Anvils
Parts of an anvil
My first anvil
Purchased on eBay for £60 (including delivery), my first anvil was a huge beast of a thing, weighing 200 – 250kgs. Unfortunately it was as dead as a nit on rebound and I would have been better off forging on a block of lead. It was beautiful though.
When I sold it, the buyer arrived in trainers and during the loading it ended up on his foot. He fortunately managed to walk away but the VW Combi was on its knees as it headed down the road.
As I have recently found out, it was likely used under a Blacker Power Hammer. A piece of history but not that useful to a bladesmith, and not at all portable!
Railway Track Anvils
A piece of rail track is a great starter anvil. You can pick them up raw on eBay or even get shaped versions to save the trouble.
I shaped mine with a 9″ angle grinder, heated it up an a bonfire and quenched in a large drum. I swiftly moved to an anvil that was more suited to the job.
Pros
- Affordable
- Portable
- Easy to make if you have a large angle grinder
Cons
- Small table or surface area
- Trickier to secure if you have the narrow based version like I did. You’ll need to bolt it or weld it to something bigger.
- Not as pretty as a proper anvil (which is important!)
New anvils
New anvils are pricey but then few blademaking tools are cheap.
Getting a new one from a reputable seller means you’ll know the history and condition.
- Vaughn’s Hope Works – Stourbridge, West Midlands
- Forged Ironmongery – Dereham, NorfolK
Used anvils
You can snap up a bargain online by buying second hand. It’s a bit of pot-luck as to whether you get a good one but you could test it before buying.
Check for:
- Check for a flat face – use a steel rule
- Dents or low spots – these are a lot of work to get rid of
- Crisp edges
- Makers mark – will point to heritage and quality
- Get a stand if you can or you’ll need to make one
- Signs of abuse – missing corners, grind cuts, missing feet
- Make sure it’s steel and not cast iron
Sellers
- Good Buy tools – 2nd hand anvils
- eBay, Facebook etc
A great collection of avils including a 1700lb one!
