Rail track anvil or mild steel block?

[Gavj75]

I've spent a bit of time making an anvil from a 12" piece of railtrack and I'm really pleased with how it looks however after reading some of the posts and their replys I'm not sure whether a 6×6" block of 275 mild steel would of been a better option.

I don't know what steel railtrack is but I do know it's hard and the mild steel is not but there would be more mass of steel under the strike of my hammer with the block.

I'm guessing that the block would absorb more of my hammers energy than the railtrack therefore making it not as good but like I said, I'm guessing and arn't sure. Can someone please advise. 

Thanks, Gav

[ThomasPowers]

Why not both? I have a Y1K anvil that is pretty much just a cube with a spike on the bottom---about 25# totak.  So I also built a stake anvil to go with it so I could have access to it's horn. The stand the block anvil is on also holds the stakeanvil

when I use them together.

(and 6x6xWHAT  4' would make for a very different answer than 0.004")

If you don't know making a guess is rather a guess!  Did you factor in the difference in inertia?  Did you consider work hardening the block's face? Perhaps you could experiment for a couple of years and give a solid report on it!  I'd be happy to see one.

One thing using a softer faced anvil will teach you is to work the metal HOT. Many folks starting out tend to keep hitting the workpiece way past where they get positive work done.

[Charles R. Stevens]

I second TP 

and will match his block with my rail anvil