BoOnTheGo Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 A few weeks back I did an 4 day intensive on primitive blacksmith-ing. Absolutely fell in love with it. I have spent the last several weeks gathering tools and items to start hammering. Now I seem to be stumped with the anvil. At the intensive we used all manner of items, RR track, steel bricks, cast off dies, axles etc. I am having the darnedest time trying to locate something for starting. I plan on starting out with small objects and working my way up. Any helpful input would be welcomed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njanvilman Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 Read the posts on this site. This question has been asked many many times. Look everywhere, ask everyone you know, post want ads, EBAY, join a local blacksmithing group. Anvils are not that hard to find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 Broken fork lift tines---explain you want to make an anvil out of it and would be happy if they cut it in pieces (so it couldn't get reused---liability). Forklifts are found *everywhere* in the USA these days http://www.marco-borromei.com/fork.html One of a large number of ways to do it! (as I recall they ended up with a 100#+ anvil for US$25 and yes I am the Thomas mentioned---I still have the mate to that tine in my scrap pile---but I carried it out of the forest by myself---see I'm dumber that I appear on the net! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 Hey Bo, you took an intensive primitive smithing course didn't you? How about a smooth boulder? I recommend a mafic or ultramafic boulder, they're dense and fine grained and have been serving as anvils for thousands of years. limestone and marble work but granite is more popular as is basalt but give me a nice ultra mafic like hornblend. I have a really nice car hood size dornic (Big boulder) by the driveway you're welcome to use. It has to stay but you're welcome to use it. Seriously, a nice smooth boulder serves well, I've used them. Believe it or not, turn out some nice products and you'll be able to buy a "real" anvil in no time. Lots of people place a lot of mystique in primitive forged products. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timothy Miller Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 A boulder as an anvil would be considered primitive, chunks of discarded surplus steel I would consider post industrial blacksmithing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 So a search for TPAAAT. Follow the directions. I just found a 160 pound mouse hole and a 270 pound Hay Budden in WS. Used TPAAAT and it took less than 20 seconds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 A boulder as an anvil would be considered primitive, chunks of discarded surplus steel I would consider post industrial blacksmithing. Right you are, It'd be a post apocalyptic, primitive redux anvil. Who was it did all those zombie blades? We need an expert here. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoOnTheGo Posted July 9, 2013 Author Share Posted July 9, 2013 Broken fork lift tines---explain you want to make an anvil out of it and would be happy if they cut it in pieces (so it couldn't get reused---liability). Forklifts are found *everywhere* in the USA these days http://www.marco-borromei.com/fork.html One of a large number of ways to do it! (as I recall they ended up with a 100#+ anvil for US$25 and yes I am the Thomas mentioned---I still have the mate to that tine in my scrap pile---but I carried it out of the forest by myself---see I'm dumber that I appear on the net! Great Idea Thomas, Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John McPherson Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 Welcome Bo. There are a couple of Carolina anvil and blacksmith tool dealers that regularly post on craigslist, the one closest to you would be in Denver, NC. Not sure about Virginia. The local Triad area chapter of NCABANA meets at the Dixie Classic Fairgrounds, 9am 3rd Saturday every month. Mooresville and Raleigh are on different schedules. http://www.ibiblio.org/nc-abana/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 Now for a really traditional far eastern stone anvil you need a nice jade boulder! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoOnTheGo Posted July 9, 2013 Author Share Posted July 9, 2013 Welcome Bo. There are a couple of Carolina anvil and blacksmith tool dealers that regularly post on craigslist, the one closest to you would be in Denver, NC. Not sure about Virginia. The local Triad area chapter of NCABANA meets at the Dixie Classic Fairgrounds, 9am 3rd Saturday every month. Mooresville and Raleigh are on different schedules. http://www.ibiblio.org/nc-abana/ Thanks John, I joined NCABANA a few months back, just have not been able to make it to a meeting yet. Looking forward to it though. I have read all the past issues of the spark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John McPherson Posted July 10, 2013 Share Posted July 10, 2013 Shame that you missed the state-wide meeting in WS on the 29th then, the tailgating is usually pretty good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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