Proper anvil height

[John Martin]

Stand and let your arm hang by your side in a loose fist. Measure that distance. That is where the top of your anvil should be. Or a tiny tiny tiny bit lower. 1/2"-1". That's my take on it. Many ways, and all are correct to an extent. Just like Mr. Aspery said.

[Glenn]

A quick search found the following:

Proper anvil height

Hammering Technique

[Alwin]

I agree with Mark, take the hammer you use, get in the stance you prefer to forge with- I think mine is with my feet about shoulder width apart and knees slightly bent-then rest the hammer on the anvil. Your elbow should be just barely bent. That way even if you are working thin flat bar your elbow won't get overextended. An elbow that finishes straight at the end of a blow will rapidly develop tendonitis.

[HWooldridge]

It is also worthwhile to experiment a bit - my anvil was too high for many years and I unconsciously started choking the hammer stroke. This happened because the dirt floor eroded around the anvil where I walked to the forge and I didn't notice the gradual change. You can stack up lumber until close then go up or down 1/4 to 1/2 inch at a time until it feels comfortable. Try both higher and lower approaches than what first appears to be obvious so you can feel the postures of being potentially cramped or having to "reach" with the hammer.

I have long monkey arms so my anvil sits lower than what the average person might like but an added inch below knuckle height feels the best to me. Another thing to watch is your holding hand - although it is constantly moving while working, it is also good to hold a bar in a normal grip and have it be about level.

Aside from these points, ditto what everyone else said.

[Dragons lair]

My 2 cents Use what is comfortable for you and what you are working on. thicker I go lower fine work I go higher. Older you get (64) harder it gets to see. Extra fine stuff is at about elbow height.
Alwin will be stopping bye soon.
Ken

[ThomasPowers]

I have multiple anvils in the shop and no two of them are at the same height. For knifemaking I like the anvil a tad higher so I don't crouch over trying to do the fine work and for heavy work I like it a bit lower so I can use bigger hammers and still have the same arm orientation. (they also point the horn in different directions too)

[Ten Hammers]

My magic number to recommend is inseam length to start. Placing the hammer on the anvil face and looking for level contact. Everyones eyesight is different and everyones back muscles are different. Striking in the same position from the same stance is the key. There will be different needs ( working a lot on the horn, working on the tooling in the hardie ). I have some bridge plank ( I think 3" thick ) that I can step up on ( sometimes both pieces ) to solve issues with larger stock. This can also be done on the swage stand or tool table. My 5

[Doug C]

As Mark stated , once you put any tooling or steel on the anvil it is no longer at the right height any more. Some one told me to keep some 1 by and 2 by boards laying around that I can stand on to adjust for tooling. They also work nice when someone shorter than me wants to use my anvil.

[Avadon]

So I know about standing square and measuring the height just below your knuckles but I also remember about people in here liking their anvil a little higher so it didn't bother their back or because it seemed closer.

So i'm 5'9" and i'm looking for a good anvil height. What height is everyones anvil at here, and do you guys have it higher then just below your knuckles?

(This is kind of a one shot welding, so I want to get it right. My initial measurements show about 31". I'm guessing if you go higher then your knuckles you lose some of your hammer stroke, to low and you may hyperextend your arm during its travel?)

[MattBower]

It depends partly on the sort of work you're doing. I've been told that the old advice to put the anvil at knuckle height was developed for smiths who were using strikers and a lot of tooling (which effectively adds to the height of the anvil by raising the level of the surface being struck). I like to make blades, which involves a lot of work on fairly thin stock along the edge of the anvil. If the anvil is at knuckle height I find myself stooping during that sort of work. That gets old fast. I prefer a face that's about 2" above the height of my knuckles.

