depends allso if you are ''right or left ''HANDED''

HOFI

I have 2 anvils, one points left, one points right.

The Poll: Which way does the horn of your anvil face?
With 150 people responding we have the the following results:

Left = 102 or 68%
Right = 29 or 19.3%
Both = 17 or 11.3%
No horn = 2 or 1.3%

I agree with Hofi that the results are is greatly influenced by the user being left or right handed, and how they feel comfortable at the anvil. It would have been interesting to ask how many could not remember and had to go to the anvil and look.

to work smartly around the anvil for jobbing and shoe making the tong hand is nearer the pike-horn

I agree with Bruce. If your horn is on the opposite side of your tong hand, you will most often need to take a step to the side to go from face to horn, or horn to face. This isn't efficient.

I think I end up working both sides pretty regularly... I usually forge in somewhat full shop. Can be as many as 5 smiths poking around in the fire at the same time and timing heats to snag anvils as they free up.. Then you just gotta fit in where there is room :)

Right handed smith here. Agree with Bruce. I do not however have many needs to take me to the far side of the anvil ( meaning horn to right ). Tooling in the hardy hole CAN absolutely cause you issues ( hot cut/cold cut hardy or other tooling ). I know people that are right handed that have always had horn to right for this reason. I have always had the horn to the left and will continue this practice.

I didn't respond to the survey because it didn't have an "all of the above".

I am left-handed and started out with my horn to the right, the conventional configuration. After working a few yrs on that, working in the shop of a lot of right-handed people and working with a few smiths that pointed their anvil the "wrong" way I changed mine to horn to the left. Been this way 12 yrs or more. Works best for me, I am used to using the horn this way now and I may leave tooling in the hardie hole all day sometimes.

That said, my travelling bench for shows I built back when I started smithin and used to use it in the shop back then too. There my horn is still to the right but sometimes when I am at the fair I will turn the anvil around for something and it will stay that way until something comes up and I switch it again.

Lastly I have an anvil with the horn broken off and it gets used some too. It's still 100# without the horn and I got it at an auction for $6. Still the best anvil deal I ever got!

Horn to the left. But I stand mostly at the tail of the anvil. Was taught that by Tsur Sadan at Tom Clark's school. Am comfortable that way for most of my forging and have learned to do most scrolling off the edge of the anvil and not the horn, (saves steps). Guess this (horn direction) is like belly buttons, everybody has one (preference) but they are different and for various reasons. Main thing is BE COMFORTABLE.

I have a 'double piked' anvil so I have a horn on both sides.

Horn to the left. But I stand mostly at the tail of the anvil. Was taught that by Tsur Sadan at Tom Clark's school. Am comfortable that way for most of my forging and have learned to do most scrolling off the edge of the anvil and not the horn, (saves steps). Guess this (horn direction) is like belly buttons, everybody has one (preference) but they are different and for various reasons. Main thing is BE COMFORTABLE.

I do alot of scrolling over the side of the anvil too:D.

I have a somewhat peculiar situation here. As I turn from the forge the horn faces to the right at about a 2 or 2:30 o'clock angle. When I am forging I step behind the heel and a little to the left so the horn is pointing the same direction that I am facing. When I am bending or working over the horn the horn is always at 3 o'clock (to the right). If I am swinging a sledge over the anvil (usually if I can get my dad or my brother to hold for me) I am at the opposite side away from the forge and the horn is pointing left. So, in effect I am running in circles around my anvil Not sure how many people stand behind the heel for general forging, but it works for me.
-Aaron @ the SCF

I am right handed and have the horn to the right. I started that way early on based on an old man's comment that horseshoers normally had the horn opposite the hammer hand side but ornamental smiths had it on the strong side. I once almost cut off my little finger on the hammer hand on a hardy so that was another benefit.

I knew no different so now it's a habit. Not sure either way is "right".

I have a double horn also...I have a Nimba Centurian..260# One horn is round ...(on the right) the other horn is square and thats on the right... I am right handed...

Im usually in the house on the computer at IFORGEIRON so it really doesnt matter which way the anvil is facing,
Maybe ill go clean the cobwebs off and check.

Mike

It depends on which side of the anvil I am on as to which way the horn points . I would say 90% of the time it is left, as Bruce pointed out the for shoe making the tong hand needs to be near the horn. I am ambidextrous but I prefer right handed hence the 90%.

I have a tendancy to "dance" around all sides of the anvil, depending on what I am working on.

i am like Pault17. i helped out as a striker at the mystic blacksmith shop for 1/2 day. i ended up with the horn on my right and that was the first time i used an anvil and it feels right. but i do dance alot (around my dog and my parents). although having a horn is a luxury some take for granted! :-)

Right handed here, my Horn points to the left.

When I was a young man and was just starting (early 50

Just to be odd, I have my horn facing away from me. I just find it easiest to work from the "back"of the anvil.

I am also right handed and my horn point to the left I started working with a anvil with the horn pointing right for the first two years of my forging, and it buggered me a lot so when I got my own I made it with the horn to the left. and has that on both I use. but i do walk all the way around for different types of work and

and I have learned since the start to never leave tools in the hardie

dc

Hey Dan, Im pretty sure you dont mean the anvil horn buggered you

Im right handed, but usually have the horn to the right, (I mostly patternweld, and like to keep the flux shaker on the cutting shelf, by my right hand)

If this issue of which way the anvil horn points botthers people I can only suggest they purchase a european styled anvil with horns at each end and so always be *right*!

Right handed, horn to the left. I do use the horn to round things up and it feels "correct" to have the horn on the left. You don't have to move much to go from horn to anvil face in a good position. With the horn on the right side, you have to be at an awkward angle to go from horn to face unless you take a step or two.

As for the hardy tools, that also depends on where your hardy hole is at. I've used anvils that have had the horn/hardy hole on the same side of the anvil.

I was taught to always ALWAYS take the hardy cutting tool out if you aren't using it. That really should be for all hardy tools if your not using them. They may not cut you but they may crush or impale you.