Looking for a bit of advice

[Dan Mac]

Hi all

I'm just acquiring the basics to get started so far I was given a 4"x8.5"x12" block of P20 (free) and a solid fuel forge with an assortment of hammers and tongs for $250.00 

My question is: Is annealed P20 hard enough for a sub. anvil or would it need heat treating and how should I orientate my anvil? Should I use the 12" as the face or the 8.5" I also was thinking of turning a horn to weld on and machining a step on one side and welding a 1" square tube on the other end for hardie tools. I run a small CNC business from my house so the machining isn't a problem.

Thanks

Dan

[Latticino]

Looks like your steel block was already mounted in what I would consider the best orientation: using the 4 x 8.5 face as the top.  Ideally you want to keep the bulk of the mass of your anvil under where you hammer.  I would certainly radius the edges to at least 1/8" radius, and with four good edges like that probably one at 1/4" and one at 1/2" as well.  

I can't tell for sure from the photo (video link show broken), but it appears that you have the steel block cast into some kind of concrete?  If so I urge you to build an endgrain wood stand instead.  The concrete will pulverize under repeated hammer blows and eventually fail.

Sounds like you got a good deal on a starter set.  Now just sign up for some basic training and you are off to the races.

[ThomasPowers]

The face will work harden over time, as to it being too soft, how good is your hammer control?  (and one of the pluses of using anvils like that is that you can grind down the face if it gets too banged up.)  It also depends on how you plan to use it---forging steels with a high hot hardness would be very different than working real wrought iron at near welding temp.

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

A guy I talked to said he hardened P-20 edges by running a torch down them slowly and trailed with a wet rag dribbling water along the edge.

It is a low to medium carbon steel .28-.40 carbon content. It has more manganese and chromium in it.

Try not to miss and it will do fine since even mild steel is harder then yellow hot steel.

 

[Dan Mac]

Thanks guys. The steel block is just sitting on a big burl I'm drying for wood working, it's not its final home I plan on building a wood stand for it. As for hammer control... we will find out as I'm as new to this as can be so I'm sure I'm going to miss as many times as I hit lol.

I plan on starting out as basic as I can next is to see if there is anybody in the Windsor, Essex Ontario area that wants some free labour for a little knowledge.

 Cheers

Dan

[Latticino]

Sounds like you are planning ahead well.  Wouldn't hold my breath for a labor for training barter these days.  Seem to be a lot of novices looking for this deal, and it usually doesn't seem to be that attractive for the experienced smiths.  Never know though, might get lucky.  If you can save up the cash somehow, taking some basic classes will really speed up the learning curve.

[MC Hammer]

Dan - you have a good start.  How about a picture of the other things you got for your money?  

[Dan Mac]

11 hours ago, MC Hammer said:

Dan - you have a good start.  How about a picture of the other things you got for your money?  

I will for sure when I take possession of it. The plan is to pick it up in a couple of weeks. As for now I'm trying to absorb as much information as I can. I was advised to start with a wood dowel to develop some muscle memory, concentrating on proper angle form. 

Can't water to get started...

[MC Hammer]

You can hit wood, but starting out with hot metal is a step better.  I've seen people use a good stiff clay too.  I think the stiff clay would act more like hot steel than wood will.  Try both.  If your hand-eye coordination is not so good the practice will help improve muscle memory like dry firing with a handgun.