Herb H.

Thanks for the sourcing information. Some of those sound pretty neat. I'm also collect tools and really appreciate their function snd form

 I enjoy sometimes inspecting the tool as much using it. For money reasons, I'll probably just use that old Narrow Gauge Railroad Track for now. 

Thanks

What is cp 1 cp2 ti? I'll start another thread, because there's so much learned wisdom, tips, tricks, and I hope there are a lot of cool and simple solutions for beginner's with no shop.  Are there plans on this site for that simple firebrick forge?  Is it something you could pack into your trunk and work out in the country with permission?  I'm guessing that it stays hot too long for a one day and back project.  Thanks for the ideas...

Very right you are.  About it all.  I'll ask for forgiveness rather than permission, and later, I can go to a park or land where fires are ok after fire season.  My only limitations are those I place on myself.  Thanks for the tips.

Thanks man. You're right, unless I want to build a collection. What's more practical than the Narrow Gauge Railroad Track I have on the porch? Since some of the work I do is jewelry work with silver and other precious metals, I'll probably want to take down the top some and polish it for that only for that. I can do that for one end, and just flattened the other one for general purposes. Thanks for the tip.

I'm looking for a smallish, 20 lb anvil for use indoors on a bench for finish work.  Are these out there, and how do you find them?  Or, would you suggest taking a segment of RR rail and grinding to appropriate shape and finishing that?

Nice.  I thought it was a better than fair, but wasn't sure.  Had 'book' knowledge but not experience. I knew it would be useful to me eventually.  Understand that some consider this a 'training' anvil, but I am training.  Dad wasn't a smith.  He was a VP of sales for CBS.  Although we had a family farm which I visited quite often in Missouri, a large farm complete with two barns and many outbuildings, I grew up in the suburbs of Denver. It would have been more appropriate to take up blacksmithing there then when I did in my town home in DC. The important thing is that I'm doing it now, whatever way I need to. Thanks for your response

Have anvil, will lug...Value & Utility.  When I had my first townhouse in DC I took up the hammer.  Bought this in Denver for $40.00.  I want to make more siver jewelry,  and forget knives.  Hard to do in a one bedroom apartment. 

Suggestions for a small, 15-20 lb. anvil?

This one rings crisp like a bell, the hammer bounces back like a ricochet. 

How should I clean it?