Poll, Do you tap your anvil?

[Dodge]

LOL Richard. A hole to bolt down a hold down maybe?? Seriously though, I don't generally tap the anvil, least not on purpose. I hit what I'm forging till I'm done then lay the hammer down. I am superstitious, however. I believe if I hit the anvil too much, the neighbors will tell me to "quit making so much noise"

[Ted T]

Dodge, I wish I had said that!
LOL
Old Rusty Ted

[ApprenticeMan]

True words Ted, I agree that every heat is like a seprate event, but to be treated as it were part of a larger whole.

[gerald]

I don't purposely "TAP". As Irnsurgeon does, I occaisionally let the hammer bounce on the face between strokes, but it is not a concious tap.

[gerald]

Frank Turley talks about the "Three R's" of tapping. Rest, Rhythm, and Rumination (. The rhythm thing has already been addressed. I have about as much rhythm as a frog in a blender, so tapping anything isn't going to help.

Unless I'm forging something humongous, I don't need to rest (that happens when the iron goes back in the fire for the next heat).

Rumination (thinking) doesn't work for me either since I'm an honor grad of the "what I wish I had done school.

All seriousness aside, I guess there isn't anything "wrong" with tapping, lot's of good smiths do it and if it helps, good.

[julian]

I tap the anvil somewhat subconsciously; I think when I'm turning or looking at the piece i let the hammer down on the anvil and it taps a few times.

[polarbearforge]

Never tap the anvil. It drives me nuts. Ask Finnr (poster #3). He was driving me nuts, though I swear he started to really do it on purpose.

Jamie

[Dodge]

LOL, PBF. Would Finn really do that????

[Finnr]

What? Sweet Lil Ole me?
Finnr

[irnsrgn]

There is a BIG difference between tapping the anvil on purpose and the unconcious act of letting the hammer bounce while working. I learned it from my father, who learned from his father, who learned it from his mentor. Every old smith that I ever met when younger did the bounce thing while working at the anvil. Several of the old smiths when I was apprenticing told me that they could tell who taught them to work hot iron by the way they worked at the anvil. I guess its much like being able to tell who a telegrapher is by his fist or the way he works the key.