BifrostFarms Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 I attended a 'Green Skills Workshop' here in western Wisconsin that us locals put on each spring to share what we know. I wandered into a blacksmith demonstration and was hooked. I recently picked up my first anvil for $200. Pictures included. Two questions:1) Should I refurbish this anvil with a stick welder to remake the edges, etc? It's going to be used for working, not for show.2) Does anyone have an idea what the strange end on the horn is for? Is it just from being used repeatedly for a certain task? Thank you. I look forward to many discussions here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BifrostFarms Posted July 10, 2015 Author Share Posted July 10, 2015 Well I think I answered the second question just by reading some other forum posts along the same lines. I just don't know if this one is in worse shape than the others, thereby rendering a different decision, so I'd still like some input. Thanks again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 1 - 1 - 15 is 155 pounds and you paid $200 or $1.29 a pound.Use it for a year before you make any modifications. By then you will know if the anvil needs fixed, how to fix it, and would have found someone to do the fix properly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BifrostFarms Posted July 10, 2015 Author Share Posted July 10, 2015 Sound advice. Thanks.By the way, it's not swaybacked. The face is quite level. It's just the edges of the face I worry about. Sound advice nonetheless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 Welcome aboard Bifrost, glad to have you.That's a plenty workable anvil. Even someone experienced refacing anvils puts one at risk. Just running rod on it is a BAD thing,more likely to cause HAZ failures at the bead edges.Like Glenn says, put that old lady to work and in a year or two you'll have enough time under your hammer to be able to judge if it needs some tweaking. A good solid skills set is much more important than a smooth, straight, etc. anvil. It's the smith's eyes, hands and mind that do the work.Leave her be for a while.Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judson Yaggy Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 Nothing major wrong with that anvil. Get to work hammering and you will become a better blacksmith regardless of equipment, practice welding on your anvil and you might become a better weldor but your smiting time will suffer and you might well wreck the anvil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BifrostFarms Posted July 10, 2015 Author Share Posted July 10, 2015 Thanks everyone. I think I'll use her just like she is. Any guesses on the meaning of the strange end on the horn? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 The notches in the horn looked forged rather than cut, ground, etc. I'd speculate it's a repeated work injury.Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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