venusblue

How's this bolt look for a potential anvil? Also please ignore the mess

That's also a really good idea, about the bolt. I'm going to check some of the supply houses for work to see if I can get it for a discount. I've been working a lot of construction lately, I'm sure I can find some old ones laying around in scrap piles. Hmmm I'm going to try and source a nice big bolt tomorrow then. Next I just have to cut up the fallen tree in my back yard for the stump, and get some fire clay for the sink sitting next to the tree...

Those are some pretty good ideas, too. I could probably just grab some angle iron and make fullers out of that, or make something myself. Hmmm really good ideas. All I could see myself using is a chisel type hardy tool, something that I could use an anvil devil for instead actually. I agree too, Donnie, I do need to just start hammering. I'm a bit frustrated because my anvil won't be built until sometime around december, and I think I'm getting a bit too much ahead of myself. I don't want to go out and blow my money on things I won't use, I think I'd be better doing it and buying/building things as needed. I think a socket that fits over my anvil is a good idea, or maybe I can find something in the right general shape and make something like a second stake to use for that, so I can quickly and safely transfer my work between it and the anvil.

Hmmm thank you guys very much for your help. After I get my anvil in I'm going to try out a few of the options you guys mentioned. Thank all of you guys very much, and you can expect some pictures probably around december

Grader blade like from an ice scraper or something like that? I live in Texas so that might be a bit difficult to find, but I'll keep an eye out. You think just any metal I can bend in that shape would be OK? I've been looking for rail road track lately but no luck so far, I need to keep hitting the scrap yards I guess. I still don't have my anvil in or my forge built, but I've been getting stuff ready here and there.

So I'm getting an anvil made for me. I decided to go with a traditional late viking setup, something like the picture. I'm mostly planning on doing small jewelry and knives, so that should work, right? I mean I figured that people had been using that type of set up for like 1,000 years, I'm sure I can get by... Anyway my question is, what do I do about a hardie hole in a set up like this? Should I try and make a metal square and bury it into the stump and put hardie tools in that? Anyone have any ideas?