright, Hill, Isaac Nash, Henry Wright, Wilkinsons and many others.

All forged anvils have identifying features that give away their construction. The most obvious is the presence of handling holes at the waste of the anvil and often a handling hole under the base of the anvil. This is where large tongs gripped the body while it was forged. Another indication of forged construction is having a stamped makers mark, depressed into the steel rather than raised out of it.

Forged wrought iron anvils have two very common “faults” - “delamination” and “sway”."

The holes in the second picture are the handling holes, so luckily this one is a forged anvil. A smart person would have looked up information in anvils prior to getting one, but ........

Rich is correct here. You have a laminated anvil. In all liklihood, it will do all you ask of it. Anvils come in cast iron (more properly referred to as an anvil shaped object), laminated anvil *steel laminated to cast iron, cast steel anvils, and forged steel anvils. The utility and costs are prportionate to the materials.

Most smiths will end up making their own Hardy Tools, tongs and other instruments. To reduce the ring when forging, consider a magnet under the horn. This may not be as necessary with the laminated anvil as they don’t tend to ring as much with the dissimilar materials.

[Brian Lefort]

Check out this Video on Anvil Hunting. Good anvil info contained within.

https://youtu.be/SJF52_4noZE

[Chuck Ellis]

My dad always kept his anvil pinned to a large stump or log... think that is what the notch in the bottom is for.
Sometimes when we moved he would unpin it and just move the anvil, but most often he moved the stump and the anvil
all together.

[Shawn Pixley]

My dad always kept his anvil pinned to a large stump or log... think that is what the notch in the bottom is for.
Sometimes when we moved he would unpin it and just move the anvil, but most often he moved the stump and the anvil
all together.

Never saw that before. Most of us bend four spikes driven into the stump over the feet to hold it secure.

[Bill Bukovec]

If you want a good laugh, look up anvil launching, which is shooting anvils into the air using gunpowder.

[Rick Potter]

My anvil is an 18" long piece of electric streetcar track, angled to a point on one end with a cutting torch. My dad either made it, or a welder did, when he got a job with the Cleveland Transit System, about 1937. His first job was welders helper on the streetcar tracks. I consider it an heirloom.

I assume it would be cast steel, but really do not know. It does have a nice 'ring' to it when hammered.

[Kev Williams]

Rich,

It's great to have an anvil! I have three, one quite small one I made myself from a piece of railroad rail. (cutting the anvil shape on that was a challenge!)
JKJ

You beat me to it

This is the only anvil I've ever known, pretty sure my granddad made it.
rranvil.jpg
-even that much railroad track weighs a ton!

[John K Jordan]

-even that much railroad track weighs a ton!

You've got that right! I have a 6' piece of rail I'm thinking of using to make a drag for dressing dirt roads/trails. I used the tractor the last time I moved it.

Over the years I've picked up short pieces of scrap rail to make things (yes, I collect and hoard junk) and discovered quickly that rail comes in various sizes, some a lot bigger and heavier than others. http://www.icrr.net/rails.htm

A friend of mine made a beautiful tiny anvil from a small rail. It was beautiful! - machined flat on top, ground and polished, maybe 2-3" tall. The two I've made from rail are uglier than ugly. But the hammer doesn't care!

JKJ