Jump to content
I Forge Iron

basic question.


Recommended Posts

Stuart - doing it the way you were taught will put the tongs closer to your mid section than I like during hammering - with the horn on the right - its natural shoulder/arm positions, nothing is in the way and no crossover to deal with - just plain lots of hammering going on.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have my main anvil horn left, because horn right, the sweet spot on the horn is scarred up with chisel cuts. Horn left, it is nice and clean. I have a second anvil, one step further away I aim to the right. I find myself drawing down on the left horn, and doing bending on the right. I've played around with the options, and this is what works and feels good to me. I don't really care what I'm told is right or wrong. Whatever works.

 

Steve

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have my main anvil horn left, because horn right, the sweet spot on the horn is scarred up with chisel cuts. Horn left, it is nice and clean. I have a second anvil, one step further away I aim to the right. I find myself drawing down on the left horn, and doing bending on the right. I've played around with the options, and this is what works and feels good to me. I don't really care what I'm told is right or wrong. Whatever works.

 

Steve

 

Hi Steve

 

There is no right or wrong way.  Just whatever works for you is what counts.  Not what worked for Stu's master.  That worked for him.  Great thing about what we do is that there is an infinite way to do anything. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

After reading all the many posts and as Scrambler says Some are Funny it would appear there is NO right or wrong for what works for you.  It's your shop, your anvil, and in many cases your physical build and limitations get in the equation and then your experiences.

 

That said in my shop my horn generally points left and north, never noticed that till Glenn's comment, but on any given day or project it might face right and south and everywhere in between as I have it on a stump and I spin it as I need or want to.  Some days it's more like a Pinwheel than a 213lb. PW Anvil.  It's worked well for 35 yrs. for me guess I'll keep it!  Other than teaching my son the fundamentals of the trade years ago I've not imposed my idea on anyone.  I have noticed that when I get home for a weekend and I see he's been in the shop the anvil has taken a few spins.  When were pouring a floor in the new shop last fall he asked if the anvil was staying on the stump and I said yes, allowed we might need a new one as this one has worn off the bottom  some, he replied Good.  Works for us and that is all that's important.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

All of the recommendation will work except today, Friday the 13th.  And there are two more coming this year.  On this day, everyone must switch hammer hands.  LOL.

 

Actually I taught myself to do the hammer switch when I was teaching.  When demoing to HS students, sometimes the only way they could see was for me to switch.  I could not hammer as hard, but it worked well enough to get the point across.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...