brianbrazealblacksmith Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 We made a new striking anvil the other day from a piece of mild steel we got from Jody, Ironsmith. I was going to have a hole put in with a water jet, but David suggested that people would like to see it drifted like my other one. So, that is what we did. David drilled a 7/8 inch hole in this one because it was so big. We spent 2 hours from start to finish, and most of that time was spent heating the piece. I probably could have drifted all the way in one heat, but i didn't want to force it so I took a second heat to finish. Lyle and David helped turn and carry it and also got some pictures of the process. I went ahead and started a new thread on this because alot of people have been making these striking anvils, and it would be nice if Lyle and David could repost on this thread to keep it together. David made the stand. The legs are set at 8 degrees for backing. Here are some pictures of the finished anvil and stand. It weghs 120 pounds now. It stands 24 inches tall. The legs are filled with sand and a little oil to add weight, slow oxidation, and quiet the hollow sound of the tubing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigcity Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 did you heat treat the anvil at all? i know its mild steel but just wondering Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LDW Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 Here is a link to the pics. Some of these pics were taken with one hand while I was helping maneuver the metal with the other.https://picasaweb.go...feat=directlink Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironsmith Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 Nice work. I wouldn't have thought to put oil and sand in the tubing! how does it compare to your original? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianbrazealblacksmith Posted June 24, 2012 Author Share Posted June 24, 2012 Thanks, Lyle. No, we did not really heat treat it per se, but we did cool it off as quickly as we could with a garden hose. Ironsmith, I have not had a chance to use it yet. We still need to get the hammer drill and mount it, but the sand does make a lot of difference. My other striking anvil and Henry Wright also have sand and oil in the legs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcusb Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 Modern Day bridge anvil!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FieryFurnace Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 AWESOME! You need a student to come bang it up for you? :D I was at the junk yard just yesterday and they had a piece of 3x4 solid steel about 18 inches long. As soon as I saw it, I thought STRIKER ANVIL! The junk yard man wanted to keep it though for a scrape blade weight! :( Electric blower makes heating that more fun I supose! LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian.pierson Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 Brian, Would you consider hard facing the anvil with welding rod. I was wondering if that would help keep down the dents from the students after I read the process the Gunthers put out about fixing older anvils. I am just thinking out loud here. Thanks for the info so far though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ptree Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 Here is a photo of the portable striking anvil we use. It is a heavy equipment axle forging, 250# of 4140. At my home shop I have the bigger version 454# of 4140. We made the large split cross on the axle the cross is resting on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianbrazealblacksmith Posted June 24, 2012 Author Share Posted June 24, 2012 Brian, I wouldn't hard face it for what I've been using it for. One of the most important things about this anvil is that is safer to use because it does not have the rebound or brittleness of a hardened face. We have made hundreds of hammers, top tools, and hardy tools on the first anvil with people from all over the world from ages 12 to 88, male and female, and there have been no injuries. Most of those people have never struck before, and some had never forged before, and we usually start them off making a hot cut hardy and a hammer the first day before noon. Now, I have seen a lady farrier knock herself out at a shoeing contest missing on a normal anvil and heard of this happening to others when they miss and hit the anvil. People will and do miss, so the mild steel is a lot safer. I don't let many people strike on my Henry Wright anvil. We have also traveled and done a lot of group classes where they furnish there own anvils. Most of those anvils get a little damaged and I've seen some brand new ones get some pretty good chips taken out more than once on the same anvil in the same day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOblacksmith0530 Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 I think I will make this a project for the near future. I have some forkilft forks that are 2 by 6 inches and they were broken at the bend. The lower portion is well annealed as they were used to transport molten aluminum in ladles and tubs. I have used an IR thermometer on these when they were in use and some of the forks reached 850 degrees. The steel is still tough but can be dented fairly easily with a hammer. I think they would make nice striking anvils especially if I built the stand heavy and used the sand. I could put more than one sized hole in them to be able to do different sized hardies. Is there some video of the uses of this striking anvil? Other than slitting and drifting holes and upsetting hardies do you do any other forging on them other than tools in the hardie? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcusb Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 I am looking for something similar myself, not willing to take a 20 pound hammer to my pretty HB. I imagine one missed blow would wreck an anvil edge when using big hammers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianbrazealblacksmith Posted June 24, 2012 Author Share Posted June 24, 2012 ptree, That is a big Friedrich's cross, and I saw it the first time you started a thread on it, but I posted this thread to help people out on building an inexpensive anvil for striking and making tools. That anvil would not be of any help for that purpose. It has no hardy hole or pritchel hole and would be near impossible to put them in, so it's not an option for making tools. