RedBranch Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 As I am trying to get into blacksmithing and I don't have much money to get my first anvil I'm trying to get input about how to best proceed. Which of these options would work best? 1. Make a rail road rail ASO 2. Buy a 55Lb Cast Iron Anvil like this one from HF 3. Buy a smaller (22Lb) real anvil like this one from ebay Any advice would be most helpfull. Thanks for reading. Your post has been edited to remove ebay listings Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielC Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 Go to a local scrap yard and buy the biggest hunk of steel you can find for about the same price. Stand it up long ways, and either mount it into the earth, or put it in a bucket, and pour concrete around it. Otherwise, get the railroad track and do the same thing. The other two ASO's are garbage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 While any metal mass 50 to 100 pounds can serve as an anvil. save your money and buy a real anvil. Put your location in your profile and we can assist in finding an anvil in your area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trent5107 Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 I found craigslist an awesome place to find good anvils at a great price ... just do your research and know what you are looking for and take your time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 Why pay $$ for a cast iron ASO when you could get more poundage in a chunk of scrap steel that would be a *real* anvil. Take a look at the anvils japanese swords are forged on---just a big rectangular hunk of metal; for over 2000 years folks have been forging on "block" anvil while the London Pattern is rather geographically and temporally limited---design being nailed down with the addition of the pritchel in the 1820's So stop thinking that something that's been used for 2000 years as an anvil is not a real anvil because it doesn't look like a recent design. A nice chunk of broken forklift tine can make a great starter anvil! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legba Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 I started with a 2"x2"x18" steel bar sunk in a big stump. Did quite a bit of work on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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