Conrad.blacksmithing

$525 is way too high for me for a 178# but you may have a different budget. Any anvil is worth a look. First thing to check for is excessive edge chipping. You can tell by picture. Also, a little bit of saddle is okay. If you go and check it out take a hammer or ball bearing to check the rebound. Peter Wright is a good brand, if you can get him down in price that would be better. It all depends on your budget and what you are willing to pay.

Thank you for the very valuable information! I would have loved to talk to Grant Sarver about power hammers. I will definitely have to get my hands on that book. Along with Postman's anvils in America.

I have long been dreaming of acquiring a Hay Budden. My dreams have come true! I recently bought this 82# HB in pretty good shape for $150! The gentleman whom I bought it from never quite got his forge setup and he told me that he would rather his tools go to a blacksmith that would appreciate them (I got other tools from him as well). If anyone who has Postman's Anvils in America could tell me the birthday for a HB with a serial number of 218701 that would be greatly appreciated! I'm sorry, I will try to get a copy when I get a book about Kerrihard power hammers.

Thanks for the info! I'll check them out.

It is very possible. If so, they had to replace everything except the body. I wish it was a little easier to find the history of these things.

I recently have been able to snatch this Kerrihard from a very awesome guy. This is kind of blowing my mind because everything (except for the body) is forged. All the arms and pivots (I dont know what they are really called) at least seem to be forged from what I can see. From what I have seen online is that the parts are cast on all Kerrihards (30# model). I have a hunch that this may be a prototype but this is my first power hammer and I have no idea. Any help or insight on Kerrihard would be awesome or if you know why this thing has forged parts, even better. Thanks!

I think it is a Trenton. It's got the slender heal and horn of one for sure.

Thank you. It's not a full flat grind, the grind line kind of disappeared during hand sanding.

I haven't posted in a while but here is a recurve I just finished. 1095 blade and bocote handle.

Thank you Rashelle, I will use the weight calculator to find the size I need.

I am not very good at forge welding although I would like to learn I am pretty good at the punching and drifting as i do it often with 2 inch round for making hammers. I would probably like to get two pieces of steel and practice on the one. I just don't know what size of stock. As I said above, it will be a throwing hatchet under 2lbs.

Now that you say it, a throwing axe would need to be less brittle and tougher. Thanks for the info.

I'm sorry, forgot to say something like a throwing hatchet. Probably under 2lbs. I thought that Hoffman blacksmithing used that steel, any suggestions on the steel to use. I don't know what would hold the best edge.

I will be using 4130 steel but I just don't know what size/dimensions to get.

I have a person that I made a hammer for. He also wants an Axe and I have never made an axe before so I have no idea what size stock to use but I know what type of steel I need. Do you guys have any pointers? Thanks in advance.

Thank you all, I forge with a striker for now but if I get busy then I will probably get a little press. Jlp, I agree I left those there for a sort of self-customization like hammer companies that leave the bevel on their faces.

Hello fellow smith's, i have not posted in a while. I would like to share an update on my journey through this great craft with you all. I am trying to start a small business. I have realized that instead of knife making I love to make hammers and tools alike. I loved watching Brian Brazeal's hammer making videos. I attached some pictures. I have sold 2 3lb hammers in a month. Plus I have to make an axe and rock pick for some people. I am excited to make the axe, that will be a learning experience. I also took Frosty's advise and (with my parent's help) bought the NC cavalry anvil. Which by the way is a great anvil.

I finally got my first hammer head done. I don't have a scale so I am guessing it is 1-1.5 pounds. I don't have any fullers so I didn't get to put that nice design on it but I am happy with it. I heat treated and dropped from 1 inch on my anvil and has almost 100% rebound if that is a good test. I tempered it to 550 degrees and the file grabs a tiny tiny bit. I file tested a hammer that I bought and this hammer and this hammer is a little bit harder. Tomorrow i'm going to get a handle.

Thanks, Frosty you just gave me an idea to weld a piece of square tubing to the side of my anvil for a hardy hole. Yes, I talked to my parents and they said that I should save for the cavalry too. So hopefully I can get that soon. drms

I finally decided to start making a hammer and yesterday I got the eye punched (not finished have to forge more today and tomorrow). It doesn't look nice and it's off center but I'm happy for my first hammer head eye. Thanks to my dad that swung the sledge a lot for me while I held it. My family and I went to cut fire wood today and we stopped to eat lunch and I noticed someone had hung a deer with a thick stick being held up on a nail and PUNCH. I saw the punch in the tree and it looked like a perfect tong punch so I got my hatchet out of the truck (still eating my sandwich) and I cut out the punch so now I don't need to buy a tong punch.

Yeah, frosty that is great advice I didn't ask him how old it was I was to busy trying not to laugh my face off. I was looking at NC anvils and on centaur forge there is a new one that is a 70lb "knifemakers anvil" for $310. I actually have a 135# drive shaft on end as an anvil right now It is pretty soft and there is no horn obviously so that's why I have been looking at anvils. I think if I was to spend $310 on a 70# anvil I might as well pay the extra cash for 112# calvary anvil at around $450 so I would not have to worry about the weight.

Ok, I called the guy and he said that it is a mouse hole anvil and it weighs 88#...HE WANTS $900 FOR IT. It was made before 1860 I think he is out of his mind on the price. He also has a 100# vulcan with a plate welded on top (looks really bad) for $175. So that is a no-go wish me luck to find another one that is closer.

Ok I looked it up I think I'm going to talk to my neighbor and see if he has or knows of one for sale. And I'm going to talk to the guy selling the anvil tonight to see his updated price..and maybe talk him down.

Ok, I will talk to my mom and dad to see what they think too, I don't know what tpaaat is Thomas. I mostly would need a regular anvil because the ASO I have now doesn't have a horn and it's not hard on the surface. But maybe I can convince him of a trade like das said or just go down in price like I said he hasn't sold it and it's been a while.

Yeah, I might wait a little bit and see if I sell something on etsy. (I knapp and sell obsidian knives on etsy.) (that is how I paid for all of my tools and stuff.) Are mouse hole anvils worth that much? would it be worth it to try and get this one? I have never bought an anvil before. Thanks for all of the help drms