Garagedweller Posted April 20, 2016 Share Posted April 20, 2016 I'm am new to blacksmithing and have been gifted an old well used anvil in need of some care. Any tips on getting it back into good working order? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matto Posted April 21, 2016 Share Posted April 21, 2016 Need picks to know what to tell you. A location on where you are would help to might be someone close that can help in person Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted April 21, 2016 Share Posted April 21, 2016 what is wrong with it that you; with no experience, believe it has to be modified? most times when we hear that it turns out that NOTHING needs to be done and doing stuff actually damages the anvil. Many times their proposed repairs would actually make the anvil worse for what they say they want to do with it; but without experience they are guessing... So pictures and a better description of how you want to use it would be helpful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garagedweller Posted April 21, 2016 Author Share Posted April 21, 2016 The face has a dip in the center and the edges have chunks that have fallen out. The horn also has tip damage like it has been dropped earlier in its lifetime Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted April 21, 2016 Share Posted April 21, 2016 So far it sounds normal for an older anvil; what is the problem with it? I have a book published in the 1880's and 1890's that includes a quote about "Is there anyone still stupid enough to think an anvil should have sharp edges"? "Practical Blacksmithing" Richardson. A swale in the face can be very handy for knifemaking as it can help straighten blades where you need to go just a tad too far and have them bounce back to dead flat. Most old anvils have the horn blunted and for good reason. When mounted on a stump the anvil horn can be a very painful point to ram into one's wedding tackle. I suspect many of the ones that look like someone took a sledge to the point in a fit of anger could blame this for their modification... If you need a small sharp horn---make a bickern for the hardy hole! The hardened face on an anvil is generally fairly thin; removing any of it is usually a very bad idea---in 35 years of smithing I'm up to *3* anvils that I thought would have been improved by milling the face. I suggest you use it for a year or so and then if you were only in the USA I would suggest you take it to an ABANA Affiliate that was having an anvil repair workshop where folks who *KNOW* what they are doing could work on it. (I've seen expert machinists and weldors ruin anvils because they didn't know squat about anvils!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garagedweller Posted April 21, 2016 Author Share Posted April 21, 2016 The edges on the anvil in question are not just rounded, they are pitted and parts are starting to crumble. As far as the face, I see your point with the slight dip in the face,but is it recommended to remove the pits in it? As well, the sides have some small cracks near the toes, weld them? Or leave them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 21, 2016 Share Posted April 21, 2016 Welcome aboard, glad to have you. If you'll put your general location in the header you might be surprised how many of the Iforge gang live within visiting distance. Lacking experience you also lack enough knowledge to know how or even IF it's actually damaged. For example, "cracks near the toes." Just what are you referring to as "toes"? A blunted horn is normal. Seriously you don't know how to use what you have and still wouldn't if it were the most perfect example of best anvil ever invented in the Sol system. Please, PLEASE don't try to fix, restore or anything but put that thing to work till you have a couple years experience with it. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garagedweller Posted April 21, 2016 Author Share Posted April 21, 2016 My main concern at the moment is the crumbling edges of the face. I used this anvil once and they grew larger ( as my workpiece was farthest from that side) so I stopped working and figured I'd ask around for some advice on what to do. Also, the "toes" I was referring to. Are the feet of the anvil if haven't mixed up terminology again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 21, 2016 Share Posted April 21, 2016 Do NOTHING to it! Weren't you told a couple times now that without pictures we can't tell you anything about what it MIGHT need? Seriously, if you can;t follow directions as simple as "post pics." What makes you think you'll be able to follow care and feeding directions? You don't know enough to ask good questions let alone understand the answers, your concerns at this time aren't really relevant to what is or is not good where blacksmithing tools are concerned. Before you decide to go look up some "expert" how to destroy anvils Youtube videos just sell or even give that anvil away. Anything is better than ruining another one. I'm not going to say any more or I'll get worked up. We don't want to discourage you from the craft, the more people practicing it the better but we see too many anvils with nothing but cosmetic problems ruined by beginners who THINK they need a perfect anvil. I guarantee you wouldn't know a perfect anvil from a good one if I put you to work on them to compare. That isn't a put down, it's just a fact. Nobody was born knowing this stuff, it takes most of us years to gain the knowledge, eye hand skills and experience to be able to appreciate a great anvil as opposed to a serviceable one. