Hi folks, does anyone know if it's possible to reshape rounded edges on an anvil so they're a nice 90 degrees again? I just looked at an old London pattern anvil which is a pretty good price, but especially good if i can sort the slighly rounded edges.

90 degree edges will mar your work and will chip more easily than rounded ones. If its a good anvil overall, buy it and make yourself an edging tool- simply a hardy that is square or octagon with sharp edges.

Cheers. I thought new anvils had 90 degree edges?

Frequently yes, and the first thing done before using the anvil is dressing the edged. Head over to Anvilfire.com ==>FAQ's ==> anvil radiuses and have a look see.

Phil

Top banana! cheers

100+ year old smithing books suggest that the first thing you do when you get a new anvil is to dress the edges so they are not square and sharp as the not only tend to chip easier they will leave "cut" marks in your work that can propagate as cold shuts (much more of a problem with real wrought iron).

Just like European hammers were sold undressed as they expect the user to dress them to suit themselves. Anvils were sold sharp edged.

If you need a sharp edge for a particular process I suggest building a hardy tool with one---in fact make it such that you can rotate it and use all 4 edges before needing to rework it into a set of differing radii and getting another sharp edged one.

Cheers gents. One more question...i've seen a few anvils recently that look like they have rust drips about 5mm wide running down the side, whats that an idication of? Anything bad?

Probably means the anvil was left outside for some time. I expect it is painted and was displayed in a garden. You will want to remove the paint from the face and horn before using it anyways, so it shouldn't be a problem as long as the anvil is solid.

Phil

Could be not outside but somewhere unheated so condensation would build up and drip off. May be a bit more common in a damp clime then here in the desert where dew is a rare occurrence.

I have an HB I bought in Ohio that spent 50 years in a shed near a swampy creek that had fine pitting all over the face from condensation rusting. Forging hot steel on it is polishing out the face nicely---the sweet spot is almost totally clear now.

Cheers for all the replies.
I should have taken a picture of the anvil I looked at today to get people's opinions, but I didn't stupidly. This anvil is at a scrap yard, I don't know how long it's been there but it has been left outside. I doubt it's ever been painted (it has the paint is long gone) and I'm pretty sure it's quite old as there's no manufacturer or weight marking visible on the side, it's also red rusty. As I remember it the face is quite flat, maybe slightly dished at one end but I think it's generally good shape. I still think it's edges are much rounder than what I see knowledgeable people on YouTube using.

Google picture searched "old anvil" to find one with similar edges...this one's edges are much more pitted than the one I've been looking at but are of a similar roundness.

I've used an anvil missing 90% of it's face before; been smithing for a bit over 31 years and so know a thing or two. Perhaps it's just that knowledgeable people have been at it long enough to have upgraded their equipment as better stuff came along...nothing seems to attract anvils to you like owning one...

I love one of my anvils very broadly curved edge for doing blade to tang transitions---I have a straight peen hammer of the same radius and so can make both top and bottom transitions simultaneously. This anvil has some sway to it too and it's my "go to" anvil for straightening blades---much better than my newer 515# dead flat anvil.

If they are asking scrap rate for it why haven't you got it yet? If they are asking significantly more than scrap rate I can understand hesitating. Your example photo has rather round edges, but this won't prevent you from using it. An edge tool would be in order for some projects.

Phil

I'm gunna get it tomorrow morning. He said he'd take £100 (Pounds. (In some old threads I've seen the Pounds sign not working)). I've been looking on eBay and Gumtree quite a bit recently and that price seems really good for the size, one guy there said it was 120lbs but I think he might have been slightly exagerating. I've seen smaller anvils in the flesh that were in similar or worse condition for £90 and £125 so I think it's worth it.

I didn't get it today cos I had to get to work quickly and I had another one in mind I'd seen recently. Tomorrow I'll have someone to help me lift it when I get it home.

If you have a wire cup brush for your drill or grinder that will make short work of the rust and provide a nice low gloss finish. It will also allow for good inspection and photography of the anvil. Wipe it down with an oil rag and it probably will be ready for use.

Or you can just use it and let that clean it up.

Phil

Cheers for all the help.