CrazyGoatLady Posted October 29, 2019 Share Posted October 29, 2019 I use my anvil with the horn pointed to my right. I can work from all around it when needed though. Bottle openers seem to go better when working with the horn to my left. But I've never mounted a horse from the right side. I suppose it wouldn't make a difference. I've just always got told you mount them from the left. I never thought to question why though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted October 29, 2019 Share Posted October 29, 2019 Safety is like the old saying, "It's a poor craftsman who blames his tools." Everybody gets caught by surprise or becomes complacent or we wouldn't have bruises, cuts and burns. I may swear but I'm swearing at myself. I can warn folks till the color is worn off the computer keys but it's not MY fault if you get injured compared to normal shop hurts. The orientation of the horn can be an issue but not usually. I'm right handed and usually have the horn to my left. I use the heel as a bridge anvil and bottom tools a LOT more than the horn, Heck I rarely use the horn for anything but an okay but not particularly good bottom fuller rarely I'll true a ring on it. However, when I am using the horn I usually want it to my right side. Not because it's closer to my right hand but because the taper is widening to my left. This means more force is delivered usefully to the work when I strike, orientated to my left the work wants to slide down the horn when I strike. Make sense? The products I use the horn for most are bottle openers or other punched and drifted open features, round or not. Opening a bottle opener (for example) with the horn to my left means I have to bend over and swing from my left or just drive the piece off the horn. With the horn to my right I can just give it a BIT of a side swing and the force is driven into hard resistance and is far more effective. I move my anvil while I work, just walk around the far side or address it from either end. Being able to easily move the anvil is one of the many reasons I love my concrete floor. Oh, I'm still waiting for someone to explain what the utility of the smooth transition from fact to horn. I'm not questioning preferences I'm just wondering what it's good for. I'm seeing a lot of discussion about: brand, style, size, etc. but nobody's answered my one question. Anybody, somebody, Please? Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Moose Posted October 29, 2019 Share Posted October 29, 2019 I find the smoth transition from face to round horn useful for drawing out, like a bottom fuller with the rounding hammer as the top fuller. Like a set of drawing dies for a power hammer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc1 Posted October 29, 2019 Share Posted October 29, 2019 if you make scrolls or big rings, the smooth transition is very useful As for riding ... Riding backwards, seems to bring some unforeseen difficulties. PS I am surprised no one questions the utility of the shelf. That one comes up every time, from the london pattern supporters Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benona blacksmith Posted October 29, 2019 Share Posted October 29, 2019 I have just started using my south german pattern anvil so in a few months maybe I will have an answer for your question frosty but for now I love both my north and south german pattern anvils. I should mention my north german pattern is a single horn anvil but has the same horn to face transition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted October 30, 2019 Share Posted October 30, 2019 Post up photos of the anvils you guys have if possible. A photo worth millions of words thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Moose Posted October 30, 2019 Share Posted October 30, 2019 The marked area is what i am talking about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted October 30, 2019 Share Posted October 30, 2019 Mr Moose. right on. It also is handy for a shouldered radius that would normally be using a swage to create like the eye bolt links shown earlier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benona blacksmith Posted October 31, 2019 Share Posted October 31, 2019 My north german pattern my south German pattern Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted October 31, 2019 Share Posted October 31, 2019 Benona blks, Years? Makers? Have you posted photo's of these before? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benona blacksmith Posted October 31, 2019 Share Posted October 31, 2019 I haven't posted pictures of these yet. I dont know years or makers of either one. The big double horn is 426 lbs and marked in pounds and is forged and the only other markings I've found is a No. 4. The single horn is a lot older and has no markings at all and is around 200 lbs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted October 31, 2019 Share Posted October 31, 2019 Thanks and if you have some time a few more photo's would be nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benona blacksmith Posted November 1, 2019 Share Posted November 1, 2019 I can get a few more pictures tomorrow. My single horn north German pattern is buried so I will have to dig it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 1, 2019 Share Posted November 1, 2019 Nothing more traditional than to dig up "buried items" at night on Halloween! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc1 Posted November 2, 2019 Share Posted November 2, 2019 Buried? Did she die? or is it some other ritual i am unaware of Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benona blacksmith Posted November 2, 2019 Share Posted November 2, 2019 Its definitely a ritual. One you've probably heard of. It's the" ritual of stacking anvils". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benona blacksmith Posted November 2, 2019 Share Posted November 2, 2019 The. Shop is a disaster due to a lot going on in life but here is a picture of my collection Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted November 3, 2019 Share Posted November 3, 2019 That one your calling a Norther german is actually a cutlers anvil. Nice collection of tools and anvils. thanks for posting up a photo. shop looks great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benona blacksmith Posted November 3, 2019 Share Posted November 3, 2019 I've been told the northern german anvil is considered a production anvil made for pumping out parts repetitively but it has the north german face to horn transition. I had another one very Similar to it with the tool slot but a friend needed another anvil so I gave it to him that one was 280 lbs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted November 3, 2019 Share Posted November 3, 2019 its the groove cut into the face and the smallish horn that tells me it's a cutlers anvil. Here is a larger version. But they made the cutlers in many different patterns. some single slot, some multi slot. Depended a lot on what was actually being made and how many work stations they needed on the anvil. Cutlers anvils are pretty rare. The second one a guy owns down in CT. Funny thing is my larger model also came from CT. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted November 3, 2019 Share Posted November 3, 2019 The "groove" in a cutler's anvil is a dovetail allowing bottom tools to be held solidly but quickly changed. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benona blacksmith Posted November 3, 2019 Share Posted November 3, 2019 I have made a couple of tools for mine. I will have to dig through the bucket to find them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted November 3, 2019 Share Posted November 3, 2019 Sure is. and yes it is called a dovetail. thank you very much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benona blacksmith Posted November 3, 2019 Share Posted November 3, 2019 The "cutlers" anvil I have I should have just said it had the north German pattern horn transition. Sorry for not being clear there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted November 3, 2019 Share Posted November 3, 2019 No problem here. Still a beautiful anvil and example. Love old iron. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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