Will E. (RassilonMonk) Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 (edited) Hi All, as I mentioned in my intro post I'm a total newb when it comes to smithing and bladesmithing. I'm in the process of getting everything together to start forging and learning. At the moment I have a foot of rail that I wanted to turn into an anvil but a friend of mine discovered this in his parents garage and I may be able to grab it on the cheap. Looks pretty beat up. Any advice? Its likely my only chance to get anything, even in bad shape of this weight. He tells me other than the indent on the face it is relatively smooth. Hardy hole has been busted off somehow as well. Thanks for any input! Cheers, Will Edited December 28, 2009 by Will E. (RassilonMonk) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blacklionforge Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 looks as if the are very usable parts on that anvil...indention looks useful as well...if its cheap get on it like white on rice... All these things shall love do unto you that you may know the secrets of your heart,and in that knowledge become a fragment of Life's heart... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Stephens Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 It will beat the heck out of a rail road track anvil. I wouldn't pay too much for it though. -----------------------------------------------"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly." -- Theodore Roosevelthttp://stephensforge.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will E. (RassilonMonk) Posted December 28, 2009 Author Share Posted December 28, 2009 looks as if the are very usable parts on that anvil...indention looks useful as well...if its cheap get on it like white on rice... What do you think the indentation could be used for? (remember I'm pretty newb, I understand most terms but not neccesarily all the potential uses of "features" ) Do you think even if it is a little "soft" (I can't tell and my friend didn't have a ball bearing)it would still be good to use as a starter? Thanks for the reply blacklion -W. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will E. (RassilonMonk) Posted December 28, 2009 Author Share Posted December 28, 2009 It will beat the heck out of a rail road track anvil. I wouldn't pay too much for it though. Thanks for the advice Dave. I don't anticipate it would be too much at all. (How's the weather up there? ) Cheers, Will Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragoncutlery Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 it will definitely be better than a rail road track if its reasonably priced grab it Brandon Sawisch bladesmith eagles may soar but weasels don't get sucked in to jet engines Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will E. (RassilonMonk) Posted December 28, 2009 Author Share Posted December 28, 2009 Ok, I'm going to try and get it then. Thanks guys! Any advice on the Hardy Hole? Should I just make some kind of makeshift one or try and fix that one somehow? Cheers, Will Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donnie Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 Most work is done on a very small area over the waist of the anvil. A vice situated close by will hold your hardy tooling just fine. And cheap is always a good thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dee Posted December 29, 2009 Share Posted December 29, 2009 you have a large enough area, as has been said, to give you a good platform to forge on. and i agree with everyone in that its would sure beat the rail road track. and if it comes to that, you can always go to someone who has the proper tools and get them to carefully recondition the top for you. from what it looks like i wouldnt think that its 'too' soft .. id guess that its just been abused over the years. the horn looks to be in good condition. so thats great ... cause you can always find flat bits of metal to use for anvils ... its harder to find a really good horn substitute. its a pity about the hardy. but really, i would think that you have more than enough of it there for it to do its job. the only thing would be if you would start to break off more of the anvil if you started to use it hard. so i would maybe keep it for fine tooling and go with the wise suggestion of keeping your vice close by for heavier tool working. tis funny what you can find in a garage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragoncutlery Posted December 29, 2009 Share Posted December 29, 2009 have a welding shop weld a bar across the back and bam you got your hardy hole back Brandon Sawisch bladesmith eagles may soar but weasels don't get sucked in to jet engines Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Madigan Posted December 30, 2009 Share Posted December 30, 2009 That indentation rings only one bell. Anvil shooting? Doesn't look deep enough and there are no powder burns. I want to know how that got there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will E. (RassilonMonk) Posted December 30, 2009 Author Share Posted December 30, 2009 That indentation rings only one bell. Anvil shooting? Doesn't look deep enough and there are no powder burns. I want to know how that got there. indentation is about 1mm deep according to my friend's information. Dunno if that helps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Jacobson Posted January 2, 2010 Share Posted January 2, 2010 During the civil war the northern troops would go around breaking the heels and horns on all the anvils. Dave Jacobson www.santacruziron.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B. Norris Posted January 2, 2010 Share Posted January 2, 2010 At one time it was possible to order special purpose anvils from the manufacturor, things like Plowmakers anvils, Cutlers anvils, Sawmakers anvils, Chainmakers anvils, and so on... I would say this is one of those, that indentation looks like it was put there on purpose but, I am at a loss as to what that purpose is. It does take up a bit of the working surface of the anvil and right at the "sweet" spot but, there is still a useable amount of face left to work on. I would pick it up if it is cheap enough with the thought that it is better than most makeshift anvils and will do until I can find something in better shape. The other option is to save your money and hang out on Ebay looking for a deal. My favorite anvil was one I bought for $40 off Ebay... Cost $80 to get it shipped to me but, still a good deal for something that weighs 150 pounds. Another method to find anvils is to put a Wanted add in the paper. I know someone who did this and ended up buying 3 anvils because he could with what he had budgeted and they were all in good shape. Anyway, good luck! ~Bruce~ “All work is empty save when there is love, for work is love made visible.” Kahlil Gibran "It is easier to fight for one's principles than to live up to them." - Alfred Adler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Longmire Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 