What is the best/least expensive/easiest way to repair chips on the sides of the face of an anvil?

I have heard you can try to weld the sides to build the chips back up but there is a chance it will just pop back off if the anvil metal doesn't get hot enough while welding.
This seems to be the best option to make the anvil almost like new

I also am just thinking about taking an angle grinder to the chips and smoothing them out so they are no longer rough.
It would just make the sides more like a 60-70 degree angle instead of the normal 90. While this isn't perfect there would still be enough of the sides at 90 degrees for my use.

Let me know your thoughts and if you have tried one or both of these tactics and which works best?

Thanks for the help,
Daniel

I personally don't like welding up anvils, unless that is the last resort. I grind out any chip sections and use the rounded out areas and the square parts as well. Just one opinion. I have a 250 lb. Fisher that is very chipped out but I still use it fine.

What is the best/least expensive/easiest way to repair chips on the sides of the face of an anvil?

The best is to do nothing at all. The next best is to use a sanding disc or a flap wheel and carefully, lightly blend the chips using a radius shape, NOT a 60 or 70 degree angle. The radi should vary along the edge, giving you options in your work, and (hopefully) have at leat one area with an essentialy sharp edge, though even that spot should still be lightly radiused, at least a 1/32". Anyplace where the chip is deeper than the average radius of that area, iqnore.

If you have to ask questions as to how to properly weld your anvil, you have absolutely no business welding it. That said, welding any anvil should be the VERY LAST resort.

The best is to do nothing at all. The next best is to use a sanding disc or a flap wheel and carefully, lightly blend the chips using a radius shape, NOT a 60 or 70 degree angle. The radi should vary along the edge, giving you options in your work, and (hopefully) have at leat one area with an essentialy sharp edge, though even that spot should still be lightly radiused, at least a 1/32". Anyplace where the chip is deeper than the average radius of that area, iqnore.

If you have to ask questions as to how to properly weld your anvil, you have absolutely no business welding it. That said, welding any anvil should be the VERY LAST resort.

yeah I wouldn't be the one welding it would be an experienced welder but I think I am going to forgo that option.

My worries with the chips is I have been told they can break off extra pieces as you hammer on it.
Some of the chips might be like shrapnel at a very unfortunate height.

Should I really be worried about extra chips breaking off?

Should I really be worried about extra chips breaking off?

If the anvil has cracks along the edge that could become chips- I would consider removing them. Otherwise you shouldn't get chips unless you hit the edges to hard.

Some of the *old* blacksmithing manual mention that when you get a new anvil the first thing you should do is to round the edges to keep them from breaking *and* to keep them from causing cold shuts in your work as a sharp edge can.

It has been suggested that when you get a new anvil you dress the edge in a number of different radii to have a useful feature and if you must have a sharp edge make a hardy tool with 4 or more that you can rotate as needed to get a clean fresh edge.

Note just because someone is a pro weldor does not mean that he will know the proper method of welding up an anvil. Make sure he knows that the face is hardened high carbon steel and so should be pre-heated but not too much! Many people do not know all the peculiarities of anvil construction: forge welded wrought with forge welded steel face, cast iron with steel face cast in place, cast steel body and face, etc... each type may require different methods to get the best from any repair.

You've got the right idea about not welding it up if you don't know what you're doing, better to smooth them out and use them as is than making things worse by cobbling it up with unskilled welds.

I'm no expert; but I'd recommend taking an 80 grit sanding flap disk on your angle grinder and LIGHTLY grind a radius on the chipped edges. If you are new to blacksmithing - I'd lightly dress the chips like this and then use the anvil for a year. This light dressing should stop any further chips from breaking out. You can always do further dressing of the edges after you learn how you use your anvil.

If you grind too much out - you really cannot put it back

- just my 2 cents