Hammer and Anvil Making

[Glader Gold Fire]

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?

[JHCC]

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

[ThomasPowers]

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:

[Irondragon Forge ClayWorks]

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.

[Glader Gold Fire]

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:

[Frosty]

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.

[George N. M.]

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." 

[ThomasPowers]

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!

[Charles R. Stevens]

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.

 

 

[pnut]

2 hours ago, Charles R. Stevens said:

track plates...as small hardy tool plates

Spikes are ready made shank material. 

Pnut