Ric Furrer Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 Hello All. I searched, but did not find. Anyone have a chart or listing for anvil hardnesses on the face? A corner was knocked off my Peter wright last year due to a sledge hammer "swing and a miss" by a student. I'll send it out for testing just to see, but the grain was HUGE and not bonded to the body of the anvil. Its a small chip off one corner, but it got me thinking about these old tools. Ric Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 I believe there is some data across the street. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ric Furrer Posted March 19, 2014 Author Share Posted March 19, 2014 Must be tired...I do not get the reference Thomas. Ric Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patrick Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 Thomas is referring to one of the other popular question and answer blacksmithing forums. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ric Furrer Posted March 19, 2014 Author Share Posted March 19, 2014 Oh...yes the ball dropping data. I'm looking for rockwell or brinell hardnesses. I assume 50 rockwell C would be OK. Ric Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 The chip was a result of the top plate not being welded to the body? I've never seen any scientific data on anvils as a whole, but I can say that my Fisher anvil is hard enough to scratch the face of every hammer I have in the shop. The entire perimeter is chipped like a stone tool because of mis-strikes before she came to me, and one area is incredibly sharp. Just tapping on that edge will scribe a hammer.... so I had to try all of my hammers. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 As I recall Bealer said in "The Art of Blacksmithing" the ideal anvil face was around rc60, a new sharp file should barely cut, if it skated it was too hard but almost was ideal. Are you planning on welding on a piece, or building up and hard facing? Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basher Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 I would not be surprised to see big grain in an old anvil..... our normalising regimes are as you know pretty modern. I have an old ( by Uk standards) stump anvil that is defiantly forged with steel face and wrought body(its quite beautiful) and shows what defiantly looks like cast iron at the fractured corner. I have replaced anvil faces with all sorts of welding material over the years (as my advice changed) and the dissimilar rods I welded an anvil up with 20 years ago are still holding up strong with no more noticeable marks than the original face..... What are your plans? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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