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianbrazealblacksmith Posted June 24, 2012 Author Share Posted June 24, 2012 MOblacksmith530, there are only a few videos out there on YouTube and Lyle's Picaso albums that I know of, and yes I do many other forging on it besides tools. The main thing about the stand is backing and height. The height should be under 30 inches so you can get the full throw of the sledge. You will be using top and bottom tools a lot, so those add to the target heigth. The angle of the legs is for backing not tipping. Legs angled for tipping like most would do will only break with heavy use, shear your anchors off, or both. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LDW Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 I was just checking to find some pictures of the striking anvil. I just had to post this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ptree Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 Brian, I have been studing the application of a hardy hole and have a plan. Once I try I will report. The point of my post was an anvil does not have to look like an anvil. Look for mass under the hammer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOblacksmith0530 Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 Thanks Brian. I do the angles legs on all my anvils and such. It really seems to stabilize them. I hear you on the height. It might be a bit over 30 inches for me due to my height but I have striking stands for shorter smiths. I keep promising to make a set of nested stands from about 3 inches up to about 8 inches for others to use in my shop. I will probably make it to take a lot of the hardie tooling I have made for my Czeck anvil over the years which is 1=1/8" hardie that way I can use them on both. Again thanks for the posts and the followup info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian.pierson Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 Brian, I wouldn't hard face it for what I've been using it for. One of the most important things about this anvil is that is safer to use because it does not have the rebound or brittleness of a hardened face. We have made hundreds of hammers, top tools, and hardy tools on the first anvil with people from all over the world from ages 12 to 88, male and female, and there have been no injuries. Most of those people have never struck before, and some had never forged before, and we usually start them off making a hot cut hardy and a hammer the first day before noon. Now, I have seen a lady farrier knock herself out at a shoeing contest missing on a normal anvil and heard of this happening to others when they miss and hit the anvil. People will and do miss, so the mild steel is a lot safer. I don't let many people strike on my Henry Wright anvil. We have also traveled and done a lot of group classes where they furnish there own anvils. Most of those anvils get a little damaged and I've seen some brand new ones get some pretty good chips taken out more than once on the same anvil in the same day. Brian, Thanks for the reply. I have seen the results on a regular anvil, and the results on your anvil for that matter. I was curious about the hard facing on and off since I saw your first one. Brian Pierson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 I certainly wouldn't go to the trouble and expense of hardfacing it. Use it till one side gets too bad to use then flip it over and use the other side till it gets too bad to use and then *retire*---or just go get another hunk and set it up like you did that one. Generally you can find several more pieces cheap in the time it will take to "wear out" that one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluidsteel Posted June 28, 2012 Share Posted June 28, 2012 Thanks for posting the pics. I have gotten a few 3"x8"x18" or so forklift tine drops. They weigh #140. Looks like I'll have to make a striking anvil from one. I gave a couple of the other pieces I got away to young, new smiths and knifemakers for post anvils. I never thought of making a striker anvil.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshua.M Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 how well would a peice 2.5" x 3" work? I have one cut to 12" and another to 8" (would have rather had 10 and 10 but thye are drops) Josh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pug}{maN Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 wow , thats a good idea , i have one i need to do that to here soon... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Gaddis Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 You may want to find a piece a little wider. Sometimes when striking items like a hammer, the hot piece would / may be positioned across the anvil while being supported by bolsters. Even the widest dimension mentioned seems to be a bit dangerously narrow. From being around the striking anvil I have seen a whole lot of energy is being passed to the anvil. If there is a shortage of width to support the pieces receiving the hit could go flying in all sorts of directions. The best part about this topic is showing others that a good stiking anvil is all about the individual and the various items that can be used. Some people are using things previously just though of a large chunks of metal now converted into a well deserved anvil object. How big does it need to be? As big as you can desire or less. If you put economics into the mix compare the cost of what Brian's new striking anvil as compared to a "real" anvil. Readily "the well abused" stiking anvil will become an economical choice. It does not require the extra expense of high grade metal. Also: If it is thick enough and has too many dings...get the grinder out and re-surface to you heart's desire. As Brian stated before do consider the height for top of anvil PLUS the material PLUS the top tools. For some items that brings the proper stiking height up another 7 or 8 inches...maybe more. And consider what happens to your expensive anvil when you mis the striking tools! There are many folks that have taken large chunks off the sides of their prized anvils for such an occurance. I put several dings in one of Brian's striking anvil myself. Something about these bifocal glasses and striking. Others may have the same situation. Carry on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francis Trez Cole Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 here is the one I made added a cone to one end works real good. I have a old anvil with a 5/8" harder hole so I wanted something more practical with a 1" harder hole Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshua.M Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 well it's too late to go back now, hole is mede and squared up, just need to throw a drift through it to make it right Josh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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