Hello,
I've been slowly buying some basic blacksmithing tools over the last few months. Hopefully sometime soon I'll get everything I need to make a few knives and maybe some tools. I'll need an anvil soon, it's going to be the last thing I need to get started, probably the most expensive also. I don't want to buy something new and all the used anvils in my area are beat to hell. I currently have have a nice 12 inch chunk of railroad track but would also like something bigger and heavier.
The company I work for buys huge pieces of T1 and 4140 steel. We have large chunks of booth kinds of steel in irregular shapes that just sit around collecting dust. The boss said I can take whatever I want. I know the steel has been heat treated, we machine it hardened most of the time, and from what the guys in the machine shop say it's very hard compared to when its untreated.
Would hardened T1 or 4140 make a decent anvil? Is one better then the other to use as an anvil? If it isn't going to work as an anvil can I use it for anything else blacksmith tool related?
Thanks for your time,
Chris