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdaleh Posted April 21, 2016 Share Posted April 21, 2016 Pictures are worth a thousand words. Also helps us figure out your problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyw Posted April 21, 2016 Share Posted April 21, 2016 18 minutes ago, Garagedweller said: My main concern at the moment is the crumbling edges of the face. I used this anvil once and they grew larger ( as my workpiece was farthest from that side) so I stopped working and figured I'd ask around for some advice on what to do. Also, the "toes" I was referring to. Are the feet of the anvil if haven't mixed up terminology again. Are you saying you used the anvil and the edges just crumbled away from your hammering? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garagedweller Posted April 21, 2016 Author Share Posted April 21, 2016 These are the only pics I have on hand. Hope they help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 21, 2016 Share Posted April 21, 2016 Ah pictures! Put it to work the couple chips in the edge aren't in need of ANY work. For now avoid working directly over them till you've developed good enough hammer control you don't hit the anvil with your hammer. That's a pretty nice looking Mousehole, the little roughness on the face will smooth out as you work on it. If you ever need a perfectly smooth face it's really easy to make a bottom tool that fits the hardy hole. I"'m not kidding that anvil is in fine shape, really. Hook up with the regional association closest to you and spend time with experienced smiths. For every day you spend with an experienced smith you'll save many days even weeks of trying to figure this out yourself. Now that we have you following some suggestions where is your general location? Seriously if folk know where our in general you'll get invited to hammer ins, club projects, BBQs, Bar Mitzvahs, etc. Blacksmiths are a gregarious bunch and like to mill around together helping out and swapping lies. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdaleh Posted April 21, 2016 Share Posted April 21, 2016 Mouse hole forge anvil . Have you done a rebound test on it . Use it for two years if after that time you will know if it needs repared . Nice anvil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garagedweller Posted April 21, 2016 Author Share Posted April 21, 2016 Thank you for your input. This really helps me out. I have attempted a rebound test (wether it was done right or not) and it has a good ring to it. It appears to have been sandblasted partially, should I finish the job or no? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdaleh Posted April 21, 2016 Share Posted April 21, 2016 I would leave it as is mount it on a stand and use it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garagedweller Posted April 21, 2016 Author Share Posted April 21, 2016 Thanks again Gentleman, I appreciate the input. It's good to know that it's in good working order. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted April 21, 2016 Share Posted April 21, 2016 Why I wanted to know what you want to do on it. Lots of ornamental iron work will flatten and polish out the face with no loss of uselife. Plannishing the face would help some too. Definitely over 150 years old in my opinion. If the chunk to the right edge was what came off it was already cracked and just took that extra bit to fall the rest of the way off. horn tip looks pretty good if you wanted to true it up a bit without sharpening it I'd not pitch a fit. Old mouseholes have a great amount os sweet spot to them. If you are in the USA attend a couple of ABANA Affiliate meetings if you can. A Saturday afternoon watching folks who know what they are doing will save 6 months of trying to learn stuff on your own. If you are down my way let me know! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garagedweller Posted April 21, 2016 Author Share Posted April 21, 2016 I wouldn't mind attempting some rail spike knives or things of that nature. And in regards to the chunk, it may have been cracked, but there was some surface rust an I may not have seen it. I only recently took a wire brush to this piece. Do you gentleman happen to have any more knowledge on Mousehole anvils? I'd like to hear some history I no one minds sharing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted April 21, 2016 Share Posted April 21, 2016 There is an entire book on the Mousehole Forge published by Richard Postman "The Mousehole Forge" isbn 0-9663256-1-3 copyright 2003 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ridgewayforge Posted April 23, 2016 Share Posted April 23, 2016 Forge on it. Iron sharpens iron, rignt? So hammer some glowing steel on the face 'till she shines up and evens out, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 23, 2016 Share Posted April 23, 2016 Darned nice anvil. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted April 23, 2016 Share Posted April 23, 2016 Nice old Mousehole. Don't worry about the chip; just don't hammer right on top of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picker Posted April 23, 2016 Share Posted April 23, 2016 Looks fine to me. I could build a bridge with that anvil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickOHH Posted April 23, 2016 Share Posted April 23, 2016 Looks fine to me, the fisher in the basement is a lot rougher than that and is treating us fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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