Anvils. Does size really matter?

[KING]

 

[Charles R. Stevens]

As long as it’s larger than the stock and at least as big as the hammer. 

[ThomasPowers]

King; did you do a browser search on Anvil Size site:iforgeiron.com ?    I got 4480 hits, we have discussed this topic a time or two before!  Can you share with us what you thought this video added to the discussion?  I think adding a good discussion of improvised anvils to that video would help new people getting started.  After all I can get an 80# solid steel block improvised anvil for US$16.

[Frosty]

King: The above video is an excellent example of why Youtube is such a poor place to learn a new craft. Without some basic knowledge you can't tell good videos from ones like the one posted above. For example they when the fellow says you can't do jewelry work on his large anvil he's actually saying HE can't do jewelry scale work on it. Probably doesn't know how. 

Stick with us, we'll get you going.

Frosty The Lucky.

[Goods]

Yeah, I was not very impressed with his video. I tried a couple more, but won’t waist time on his channel again. Poor quality, questionable information, and didn’t make up for it with entertainment value…

[Irondragon Forge ClayWorks]

I wasn't impressed with his statement an anvil should be perfectly flat with sharp edges. It's easier to do small work on a large anvil than it is to do large work on a small anvil.

[George N. M.]

I agree with everything said above.  The only time you really need a BIG anvil is when you are doing BIG work, often with a crew of strikers.  You can do small work on a large anvil very easily.  You just have a lot of area that you are not using.  I also disagree with the dead flat anvil face and sharp edges.  Sharp edges often do more inadvertent damage than they help.

We've had discussions of the physics of rebound force from the anvil and IIRC the consensus is that any rebound force from the anvil is minimal to the point that you probably cannot notice it.  This is if you have a reasonable amount of steel under the hammer.  You can feel the differece using a piece of rail road rail if you strike it on end with lots of steel under the blow than if you have it set up with the top of the rail uppermost.  However I cannot tell the difference between a medium or large anvil as far as rebound or ease of working is concerned.

IMO the best anvil for a 1 person shop which will allow you to do almost all work and can still be moved around without powered equipment is probably 150-250 pounds.

"By hammer and hand all arts do stand."