I want to make my own hammer and anvil so I was wondering if I need to use high carbon steel for both or does it really matter?

That's an extremely broad question. Have you looked at the existing threads about hammer making and improvised anvils?

I'm assuming you want to make a shop sized anvil of 100-150 pounds: There's different ways of making them using different materials.  Of course it will probably be a LOT more expensive to make your own London Pattern Anvil---or very cheap to go with an improvised anvil.

If you cast the anvil it will need to be made from high carbon steel and you will need to use a custom foundry to do it---they my require their own pattern maker to be used, then of course there is the heat treating and finishing---probably run you about 5 times what buying a good anvil will.

If you weld up an anvil then the *face* needs to be HC; but the body can be mild---there has to be a full penetration weld between the face and body.

If you want to do a traditional forge welded face to body, the face still needs to be HC and it's a tricky weld to make!  SOFA did one as their Friday Night demo; they had several CENTURIES of forging experience in the team doing it and it still took 4 tries (IIRC) to get it done.  You will also need a team and equipment to move large chunks of steel at 2300 degF, safety equipment, forges, etc

Now the London Pattern anvil has only been around for a couple of centuries but the anvil below is a design that has been around for several thousand years, (This one is based on one in a Museum from Roman times:  Turned on it's side to show the mounting spike.) Smaller than most modern anvils; of course they were forging real wrought iron.

And of course making stake anvils from old sledge hammer heads is pretty easy too:

When it comes to hammers. That depends on how they are to be used. For hammers that are to be hitting struck tools (top tools, chisels, punches, etc. You want a softer hammer than the tools struck, so not high carbon. For hammers used to hit hot steel on the anvil, I like 4130. It hardens reasonably well and tempers to a range of colors. Of course one can always use wrought iron and forge weld a steel face on.

I was also wondering if I need to quench the face of the anvil or can I leave as is? 

I plan on making the face out of one of these:

Just because it's medium carbon and can be hardened doesn't make track plates suitable for an anvil. Even using one as the face requires a full contact surface weld or the unbonded area will suck energy and effectiveness from every hammer blow.

Take a little time in the Improvised Anvil section for a wide selection of GOOD home build anvils.

Frosty The Lucky.

I agree with Frosty.  I've tried for years to come up with a good use for track plates.  If it wasn't for the flanges on one side you could stack them together on edge with bolts through the holes to make a block anvil. Grinding the flanges off would take too much time, work, and money for grinding media.

"By hammer and hand all arts do stand." 

With a dirt/sand/grave/clay smithy floor they are handy for keeping heavy workbench legs from sinking.  I source mine from the scrapyard 20UScents a pound is a lot less of a hit then explaining to the Rail Road Police what you are doing!

Other than cutting track plates up for stock, the only use except holding track to sleepers I have found is as small hardy tool plates. 

As always make sure you acquire track steel leagaly.

 

 

2 hours ago, Charles R. Stevens said:

track plates...as small hardy tool plates

Spikes are ready made shank material. 

Pnut