To "repair" an anvil?

[Slyfox]

Hay everyone, several years ago my grand father handed his old anvil that he had gotten from his father over to me. What looks to be an old Peter Wright. As of two year ago I started putting it to use, making knives here and there and just generally fixing things. Also coming up in a few weeks I have a booth for a local farmer's market that I'd like to include hand forged items in. One thing that's always bugged me about it though is the lack of any square edges. All of it is 1/4-1/2" radius where its not been chipped and its been a trial just to make tongs. I know a lot of you will just say use i as it is but it would be nice if I could get at least one edge square for at least a few inches. Anyways, pictures down below, let me know what you all think.

 

 

[John in Oly, WA]

I'm just a noob, but could you make a hardie with a rectangle of appropriate tool steel that had the sharp squared edge you want?

[the iron dwarf]

repairing an anvil can cause more damage than it fixes, why not make a hardy tool with square edges.

get a bit of fork lift tine and drill a hole in the middle, fit a square peg in the hole and weld it flush on top, the peg should be a reasonable fit in your hardy hole.

now you have 4 new edges that you can leave sharp or give smaller radiuses to without causing problems to your anvil

[JHCC]

Those edges are great! What are you talking about?

1/4" radius is just fine for setting down any kind of tool -- sharper than that, and you're creating a stress riser that can easily cause the tool to break when you least expect it. If you really need a sharper edge than that, the suggestion from John in Oly and the iron dwarf is good: make a block to fit in the hardie hole.

(Oh, and Welcome to IFI! If you put your location in your profile info, you'll be surprised how many of us there are in your area. One other tip: make sure to thoroughly research any question before you ask it. Sometimes new members of the forum ask questions that have been asked and answered dozens of times, and our resident curmudgeons get a little cranky having to address them all over again!)

[the iron dwarf]

actually as I have had people ask this before I think I may make a few items like this to sell in future, maybe with other features added.

If I do it there will be a thread about it

[Slyfox]

Thanks for the quick replies and if 1/4" radious is good perhaps I've been working with too small of stock this whole time. And the hardy tool is probably the way to go if I do want sharper edges on occasion. Is there anywhere online I'd be able to get a chunk of forklift tine? Going to scrap yards is somewhat difficult as the closest real one is probably 2 hours away. I'm out near Astoria, OR

[the iron dwarf]

anyone near you hire fork lifts or repair them?

here they always put new forks on in case of accidents and they scrap the old ones

I can get you some here but im on another continent so shipping would cost a bit

[Slyfox]

There might be a few tractor rental places nearby that will probably have forklift loaders. Kinda live out in the sticks so not a lot of choice for things locally.

[ThomasPowers]

Any farms out there?

Practical Blacksmithing;Volume 1, published in 1889; page 110: "For my own part I am satisfied not only that the sharp edges are useless, but that they are also destructive of good work. I cannot account for their existance except as a relic of a time  when the principles of forging were but little understood. I want both edges of my anvil rounded, not simply for a part of their length, but for their whole length."

[Bud in PA]

Slyfox I do my preliminary shopping either on the internet or the yellow pages, saves a lot on gas and time.

[Ridgewayforge]

Also, if you *REALLY* feel you need a sharp edge, why not just do a little grinding on one side of the cutting table instead of the face? Or perhaps on the bottom of the anvil? The whole thing is the tool, and a really clever smith can use more than the face and horn to make what he needs. There is no reason to grind or weld on the face- all that does is lessen the life by softening or removing the hardened top plate. 

[ironwolfforgeca]

Slyfox ck your message box

if anvil was down here I could fix it to new condition

but you are a good 8 Hrs up Hwy 101 from me

if you can weld there is ways to repair anvils Right !!

Steve,s Welding & Fab

[panzertank27]

I wish my anvil was in that good of condition. lolz

[Frosty]

There's nothing wrong with that anvil, attempting to "repair or restore" it will do nothing to make it a better working tool and worse it will risk serious damage and at least shorten it's useful life.

It even has a perfectly radiused edge near the horn. That beauty only needs to be put to work, some hot steel and hammering will put a shine on her face and smooth the little marks.

Please don't damage that fine old lady.

Frosty The Lucky.