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I Forge Iron

First Anvil


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Good day all!

Over the past couple months I have taken some blacksmithing intro classes and have been attending some open forge nights. I am really enjoying it and am now considering getting myself some tools for the house. I don't have a lot of space in my backyard, and my little 6x8 shed is already filled to the brim. Also with the weather in S. FL, I am not sure if leaving things outside is a viable option. For the time being I've decided that I would be happy with a movable setup that I can work at under a 10x10 tent that I can put up in the yard.

All that said, I am looking between two anvils currently in that "movable" category, and just wanted some help finalizing the decision. Both of them I am considering from centaurforge, as their shipping costs are pretty agreeable.

 

The anvils are:

Kanca 110 lbs. Drop Forged Double Horn Anvil

Emerson 100 lb. Traditional Anvil (without cams)

 

I have read through the site, as well as others, to try to get some kind of general consensus, but I am still left a bit torn between these. From what I can tell, they are both well enough regarded for an anvil of that size.

On the Kanca's front, the negatives seem to be the potentially small waist, and there was a long thread regarding a Kanca that was not hardened, but that was solved by both Centaur and Kanca and I assume can likely be considered a one off.

On the Emerson front, well I know CGL likes hers, and can't find many negatives, I think my only concern is the 48-50 hardness vs the Kanca's 54-62.

I will continue to go to the open forge night that I can around here as I enjoy being around other people far more experienced than I and taking in whatever knowledge I can. I know I can improvise an anvil out of plenty other objects, but going from working on a 250# Fisher at the open forge to a little chunk of metal with no horn or holes would just me.

 

I appreciate any input!

 

Edit: Meant to post this in the Anvil forum, I was going to delete it and move it, but seems I can't find the ability to do that. If any mods are able, that would be great!

Edited by Spool
Wrong Forum
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Welcome aboard Spool, glad to have you. They are both high quality anvils. The hardness problem was a quality control issue that was resolved and corrected. 

You'll need a few years experience before a few points on the RC scale will be noticeable let alone an issue. The only potential issue a RC 62 face plate poses is a higher probability of chipping from missed blows. Something the new smith WILL make more often.

Still if you radius the edges they will be more chip resistant. 

Never having used a square horn I have no opinion on that score. 

Frosty The Lucky.

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Welcome, Spool!

Both anvils are cast steel, although the Kanca's alloy is currently unknown to this forum. If you forced me to make a choice, I'd get the Kanca, since I very much like the square horn: it really helps get into some otherwise hard-to-reach areas. 

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I really appreciate the feedback all!

I am leaning toward the Kanca, I did consider Holland and Hoffman, but price and shipping cost/timing wise it is pretty hard to beat what I am seeing at centaur.

I will pick up a 2lb cross pein to go along with it, now I am deciding the best general purpose tongs and after that I get to come up with a forge solution.

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Thanks all, I've been a bit spoiled as of late because they just have whatever you need somewhere around the shop on the forge night. I'll pay a bit more attention this round and make a list.

Last is a forge, they have propane chili forges where I am learning the basics. for the time being I will probably use an old grill that I have laying around and work something together with that and chunk charcoal. After all, I got to make something myself.

No real fabrication experience in my 38 years here (though I have signed up for a intro to welding class). I will keep reading up on ribbon burners as it seems to be a good option.

I really appreciate your replies.

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xxxx, I may just order the anvil and hammer, build some sort of JABOD, and then make some simple (I am sure terrible) tongs and then progress from there, that sounds way more fun than buying all the stuff.

Edited by Mod34
Edited for inappropriate language
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I think since you've taken some classes and done some forging you would do just fine making tongs if you choose to do so. Just search for "making tongs without tongs" to get some ideas. Here's one approach I like that starts with no tongs:

I can also strongly recommend a JABOD forge! I've used mine for hundreds of hours. Once you get to know how to manage it though practice, it becomes a very capable forge.

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No worries, the tongs wouldn't be done without some guidance, yes they are more complex than the hooks and what not that I am progressing from but I'll bring it up when I go to the forge night next time.

The JABOD I am pretty excited about now that I have gotten over my original idea of just getting a propane forge. I live in the S. FL suburbs, but the neighbors should not complain too much about charcoal smell.

As for the sound, we all put up with a drummer learning in his garage for about 2 years until he went to college.

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1 hour ago, ThomasPowers said:

dehances

Since "enhance" derives ultimately from  late Latin *inaltiāre , < in- (in) + altus (high), a more etymologically accurate antonym would be "exhance". 

(And yes, I'm aware of how "dehance" evolved in the world of computer graphics.)

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I guess the last thing I will bring up here is a post vise.

I have a bench vice that may work for a some light twisting or hot rasping for the time being. I could add the Kanca post vice to my centaurforge order and at least get 10% off since it is my first order, but I read concerns about the teeth on in, and it assuredly looks far more teethy than what I have used in the shop. Not that I want to, but could I file these down a bit and have it be viable?

Being in pretty urban S. FL I am unsure of the TPAAAT concept when it comes to a post vice, as no circle that I am in outside of the forge folk really deals with anything related to hardware. Also, prices for used anvils and vises are a bit ridiculous from what I can tell, even more so compared to the prices that I am reading from the 2010's on here. Seems everyone stocked up on the $50 leg vises awhile ago.

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And nobody you run into has an uncle or a father or grandfather; how odd.  One of the most recent anvils I found was by talking with a lady in her 90's.  She had a very nice anvil in her shed that had been her Father's.  The root of the TPAAAT is finding the anvils hiding out that are not being sold by people trying to make the most money they can from their sale.  If you only ask the people who you think would have an anvil you are cutting yourself off from the majority of the hidden anvils.

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I have the 165 pound Kanca and I never notice the narrow waist issue. It has the same rebound pretty much eveywhere between the holes and is super stable. 

I really dont understand the comment.  There are a lot of narrow waisted old anvils and I have heard from the old timers around here that you dont need more that a sledge hammer head for an anvil. ??

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13 hours ago, ThomasPowers said:

And nobody you run into has an uncle or a father or grandfather; how odd. ...

Fair comment, these days with remote work 100% of the time I run in to less folk, though I could be selling myself short on potential

 

3 hours ago, Rojo Pedro said:

... I really dont understand the comment. ...

I've no opinion here it was just a reason it was discounted that I had seen prior, I am pretty 100% set on the 110 kanca at this point, now just deciding on anything to pick up or not with it in the same order.

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