Jump to content
I Forge Iron

Show me your anvil


Recommended Posts

At some point I am going to make my own anvil.   I have a design in mind that will offer me everything I have come to love with the different anvils I have used..  Based loosely on the Swedish pattern, with side shelf with a rounded face and raised horn.. 

Once the shop is operational many of the things I have been putting off will take place..  I love the horn on that pattern.. I have only seen 1 other example of the horn I am talking about.. Wish I had taken a photo. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Originally I wanted to forge a hunk of material.. 4140, S7 or the like, Then I priced out the materials and it's outside the cost ratio.. Cheaper to buy a completed anvil. 

I might hit up Holland to see about getting one cast out of H13..  But if all else falls.. Then I will do a fabricated one (super easy since it's basically just a 4.5" thick 1018 and then hardface it. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

80lbs 5 foot colonial anvil (5th foot is on the other side)

221lbs what I believe is a mid to late 1800s Peter Wright 

I believe this is a 300lbs Hay Budden from 1890s with a monkey bouncing on it

Also got an anvil made out of a railroad track with a horn, an 18 inch or so piece of railroad track and a section of railroad  track 12 feel long or so we found on a job excavating last year

i stupidly am’ going to buy a Holland Church window anvil soon. I want a portable anvil and 141lbs is easy for me to move around. The 221lbs Peter Wright I can pick up and move relatively easy but I still prefer not moving it. 

CE6C38D7-7250-4785-B762-D49413F6A759.jpeg

D4E07DED-CCBC-49A7-96DE-CD65046CDE3B.jpeg

AAE53113-4EBF-4917-9719-7A4D44758453.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I like 2 things in an anvil of which are rare to find..   I prefer a crown to the face of the anvil, and like a high spot or ridge in the horn on top.. 

Most Hay Buddens came with some sore of crown on anvils over 150lbs.. At least this is what I read in a flyer from them years ago.  

Because I grew up using the 175lbs and having that crown, the metal does not bounce around as much and it keeps the spot I am hammering in contact with the anvil..  

I also used the HB everyday for 6-10hrs a day for years straight and it looks as good today as it did the day I bought it.  I used up to a 16lb sledge on it and all hardies and such were forged in the anvil.  

So, the question you pose is a difficult one..  I do prefer the HB 175 as my favorite..  But there are features with the Refflinghaus that is a hard package to beat..  If the Refflinghaus had the crown down the face and in the horn, I doubt there would be anything I would want to be different.  

I love the Refflinghaus for the double horn aspect and when needed can just work narrow stock over the tail section.  I like the side shelf for scarf making..  

The best way to answer is I really enjoy both..    If you go back and watch the early fork and spoon videos and even the hinge videos the metal moves really well and there is little wasted energy..   the Refllinghaus bounces the metal around more..  

The Peddinghaus bounces the metal the worse.. 

I could write a whole book on nuances of different models..   I might be able to answer this better once I get the shop up and running and can spend time on the both of them for the same given project..  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...