[Ed Tipton]

Avadon--I think this is one of those things that largely depends on the type of work you're doing. I am getting ready to build a stand myself, and I think mine will come about 1" higher than the recommended "knuckle" length. I am basing this on the fact that I tend to do more tap-tap-tap than bang-bang-bang. I don't very often work larger pieces, so giving up one inch of stroke is not a big deal for me. I think this is one of those things where someone tried to devise a means of telling people the "correct" height. I think the correct height is whatever works for you. Just as there is no perfect "do everything" tool, there is no perfect "do everything" height. I do agree that standing for a prolonged time stooped over an anvil is not desireable (for me). For that specific job, you can always stand on a board or something to get yourself high enough for the perfect work keight. It's just not that critical.

[Avadon]

Jeeze, i'm really glad I asked before I just started cutting because what Matt was saying was sort of in the back of my mind. See I don't intend to work giant stock, I will probably mostly be doing armour and blade making so hunching over makes your back sore and I want the work closer to my vision and not where i'm stooping over to see get at it. My initial height guess was about 30.5" (i'm 5'9) and now I wonder if that is a little low. Can anyone else tell me what height their anvil is just to have something to go by. Probably going to low is more of a fear then a little high.

[unkle spike]

Make a fist, with your arm hanging down....

Mine falls about an inch below my wrist joint, I raised it from the standard "knuckle" rule a while back, and for me it works better. Do some forging, and use some 1" boards to stand on to find a height that works best for you.

I am 5' 7" and will measure when I get home to let you know where mine is.

[Glenn]

Everyone is had a different body build and type. Long or short in the arms, body, legs, etc all factor into the height of the anvil. The type work YOU do on YOUR anvil is a large part of the proper anvil height for YOU.

One of the easiest ways to locate your anvil height is to put the anvil on something making the face about 2-3 inches about the break of the wrist, which will be way too high for most use. Place a 2 x something board on the ground and see if you like that height better. Continue to add wood until the anvil is now lower than you like. Choose the sweet spot and try it for a week of forging. If it works great, if not add or subtract wood to achieve the proper height for you AND that size stock AND that type of forging.

I used a stump for years and won the battle against the bugs by building a metal anvil stand. The top of the stand has a box formed by angle iron that allows me to insert or remove up to 2 inches of wood to adjust the height of the anvil. As stated before, hardie tools and striking require the anvil to be lower, fine work, and small stock need the anvil to be higher.

There are a couple of threads on the subject in the IForgeIron Forum. The search engine should find them for you.


Blacksmithing tip
To work efficiently, you have to have more than one anvil height, so you must have more than one anvil.
Any excuse is better than no excuse at all when telling the wife you need another anvil.

[Frosty]

Somewhere between knuckle and wrist height will be ergonomically good so you don't injure yourself over time. This is the most important aspect of setting your anvil after all, you can adjust for the rest.

Yes, generally the lighter and finer the work the higher you want your anvil.

My old Sodorfors is mounted at knuckle height because that's the best info I had at the time, ref. "Art of Blacksmithing" by Alex Bealer.

Over the years though I've learned more and when I built the stand for my more recently acquired Trenton I mounted it closer to wrist height. So, I have my lighter, fine faced anvil at knuckle height and my heavier rougher anvil at wrist height. Exactly backwards.

Here's the kicker, I've been using the Sodorfors at wrist height so long I'm not liking using my Trenton for heavy work and use it for finish. Backwards, backwards, backwards. Story of my life so far.

I did set my swage stand so hardy tools are at a good height when it's laid flat.

Anyway, my point is: Don't sweat the details, +/- an inch isn't going to make a lot of difference in general, YOU will adapt. What is important is getting it within the ergonomically "safe" range so you don't do yourself damage. In this vein, too high is safer than too low, all round.

Frosty

[Avadon]

Good posts all, appreciate all the quick info. Thank you very much, i'll keep taking a few measurement and then start cutting today :)

[primtechsmith]

I have changed the working height of my anvil a few times based on prolonged use...I started out with it at the suggested height at the knuckels. Then I lowered it down some because for whatever reason it seemed like I needed to.

I then found myself stooping over to work. So I have since raised it up a little past my knuckles. The great thing is the floor in Mike's forge is rock dust and I can easily adjust the height by sinking in the stand or pulling it up to whatever I need it to be.

