not anvils

[edge9001]

I can't find an anvil, nor can I afford to buy one if i did. I had thought of using the tried method of using a piece of railroad track as an anvil. while trying to find one i found what looks like a railroad car coupling. It so far seems to work wonderfully. It is made from what seems to be steel, this thing has a nice ring when I hit it. I've made a few knives on it, nothing worth posting pictures of just some ugly "shop use" blades, barely more than and edge ground on a piece of steel. I'm trying to learn how to work steel and so far seems to be pretty straight forward process. I hope to make some nive blades someday. I'm not sure if my forge gets to welding temps or not, so heat heat treating is hit or miss so far. I really need to buy a few books, up to now allmy learning has been from this forum and youtube.

[Iron Clad]

Not sure where your located but try to join your local or regional blacksmith org., your local smiths are a great resource for learning and equipment location.

[Bentiron1946]

Due to it's mass it will be a good choice over a section of track and it has a lot more curves too. Sure beats the daylights out of a rock don't it? :blink:

[Rob Browne]

I would still keep an eye out for a nice piece of rail road track. If its the heavy section and stood on end in a bucket of concrete you wuld have a brilliant anvil for making knives. Another short bit you can move around would be good for straightening longer pieces and for the curves it has. Never let a good bit of heavy metal go by, I even have an old waggon axle I use.

Cheers

[edge9001]

I've been on the look out for a local group the closest ive found so far is abana, but it's too far away for more than a once or twice a year trip. I live in the nw corner of Ga. near me i have 3 atlanta, knoxville, TN and alabama, all over an hours drive for me. still looking though. as for my "anvil" yes lots of useful curves. Before i found these (i found 2 of them) all i ha was a piece of cast something or another, this little thing is just a 4 inch round by 3 inch cast iron puck. it was terrible even for the 3 days i tried to use it. ot enough mass under the hammer and no rebound at all, not to mention it moved with every swing.

[ThomasPowers]

Howdy! There is a special term for big hunks of steel that folks bang hot metal on that are not London Pattern Anvils: it's ANVILS! Most of the world doesn't use the london pattern anvil for blacksmithing so stop thinking that you are impaired somehow.

I've used the knuckle of a rr car coupler before as an anvil and it was much superior to a piece of rail!


BTW you don't get *anywhere* near forge welding temps in heat treating. Good forging temps are quite sufficient; so if you can forge you can heat treat most of the simple steels.

A group of us used to carpool 2 hours to the "local" ABANA chapter meetings; but if you don't go it's hard to find out who else may be near you. Check if they have a members list on their website that shows where folks are---you may find someone quite close!

[ironsmith]

well if your in NW Ga We have a meeting coming up close to you , its the Phillip Simmons Artist Blacksmith Group of South Carolina,
our meeting is being held in Westminster SC,on saturday june 26th, it is about 30 mins from toccoa Ga. , you can PM me if your interested... ;)

[Swamptroll]

I've been on the look out for a local group the closest ive found so far is abana, but it's too far away for more than a once or twice a year trip. I live in the nw corner of Ga. near me i have 3 atlanta, knoxville, TN and alabama, all over an hours drive for me. still looking though. as for my "anvil" yes lots of useful curves. Before i found these (i found 2 of them) all i ha was a piece of cast something or another, this little thing is just a 4 inch round by 3 inch cast iron puck. it was terrible even for the 3 days i tried to use it. ot enough mass under the hammer and no rebound at all, not to mention it moved with every swing.

It is not uncommon to have to drive that distance and time. I go to 3 meetings a month at different places. They are about 65 miles from my home. The wealth of knowledge is worth the time, also you might get a good line on tools and supplies. Give them a try you have nothing to loose but a few bucks for gas

[edge9001]

sorry about the confusion about the temps. I'm not sure if my forge can get to welding temps, and I'm not really sure about heat treating, it is hit or miss. I was a bit tired while i typed that. So I need to go to a few meetings somewhere and I need to read a few more books.

I have made a pretty good, but ugly tomahawk from a ballpeen hammer, and it seems to be pretty hard, my file wouldn't cut into it, it skated off the surface with out as much as a scratch. I used a propane torch to temper it (i think).I got the cutting edge to a straw brown color by heating the body of the blade section neat the handle eye. I put the torch flame on the middle of the blade section right up next to the eye, when the cutting edge turned straw colored I quenched it in water. If i can get a camera working I'll post some pictures of it.

Now if I can get some good steel instead of just the "plain" steel bar offered at the homedepot. I'm going to try my hand at makeing a few blades.

[Mainely,Bob]

Now if I can get some good steel instead of just the "plain" steel bar offered at the homedepot. I'm going to try my hand at makeing a few blades.

[ThomasPowers]

I generally suggest automotive coil springs as one spring can make enough blades to get you fairly well trained on that particular steel. (and they can generally be found for Free!) Home depot generally sells A-36 steel b ut for 3 or 4 times the cost of buying it from a *real* steel seller. I buy mine at a windmill construction and repair company; their cost goes down the more steel they buy so they sell on the side *much* cheaper than the local lumberyard, (HD is a 50 mile each way trip from where I am at)