Spruce Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Hey All, First time poster here, and never swung a hammer at a hot peace of metal in my life (well, not true, I've done general jobsite torchwork including heating things up and beating the hell out of em for some reason or another, but nothing which could be called blacksmithing). But, I've been reading about smithing off and on for years now, am a welder, woodworker, (and these days a rigger by trade). I've been keeping my eye out halfheartedly for an anvil for quite a while now, and last week I went to the girlfriends stepfathers ranch for the first time. I asked him if he saw many anvils in his travels around various ranches, and he said he had a spare 'dead' anvil I could have. I nabbed it, and it turns out it's a Peter Wright, 146 pound anvil, that is not dead - rings like a bell if you set it on a block of wood and tap it. But, it's certainly been used and abused. A lot of the edges are crowned over, and the face has some big dents in it. It has a little sway, but not too bad (I don't think anyway, but I also don't know what I'm talking about). My question is, what should I do to bring this back to working condition? Pictures can be seen here: http://imgur.com/a/7BNh2 I've been reading, and some suggest grinding, belt sanding, welding, etc. etc. etc. My best guess is to grind some, but as little as possible (and I'm a surgeon with an angle grinder - got way too much practice with those guys), and then belt sand, to flatten the face (dent wise, not try to take every bit of sway out of it). And, to grind the edges - round over as little as possible, but as much as it takes to get rid of the crowning/chipping. Thoughts? I've read of some people welding in the chipped edges - not ideal, but better than fully trashed edges. I'm thinking I can get away with little or no welding though. Thanks in advance, Spruce PS My girlfriends stepfather had tore up a brush hog blade assembly, and I volunteered to weld it back together for him. After welding it back together, we needed to straighten one of the blades - which he did, with the help of his ranch hand, by putting it over the anvil, and smashing the ever living crap out of it with a huge sledge hammer. His ranch hands sure knew how to swing a sledge - he put the kaibosh into it, and it would move around on the anvil, and at times it was right on the horn and I thought for sure it would break it off - but, the anvil took it and survived, thank God - I didn't want to tell them to stop, cause I could tell they would both think that was ridiculous, but I was terrified they were about to destroy it. I think that's the kind of abuse that anvil has seen more of in recent years than any kind of blacksmithing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan P. Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 You've got it- get the face smooth(er) but don't worry about it being flat. Don't bother with welding the edges, or even grinding them. -Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peacock Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Use it just like it is. After a while you will figure out what you can and cannot live with, then you may want to make some adjustments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basher Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Use it just like it is. After a while you will figure out what you can and cannot live with, then you may want to make some adjustments. I would second that advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 It's basicly rough, but useable. Seems like you have some welding skills. When you do want to fix her up some I just use a flap disc on a angle grinder and smooth it up. Cut back any areas that are hanging over the edge. The horn shape is very good, just all banged up. Flap disc it, too. If you want to work on the edges I just use a stick welder and mild steel rods to fill in the gaps and rounded edges. Then flap disc them to shape. Better welders than me will use a high carbon rod, but as long as you are using hot metal it will last a long time. If it does round off later then you know how to fix it. Also it's good to have sharp edges all the way around except for near the cut off table. There it's handy to go back about 2-1/2" to 3" with a 1/4" to 3/8" radius. Even the sharp edges should be like 1/64" or less radius, not cutting sharp. Good score! Happy hammering! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macbruce Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 The watchword here is angle grinder. If you're working the face keep it flat, or as much like a mill as possible. I use stone cup wheels first (on a face this rough)but I wouldn't try to go below all the divets.....on to a 36 grit flap wheel, then 60, then 80...all flat. You're method to do the edges is sound, my tcw......Nice anvil and the price was right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Remember that the steel face is the heart and soul of the anvil. You want to remove as little of it as possible. If you must weld on it look up the Gunter method of anvil repair. It's a proven in method designed by a top notch blacksmith. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swedefiddle Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Good Morning, What the guys are trying to say is that you don't always need a flat surface. The edge of the anvil face has to have different radius, all the way around it. If you want a square edge, it will probably be near the heel. Sometimes you want a tighter radius, so you use that spot. if you are straightening something, you will learn to use the sway-belly to your advantage. If you learn to use an anvil that is a work-horse, you will learn how to use an anvil to it's fullest. It will make you appreciate the scrap piece of 2" plate that you can use for your straight work-site. Happy New Year, Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 That anvil has had a hard life, and it is far from dead. Wire cup on your angle grinder will make it nice. The edges that are mushroomed need addressed, but otherwise it looks good. Good score. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy k Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Use it and the rust will disappear - Just use it!!!! and dress it later after you find out what doesn't work with it (that will come with experience) while you get your basic forging methods down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bajajoaquin Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 That's nicer than the anvil I paid good money for, and I'm happy with my purchase. Spend your time using it, not fixing something that ain't broke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cvmikeray Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 Use it. I would not touch the top of the face. You can narrow the face and dress the edge to clean up the edge. I did that on my PW and where it had a gouge like yours I just made that spot into a swage by smothing it up. I also stayed up along the face to not mess up any of the character of the sides or any of the PW markings. I would also work the horn over to remove the major chisel marks. Looks like a good anvil though with more years left in it than any of us !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old South Creations Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 I've seen and owned much worse...use it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spruce Posted January 6, 2012 Author Share Posted January 6, 2012 Hey Everybody - Thanks for the replies! Seems like I have a decent anvil on my hands, which I'm way psyched about. Probably what I'll do for the moment is pretty minimal - take some flap wheels to the top to clean it up a bit, clean up the horn, and dress the edges just a bit so I have some nice undented radii, but for now I'll leave the worst of the carnage, and just get to smithing to see what I can work with. I'll also leave the sides mostly alone, to preserve as much of the writing as possible. I did do some research, and it seems people have had luck with the Gunter method of fixing anvils, which doesn't sound bad at all - stick welding is no problem. Eventually I'd like to fix the edges and make it as nice as possible - I like to own nice tools, and keep them in top notch condition, even when it doesn't affect performance much - just the way I am, I like my tools just so... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 Just remember that the 100 year old blacksmithing books tell you the first thing to do with a new anvil is to ROUND THE EDGES. Sharp edges can actually cause problems (cold shuts) when forging. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hans138 Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 also too peter wrights had a pattend on a 2 piece anvil body, so the horn and the heal and the face (but not the steel face plate) are one piece so that explains why the heavy sledging that happend on the horn did not break it off, a lesster anvil could very easaly had the horn banged off, its def a useable anvil and i love my PW's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macbruce Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 If a hammer had a face that rough most here would agree that it needed to be dressed to prevent buggaring up the work. The anvil being the counterpart of the hammer needs to be ideally as smooth as the hammer or as close as you can get it. I don't think carefull re dressing of dinged up face is a sin. Those mushroomed over areas will break off eventually if they're not ground back in line to the face. It don't need major sugery, just a little grooming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Yates Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 you can ask a 100 /1000 Smiffs and you will get that many answers . the Face of an anvil is not going to stay smooth if it is used at all. However with that being said, I feel it comes down to personal prferance . I have resurfaced quite a few for folks around here the rolled edges are dangerious they can fracture and end up in the smiffs body with a glancing blow (yes it can happen) smothing out the horn will give you a better surface to work on making your work smother and less hand work to remove the dimples made by the nicks in it the same with the face of the anvil. as for the edges they can be filled by a Hard surface rod (Stick welding) then reshaped by grinding since you hammer on the face not the edges it is moer asstectic for fixing then However it keeps the face true and in full range for a working surface . remember a little maintance goes a long way . Sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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