During the civil war the northern troops would go around breaking the heels and horns on all the anvils. No, they didn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C Craft Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 No, they didn't. Aw come on Alan, I had this beauty of a story worked out too! You know the one where the Yankees had this great ape that they hauled around in a Ox drawn wagon and they took him from plantation to plantation and they would ask the “Southern Belle that was always present at such a plantation if they had any anvils. And of course they would respond in their best Southern Belle’s voice, "why I shore do you mean ole Yankee" at which time the would unleash the great ape and he would take his four hundred pound sledge hammer and break the heel and the horn off of the anvil. And then the Yankees would................... C Craft Customs ~~~ With every custom knife I build I try to accomplish three things. I want that knife to look so good you just have to pick it up, feel so good in your hand you can't wait to try it, and once you use it, you never want to put it down ! If I capture those three factors in each knife I build, I am assured the knife will become a piece that is used and treasured by its owner! ~~~ C Craft Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Longmire Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 (edited) Aw, c'mon, Cliff! That's a great story, especially if the ape is a rather friendly orangutan with a penchant for libraries... (Pratchett reference, nevermind). Dave, I didn't mean to sound harsh, but ask Jock (the guru) over at anvilfire.com if it's true. He knows the guy who started that particular rural legend by accident back in the 80's. Edited to add Jock's version of how this story got started: Myths: I've had TWO VERY reliable sources (including Richard Postman) try to tell me the one about Yankee sappers breaking horns off anvils. Both times I've had to explain to them that I KNOW the fellow (Bobby Dobson of Virginia Beach, VA) that made up the story as a THEORY that he was looking for evidence to fit. That was in 1987 and nobody (including Bobby) has found a shred of evidence to support it. The problem IS its a GOOD story to tell. Our dear departed Paw-Paw would tell it at every reenactment he went to including those at many historical sites in the South. I feel bad about this because *I* told the story to Paw-Paw - but I also told him it was a theory that was looking for evidence. . . But he never mentioned that the hundreds of times he told the story over 7 year. . . IT A MODERN MYTH that even the supposed world authority on anvils believed and was going to publish in his next book. . . Its not just a myth, its a story made up by a first class teller of some real whoppers (lies). . . Heck, Plato did it with Atlantis. . . A good story is always easier to tell than real history. Edited March 15, 2010 by Alan Longmire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will E. (RassilonMonk) Posted January 4, 2010 Author Share Posted January 4, 2010 Aw, c'mon, Cliff! That's a great story, especially if the ape is a rather friendly orangutan with a penchant for libraries... (Pratchett reference, nevermind). Dave, I didn't mean to sound harsh, but ask Jock (the guru) over at anvilfire.com if it's true. He knows the guy who started that particular rural legend by accident back in the 80's. Especially if said Orangutan was formerly human -W. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C Craft Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 (edited) I was just trying to put a humorus spin on that story! I mean come on think about it. Stop and think of the force needed to break a horn or a heal off of an anvil! I would rather believe that the picture showing the damage to the anvil had probably two factors. Gross abuse and quite possibly a flaw in the original metal. Edited January 4, 2010 by C Craft C Craft Customs ~~~ With every custom knife I build I try to accomplish three things. I want that knife to look so good you just have to pick it up, feel so good in your hand you can't wait to try it, and once you use it, you never want to put it down ! If I capture those three factors in each knife I build, I am assured the knife will become a piece that is used and treasured by its owner! ~~~ C Craft Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Longmire Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 Yup. Those old English anvils were welded up from several chunks of wrought iron, which tends to provide nice fracture planes. Add the stress riser induced by the hardy hole and there you go. A lot of times the break at the hardy hole is caused by someone hammering on a tapered stake set in the hole. The one horn failure I've heard about from an eyewitness happened because the owner was trying to raise the tip of the horn so his old Peter Wright would have a profile similar to the then-current fashion of farriers' anvils with upturned horns. It snapped off clean at the body. Dunno what he expected, banging on the horn with a sledge hammer while a buddy heated it with a big rosebud torch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Bower Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 have a welding shop weld a bar across the back and bam you got your hardy hole back Personally, I wouldn't. You'd only end up softening the remaining face. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Stephens Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 It's interesting to learn that old story about the North breaking the horns off Confederate anvils is an urban legend. I always wondered how the heck they managed to do that without a bucket of thermite or something. Grins, Dave -----------------------------------------------"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly." -- Theodore Roosevelthttp://stephensforge.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will E. (RassilonMonk) Posted February 9, 2010 Author Share Posted February 9, 2010 Just to update everyone... I got it for $35.00 CDN so I think for 100lbs of Anvil, despite the shape it is in, its not a bad start. now I just need to obtain the gas hose to connect my burner(s) to the propane tank and assemble the forge and I'm good to go ..... so close I can taste it... and I'm growing a beard.... seems like the right thing to do -W. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hogan Baker Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 It was a good buy! I wouldn't have passed that up for only $30 usd. Even if you can't really use the face very much, atleast you have a first rate horn. Good luck with the forge. I think that a beard is a very good idea, but no matter how hard i try, i don't seem to get anywhere with it.. Hogan Baker "Stale water is poor drink. Stale skill is worse. And the man who walks in his own footsteps only ends where he began." My Etsy shop My blog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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