The new version of my  anvil  is being tested

1. The main improvement is the dovetail end with one edge being sharper to be used as hardie and the other is rounded to be used as fuller.  The triangular notch is used multifunctionaly for punching, bending, etc.

2. The face preserves convex profile which proved itself extremelly well during last 5 years of work

3. Same for the edge like cross -section of the horn.

4.  Massive concrete foundation was used under the base plate

 

Thats an interesting anvil for sure. Are you making them yourself? 

 

Andy

Thats an interesting anvil for sure. Are you making them yourself? 

 

Andy

Thanks Andy!  I make the styfoam model, give it to the foundry, then grind , polish and harden the obtained object

Ah ok that's cool. What are they cast from? I'm sure a few members on here would be interested in buying one. 

 

Why the rocks around the base? 

Andy

The material is 0.8 %C carbon.

The rocks are used as quick fill for the drum base (gabion like) since this is test mode.  For permanent set up I use packed earth and woodedn wedges

They're looking pretty good. The hammer in the second picture is covering the feature on the heal end. What is it?

Do you have pictures out of the stand, I'd like a look at the whole tool.

Frosty The Lucky.

Here we go.  The anvil is set selfwedged in a hot formed steel pipe (132 mm diameter, 750 mm long to give my proper anvil height 850mm) which is welded to the 400x400x12 mm steel plate which  rests on a concrete base 600 mm deep.

That makes it pretty easy to take into remote places, finding a piece of pipe to use as a stand would be reasonably easy. Pipe is pretty common almost everywhere.

What is the feature on the heal end? I'm imagining all kinds of things but would like to know what it's really for. It's gotta be something good, it's too much trouble to make not to be useful.

Frosty The Lucky.

Frosty, the heel end notch serves much like a pritchel hole and supports the work while you drive the hole through.  The ends of the heel are sharpened to varying degrees to create a built-in fuller and hot-cut.

Here's a good link to a thread Bogdan did some time ago.  He's definitely handy with a hammer!  http://www.bladesmithsforum.com/index.php?showtopic=25866

 

I've been wanting one of these anvils for a long time.  Very neat design and would be great as a demonstration anvil or for making blades.

That makes good sense, thanks Vaughn.

Handy with a hammer isn't a whistling Dixi.

Frosty The Lucky.

Thank you  Vaughn!

Yes, the notch was meant for working with holes but I am finding more and more uses for it.  The heel edges are also good idea.  If you need to get to some complicated  places  they are quite useful.

Frosty, actully when I had to go to remote places with my anvil I took the pipe along in a complete assembly.  The only problem it looked  suspicious for the police (like a mortar) so I stopped to do it and now carry the anvil in a separate strong bag while the pipe is hidden in the other bag stuffed with socks and t-shirts.

I ran a workshop in Vienna Uni a week ago "Blending Ecology and Blacksmithing together"  and made an experimental stand for my anvil as a real gabion with the steel mesh and stones -- basically what I found at the location.   Actually that worked extremelly well!  I really liked it.  No more earth and wooden wedges. The gabion was made in a conical shape with the base wider than top.  The mesh probably should be of thicker metal with the smaller spacing but anyway the principle is very practical.  I can recomend it like even to wrap around the thin wooden stands and fill it with rubble in case one lacks thicker stump.

The viking smiths of old would be proud of your work.

Thank you for sharing.

Found some Youtube videos of Indian travelling smiths who use ancient style convex faced anvils.  One can see how big is actually the surface radius.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUIFlJ8mX-4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzMqEAAhNME

Everytime I forge on my  convex anvil I keep thinking how great it is.  Absolutely diffrent feeling from the flat one.  Convex is magic!

Could you post a picture of your forge that you use for this? I love the anvil design. The pictures are great, post more! 

Thank you for sharing. 

I was wondering about the forge myself. I think I see a tripod of green sticks lashed together for the forge stand.

The forge I use is the ancient earth-clay side blast char coal forge.  Many years of experiments with diffrent forges proved that for my work (tools, forge welding) it is the best.  At home I have it made on the table under the hood.  For festivals, demonstrations and such I have developed the very light design made of metal basin put on a tripod of sticks which I fill with the earth found on place.  The fan is from old soviet tractor stove 12 V. 40 Watts.  Sometimes I made the side walls of bricks if I have them.  If not -- make adoby walls from earth-grass mix.  For the lightest set up I make the forge right on the ground.

Nice pics -- very interesting!

Another example of magic convex anvil -- now from modern Uzbekistan (middle Asia).  My friend was travelling there and came across a traditional balacksmith workshops at one of the towns streets.  He took some pictures specially for me.

This kind of forge is a great inspiration for me.  Compact, effective and comortable.  Also quite social I would say as this is just behind the street walkway.  Very interesting idea of using pits so that while the  forge and anvil  is low but you still work standing. Also while the metal is heated you sit on the edge of the pit, rest and drink green tea...  The customers walk along the street, you offer them a cup of tea and to buy a  knife or nails.  I like it

The convex anvil as my friend says seem to be made of a railroad buffer the cut into rectangular shape.  It is probably very hard.  The radius is also quite big.

 

 

One of the most important features of the convex surface is that it is very good for forge welding. 

It seems that traditional Chinese anvils hve very convex faces.

Also there is an old make of French anvil "Hulot Harmel" which have a hump where the horn melds into the body. I always thought it looked good for forging.

PS I've also fluffed many a fire weld in a dished anvil face!

The Bogdan Popov’s anvil got its further development ! 

Now becoming more and  more versatile tool.  A longer built-in hardie  with the alloy steel welded edge, deeper and wider notch and square horn on the other side of the notch.  This really worked well and proved its validity.

However a lot more other very interesting and effective developments  came as well.   The  video coming soon!

That's an amazing piece of work!

did I hear you right that that you harden them your self? that would be a very large mass of steel to heat up!

                                                                                              Litteblacksmith

It's looking good Bogdan. Wait a second, do we call you Dancho or Bogdan? I'm looking forward to your videos and next innovation.

LIttleblacksmith: Bringing that much steel to critical temp isn't so hard, it's quenching it properly that's the trick. I'll bet if we ask nicely Bogdan, Dancho, or whoever, will even tell us how he does it.

Frosty The Lucky.