DevilWorx

In Australia the old timers would sand the grooves off and paint with iodine, which would rust it, they would then remove the rust and etch again with iodine, then remove that rust again and oil. It was said to produce a very good steel for sharpening.

You guys just made me feel pretty good about my anvil and I used ebay to help. I paid 450.00ish for my 100kg advetrised weighte[actually comes in at 97kg] I looked on ebay found someone selling new anvils and the seller said he buys direct from foundry in mining town so I rang a few different foundries and found the one making the anvils. I still didn't pay his price with transport quite a few hundred Km's away. I put this on an Ozzie forum I only entered at post 16 so hereis a link to that post and photos next page. http://www.laventrix.com/showpost.php?p=18914&postcount=16

Consider half a beer keg with either a bottom tuyere through the neck or a pipe tuyere from one side to the other - you make a hood from the other half or a quench tank etc

Those two pulleys should approximately get you there. A 2.5" + a 5" would be closer or a 3" + a 6" 1:2 ratio. Any size that meets the ratio approximately 1750:3400 which is actually. 1:1.9 approx. DW

I was taught in my apprenticeship the same as you the handle sits in your dominant hand. When draw filing you arent really using tghe teeth the way they are meant , we were taught it is a bit of a cheat and we were not allowed to do it in the company but it was OK at TAFE. We were also taught not to use shifters only spanners. It was a strict apprentice ship in the first two years, but that discipline is beneficial I think. They were big on safety. That helps too. DW