Glenn is right. Lost of body types mean lots of variation. I have seen adjustable stands on here...Jr. has one he did for his grandson that will "grow" with him over the years. Other I have seen you add in wood plates to raise and lower it.

Good luck!
Peyton

[Avadon]

I think i've settled on 32.5" which is just highe enough for sheet metal work and blade work and still not so high that working on 5/8's rnd stock is doable. Coming from a jewelry making background, and the fact i'll always be working alone without a striker, I think the higher height will allow me to get my face closer to the detail work and keep me from endless hunching over.

I have a super ergonomic computer setup so I guess i'm finicky with the feel of things. If I totally messed up I can always cut the feet off the legs caerfully and then reweld some feet on where it needs to be, and if I need to raise it I can always put a piece of steel or board under the feet or the anvil itself.

[Frosty]

You could always build the stand an inch or two too high and stand on a thick rubber mat or a couple sheets of plywood for heavier forging and remove them for finicky work. I know I'd rather move a couple sheets of plywood than my anvils. Then again I'm kind of lazy.

Frosty

Edited April 1, 2009 by Frosty

[TASMITH]

Both Glenn and Frosty have the right idea with wood to raise and/or lower your height in comparison to the anvil. It is a whole lot easier to move a small piece of wood that to lift your anvil from its stand to adjust it every time. Also as Frosty said you will adjust 'BUT' keep your health in mind at all times.
I have worked at the trade for thirty years and have no problems what so ever with carpal tunnel, tennis elbow or any other such affliction.

I just wish I could say the same for my back but unfortunately years of forging monster blocks of steel under massive power hammers has taken it toll. Some things you can have complete control over and others you can't, so do what you can when you can and you will have years of happy hammering.

Terry

[ThomasPowers]

I'd go with making the stand slightly low but making it so you can place 2x4 blocks under the feet or plywood between the anvil and the stands for fine adjustment---helps to have a lift point in the roof right over the anvil.

I've used the blocks on the floor to stand on but find I'm more likely to stumble on them when I'm concentrating on hot steel.

Actually in my shop now I have 5 anvils everyone at a different height and orientation and so can use the one that's best for what I am doing! (and also an upsetting plate on the floor).

[Frosty]

Excellent point Thomas, trip hazards must be considered just like any other kind.

Frosty

[bruce wilcock]

when we went to the old shops picking through the bones ,after the sales and all the big stuff had gone, the anvil blocks were usualy left , and they were at all sorts of hights some had packing nailed on and others were burnt to the shape of the anvil base and nearly on the floor , cast iron stands were let in the floor ,or packed up with shaped blocks some a thick as railway sleepers, my boss was not that tall but if he used a anvil that was set up for heavy work he used to get us to shove a swage block under it we spoke about anvil hights often and he told us when new men moved to there own fire the anvil was fiddled about for a while to get it to suit if the work was mainly single handed , if the same strikers were used the anvil was left as was and the smith had to live with it,unless the strikers agreed,i bet there was plenty of moaning he told us there was no set hight apart from knuckle hight and that was if a striker was often used, they just fiddled with the hight ,taking a mesurement from the anvil you are working on ,and using it to set a difrent type of anvil is only a rough help you will find it dosnt feel right ,,we entered shoing and blacksmithing competitions often as young men, and the ones that learnt to work with diffrent anvils some very poor and at all hights and just get on with the job usualy won, the the groaners were still at it when the prizes were handed out ,so in short there is a hight that we feel to get the best out of our body, and another we feel comfortable so some where in between is bang on.

[hammerkid]

I like mine at my wrist height which is about 32" so my new anvil satnd is 20" tall since ho wthe anvil is 12" tall. But its what is comfortable to you.

[Avadon]

I settled on 32.5, and i'm 5'9". It just seemed to work well without me having to bend over a lot and it also made for keeping the stock level in my left hand at a relaxed stance. Since its on the high side I can always use the advice here, like standinig on a comfortable mat, or mat ontop of plywood to lower the anvil. Thanks for the good advice everyone.