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I've been looking at this anvil to begin blacksmithing with. It's only six pounds and its cast steel. The description says it can be used "for the hobbyist in his home basement or shop along with most professional jewelers and blacksmiths as well. Any input? It's only $20 with shipping

Way too small.

I think about 100 pounds is about the minimum.

Ditto the comments about the size. SIZE IS IMPORTANT! The anvil weight dictates how big of a hammer you can use. Your hammer should not be more that 2%-3% of the weight of the anvil. A six pound anvil would limit you to using a 2 ounce hammer. Also, I have yet to see one of those tiny anvils that really were cast steel; most are cast iron and useless as an anvil. Pretty nice doorstop, though. :roll:

BEWARE of ASO's ( anvil shaped object ) on E-bay. A good anvil is NOT cast !!

I have read in multiple places not to get a cast anvil. I'm thinking my best bet is to get to the dump while I'm home from school this weekend. See what I can find. I've though a few times of just stopping my search and giving up. But thats no way to do anything. And I'd rather move metal on the steel plate that I have than not at all

I don't know if I would say "a good anvil is not cast". There are some good cast anvils that have been made. A couple I can think of off the top of my head are Kohlswa and Refflinghaus.

Rantalin
If you would like to send me your shipping address I will send you a piece of steel in the 80 to 100 lb range suitable for pounding on. It will be either 1018 crs or hot roll.

yesteryearforge,

E-mail me at email link removed and I can give you my address. Many thanks to you and everyone else who put in input.

not real sure of the weight but the size is 3 1/2 thick x 5 inches wide x 11 1/2 inches long

Congrats Rantalin on scoring a usable startup anvil, and no doubt a piece of steel that will be increasingly handy if you're ever able to replace it with a regular anvil. And major kudos to yesteryear forge for generosity. I've seen this kind of thing before, but I never cease to be amazed at the generosity of established smiths towards those who are just starting out. Very cool.

Made my day to see, and I had no part of it! :D

Ratanlin
Join us Tuesday at the Tuesday Night Live Blueprints May 3. I went to a junk yard yesterday just to look around to see if there was anything that would substitute for an anvil. I will not say whether it was a success or not, cause you have to wait till the Blueprint comes out Tuesday. I can say it was interesting, and I have the photos.

It has been said before and diserves repeating. Look everywhere and ask everyone to aid in your search for an anvil. No NOT expect it to be given to you for free, you will have to pay for it in some way. If money is in short supply, provide them with work that you have created on the anvil instead.

Whitesmith did just that when he started. He ask and finally was offered an anvil for sale. He worked for it and bought it with his own money made from blacksmithing. He still uses the anvil today and it will serve him well for his lifetime.

They are out there. Learn to use Yesteryearforge's offering and the experience will be of great value when you find an anvil. You will already have hammer time and practice.

Yesteryearforge - my hat is off to you sir.

I watched this weeks blueprint, and I plan to watch every other one that I can. Once again, thank you all for your help. It will not go forgotten.

I just shared this story with Glenn via private message, but given the turn that this thread has taken I'd like to share it here.

My earlier post mentioned that I love to see the helping hand extended to new smiths. That's particularly true because I'm a beginning smith myself. I joined a local blacksmith guild last July to get into the craft, and have been greeted with nothing but good will and helpful advice. At our December meeting, I was picking the members' brains about forge construction, and mentioned that I wanted to build a brick-topped coal forge. A fellow member told me to follow him home and he'd give me something that would help me with the project. It turns out that he gave me a 38"x48'x1/4' diamond plate piece that worked beautifully as a table to brick the forge on top of. Too cool! I just finished setting an existing outbuilding onto a permanent foundation and I bricked in the forge. Won't be long now!