Oh, I saw an anvil at a garage sale for $10. Since I am a VERY new beginner, would I be missing much if the back side where the two holes are was busted off??

Denny

Denny, not at all. You do most of the work right over the center, where you have more mass. And if the heel is broken off, just weld on a piece of square tube, to use for your hardy tools.

Coyote Forge

Thanks, hope its still there.

Denny

Buy That Sweet Thang!!!!!!!!!!!

Even if it is an ASO (anvil shaped object also called boat anchor - used to denote a poor quality "anvil") there could be $10 worth of scrap steel in it.
BUY.

ron

Hey Denny, Anything to get started with. As a sage here said you just need something to hit on & something to hit with. Even if it isnt perfect you got a start. Just like starting off with a section of RR track, I-beam or other worthy subsitute you are still working and learning by doing. And when time and opportunity present it self you can upgrade and pass your old anvil onto another starting out.
Hope you get it & Get busy...Good Luck
TIM

Many early anvils were just a block of iron or even stone. It doesn't need to look like an anvil to be one :)

Love those yard sells. and old flea markets and gotta mention the old junk stores..

Most anvils used in the world don't look like london pattern anvils, the japanese swords are forged on an anvil with no horn, heel or hardy hole. Yet many folk think they do OK.

Buying a damaged *good* anvil is a lot better deal than buying a mint ASO IMNSHO!

I myself have my "outside" anvil that is missing the heel, hardy and pritchel holes. Cost less than 50 cents a pound and has a great face and a usable horn.

You can put a hardy in a postvise or make a stump holder for them and a bolster plate for punching holes will work way better than a pritchel hole.

This anvil was welded up by one of our members and turned out pretty nice. About 300lbs.

Frosty

I went to a garage sale, the guy wouldn't sell me his garage!!!!!!!!

That's because he wanted it to go to a GOOD home!

Frosty