Micah Burgin Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 While an eight-pound anvil sounds anything but ideal to me, at a cost of 0 dollars, it's hard to beat. We've got an old sledgehammer, and I don't even need to take off the head to use it like this, so I was wondering: Could it work? The edges are somewhat rounded, but I'm mainly looking at knife-making anyhow so the need for a horn is minimal, and my friend has a real anvil (Problem is, 45 minute drive away...) so if I ever do need one, I have access to one. But I want some professional opinions before spending a few hours jury-rigging and perfecting it: Could it work? And somewhat more importantly, yes, the sledgehammer in question is very good quality and does have rebound (Figure that that's important) and a hickory handle, so I could even mount it standing up as long as I avoid that and get a somewhat larger anvil face. Projects I'm looking at are some sheath knives, a set of tongs, and maybe (Far in the future) an axe head of some sort. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted November 16, 2015 Share Posted November 16, 2015 It certainly can, viking era anvils weren't much bigger and many a third world smith uses them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Bill Posted November 17, 2015 Share Posted November 17, 2015 Excellent rebound on this iron city I utilized; a 1" bearing ball returns to the hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ridgewayforge Posted November 17, 2015 Share Posted November 17, 2015 Yes it can work! And, please document its workableness. Sometimes we get so caught up with the "proper" and "most efficient" way of doing things that we forget that elbow grease is the best worker in the world. If its hard, you'll love it all that much more! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Micah Burgin Posted November 18, 2015 Author Share Posted November 18, 2015 Yeah! I'm going to be working with an eight pounder with a hickory handle on it, and I'll be trying a log and some other mounting methods. I'll add a new topic on its viability after a few hours knocking around with it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted November 18, 2015 Share Posted November 18, 2015 You betcha it'll work and you can forge a horn that'll slip into the eye and wedge tight. You might be surprised how much truly world class work is done on anvils about the size of a sledge hammer face. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Micah Burgin Posted November 18, 2015 Author Share Posted November 18, 2015 Oh, good idea! I'll buy some of those cheap harbor freight ball peen hammers and make a reverse doming block too, should work pretty well. Thanks for all the ideas guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Everything Mac Posted November 20, 2015 Share Posted November 20, 2015 The only thing I'd say about using a sledge hammer is that it will warm up quite quickly, and will get hot to the touch in no time at all. Just be careful you don't lean on it and burn your hand.. like I did. There is an advantage of a warm anvil, in that your work won't cool as quickly so you can work for longer. All the best Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Micah Burgin Posted November 20, 2015 Author Share Posted November 20, 2015 Yeah I figured as much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caotropheus Posted November 20, 2015 Share Posted November 20, 2015 If you secure firmly the sledge hammer to a heavy support (even better, cast it into planet earth!), it will work fine. At least these guys do not seem to complain and I am sure they make it for many years! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxLpbgT3HFg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Micah Burgin Posted November 20, 2015 Author Share Posted November 20, 2015 Good to know! I'm going to be buying the stuff to make myself a slip-on horn and getting another sledge so I don't have to use our only one, along with a cross pein hammer, today, so I should be able to get the stuff all put together and mounted to a log today. I think I'm going to do a temporary mounting first, just to test out the system and make myself a horn, then I'll move to something more permanent afterwards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Old American Posted November 26, 2015 Share Posted November 26, 2015 Let us know how the horn works out! This is probably the route I'll be taking soon for just starting out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted November 26, 2015 Share Posted November 26, 2015 lot of options to build and mount a bick. Picks, bars, rods, axles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted November 26, 2015 Share Posted November 26, 2015 Many curves can (and should) be made with out the horn. Anu radius will give yiu a start, I have a peice of round formed in a long ovel, and bent and forged to form a shank, starts and works cuves well, the with hand work the curve can be dialed in Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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