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I Forge Iron

571 pound new to me anvil


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Boy, she sure took possession of that nice wood block didn't she? Queen of the shop. How are you going to tie her down? hand forged staples are always in style but plates and screws work well, chains and turnbuckles are in style because they work.

Is that her final position on the block? I like my horn as clear of the block/stand as possible. I don't use the horn often but when I do I tend to work it from all directions the long end of stock vertical down on the far side and work on the horn towards me from the back. Just thinking about how I'd work on that beautiful lady.

I've never worked on a square horn so I'm trying to imagine what I'd do and THINK I'd want clear space under it too. 

I think I'd turn it 90* if the foot remains completely supported on the block.

Of course I'm just dreaming of having that gorgeous piece of equipment in my shop and what I'd do to make her comfy in her new abode. Of course were she actually moving into my shop I'd be cutting steel for the legs of her steel tripod stand. The anvil envy runs strong in me. :ph34r:

Frosty The Lucky.

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I will let her stand loose for the time being, so I can always adjust the direction the anvil stands. this puppy won't move unless you put some real muscle power in to it. thanks for the tips! if i am going to tie her down I will for sure turn her 90*. I use the square horn for drawing stock that is to short to be drawn on the face, almost never for bending. Love the upsetting block comes in real handy for upsetting and it also makes a nice V-swage.

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Yeah, I bet you could secure her with a couple pieces of gum. :) It's sort of a knee jerk reflex for me to want to see equipment secured, necessary or not. 

If you don't work under the square horn you could just nudge her closer to the round horn edge and clear it. It'd give you more clear wood to lay the hand tools you're using. 

I'd have to play with position but I'm sooooo far away, I'll have to fantasize from afar.

I think a couple guys in the club have double horned anvils, maybe one will show up at a meeting so I can play on a square horn. I keep seeing collars being forged on it but the leg vise and male die makes a good collar forming die.

Frosty The Lucky.

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If you're ever in the Netherlands just stop by, always a great deal of fun when another blacksmith comes around! This is my second anvil with a square horn, my first one was a 60 pound steel aciaio. the one in the background.

Damian Stil

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Sounds good, I'll put you on my bucket list. I've always wanted to tour Europe and the Netherlands is high on the list. I hope you'll forgive me if I start talking about a wind powered line shaft blacksmith shop. I can't help myself. 

Same goes, if you ever make it to Alaska give a shout, I'll even clean the shop.

Frosty The Lucky.

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Just used her for the first time and secured her with the four nails, I noticed she was a little on the soft side after a miss hit, always happens to me on a new anvil. She’s pretty hard still but noticeably softer than my söding und halbach. 

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You can forge the dents out and smooth with a gently radiused smooth faced hammer. Don't slam it, gentle/firm raps around the dents will drive the rim raised by displaced steel back into the depression. AND because the dings and smoothing are moving the steel beyond it's yield point it will work harden in the process.

Think of it like exercise for your anvil's face it'll get stronger for it.

Frosty The Lucky.

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I have to disagree Neil, a ball punch can be made to work but it's a lot more hassle and your chances of a missed blow hitting a finger or sending the punch flying is always there.  A smooth faced hammer will work a treat and you can't miss and smash a finger. If you want to use a punch, use a planishing chasing punch with gently radiused edges. 

Frosty The Lucky.

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My 469# Fisher will creep if we are doing heavy forging on it with sledges so I don't know if I would agree that it wouldn't move in use.

OTOH all it took to keep my Fisher "corralled" was a handful of fence staples--the kind you use to fasten wire fencing to a wooden fence post.

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I have a 8 lb. on a single jack handle, I ground one face into a straight pein. I used it for a while when I made it but it took too long for my wrist and elbow to get over it. I rarely use it now, a couple whacks is it.

One of these days I'll put a hand and a half handle on it and let a striker swing it or put it by the swage block.

I'm a wimp I know.

Frosty The Lucky.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Damian,

The best bet is to use Anchor Seal.  You probably can't get it where you live.  Check with people in your area who do wood turning.  They often have to seal the ends of logs so they can dry without cracking. Probably the next best thing to use would be latex paint. 

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