Flattering anvil

[Yamo_Cruz]

I have a colonial anvil but it is somewhat damaged. I would like to make the top surface flat, fix the edges and make the horn point... how do I do it?

[JHCC]

Generally speaking, "fixing" an anvil can leave it in worse shape than when you started. Some photos would help; often, anvils that seem "damaged" are actually in fine shape and perfectly usable.

Oh, wait a minute -- that's for flattening an anvil. If you want to flatter an anvil, just tell it a lot of nice things about itself.

[Irondragon Forge ClayWorks]

Welcome back Yamo. Is this the anvil you would like to "restore"?

https://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/68643-help-to-identify/#comment-746808

I would think twice about doing that unless you can use this method. It is very expensive and takes an experienced welder. Anything else will probably ruin it and in my opinion it is very usable as is.

Anvil Restoration

BTW: If you edit your profile to show your location as Puerto Rico, you may be surprised that we have some members there.

 

[George N. M.]

As previously said, trying to "fix" an anvil unless you are very skilled or have access to those skills is generally a BAD idea.  You are much more likely to turn a usable anvil into a piece of junk only suitable for an anchor or door stop.  If your anvil is the one shown in the previous thread it does NOT need repair.  It is a bit swaybacked from a couple centuries of use but is perfectly usable as it is.  Most of us would be glad to have it in our shops and put it to use just as it is.

My suggestion is that you use it as is and be proud of its history and that you are working on something that generations of smiths have used.  Let their legacy inspore you.

Frankly, I think that you will do better work on this anivil which has been "broken in" than you would with a brand new one.

"By hammer and hand all arts do stand."

[natkova]

You will just temper and ruin it.

 

I saw vidoe od essential craftsman on YouTube when sometimes you just can't repair anvil.

[Yamo_Cruz]

  this is the anvil 

13 hours ago, JHCC said:

Generally speaking, "fixing" an anvil can leave it in worse shape than when you started. Some photos would help; often, anvils that seem "damaged" are actually in fine shape and perfectly usable.

Oh, wait a minute -- that's for flattening an anvil. If you want to flatter an anvil, just tell it a lot of nice things about itself.

The top of the anvil is not flat

[Jobtiel1]

Why do you need a flat anvil face? is there any specific thing you want to forge that needs the flat face? what problems have you encountered during forging because the face was not flat?

~Jobtiel

[Yamo_Cruz]

9 hours ago, George N. M. said:

As previously said, trying to "fix" an anvil unless you are very skilled or have access to those skills is generally a BAD idea.  You are much more likely to turn a usable anvil into a piece of junk only suitable for an anchor or door stop.

That is the anvil.

 

2 hours ago, Jobtiel1 said:

Why do you need a flat anvil face? is there any specific thing you want to forge that needs the flat face? what problems have you encountered during forging because the face was not flat?

Knife making

[Jobtiel1]

You don't need a flat anvil face to have a usable anvil. Have you encountered a problem where you thought "If my anvil were flat this would not be an issue"? And if so, what? you might think you need a flat face but for most operations, nearly all actually, this is not needed. there are other options as well where you would not need to mess with the anvil and potentially ruin it and still do everything you need to do.

~Jobtiel

[Yamo_Cruz]

I am not an expert forger, in fact I have only been here for a short time and I want to learn the art of knife making, the only problem I have found when forging is that it does not fit straight, I take the blade a little, and how I see these great forgers with their anvils flat I think that by fixing it I could make something flat

Edited October 26, 2022 by Mod34
Removed unnecessary quote

[Rojo Pedro]

That looks like a very nice old anvil. I would do nothing but use it as is. With experience you will find yourself using the sways and imperfections to your advantage. 

[Frosty]

Forging flat stock like a knife blade flat is a matter of skill, not the anvil face. Within reason of course. Once you have the profile and cheeks forged use a wooden mallet to flatten the blade and always strike crown up. "Crown up" means a curved piece is touching the anvil at the ends with the gap in the center. This supports the ends when you tap the center down. A wooden mallet only bends the piece without changing thickness (forging) it. 

If you try straightening a piece crown Down like a rocking chair, when you strike one end the piece will bend at the hammer strike point and the tongs. It's a lot more unpredictable. 

Your anvil is perfectly usable as she sits, there are plenty of different radius on the edges which is VERY helpful for many different processes and the face appears clean of dings. I'd mount and put it to use as is.

If you find you do need a flat face or sharper edges it's easy to make a bottom tool from a piece of flat stock with a shank to fit your hardy hole welded on. Same thing if you need a sharply pointed mandrel cone, bic (pointed horn). Forge & grind one and forge or weld a square hardy hole shank. Lots of possibilities to minimize forging and grinding too, say use an alignment spike, the ones used to line up rivet / bolt holes building steel structures. You see them at pawn / second hand shops pretty frequently.

To fatten your anvil face would almost certainly require grinding through the hardened face and severely damage or ruin it. Please don't.

Frosty The Lucky.

[anvil]

Altho all the advice above is good and should be considered, using a "new" or properly restored anvil is a real joy and will be a usable treasure for those who use it over the next hundred years. 

To have a welding shop do it is pretty expensive, but if you have the equipment given in the post above about repairing an anvil, with due diligence on your part its very doable and less expensive than a new anvil. If you have the proper rod, and follow the instructions, you can't lose. 

So the real deal is check the price of rod and equipment you may need and decide if its worth it to you. It was for me and having a refaced anvil has been a real joy. 

As far as a wooden hammer, its good advice and many do use them. However, its not needed. Just learn a bit of hammer control, which is what its all about. Like Frosty said, crown up and hit it enough so you only straighten the high spot, and not hard enough to thin it out. If you ever happen to see a farrier shape a shoe, hot or cold, you will see what I mean.

Have fun.

[natkova]

I tried to fix my new bought tongs and i ruined them a bit.
V bit tongs they are usefull but not as they were.
So my cooworker said and i remembered until this day, she said" Dont repair what is not broken".

[Rojo Pedro]

Anvil is right about a new anvil being a treasure to own and use. Depending on what you are intending to do a smaller new one might not break your bank.

[Frosty]

Bummer Nat. The American version of your coworker's wisdom is, "If it ain't broke don't fix it." The blacksmith version is, "If it ain't broke we'll fix it till it is."

Frosty The Lucky.

[ThomasPowers]

Most bladesmithing does not need a flat face on the anvil.  For that which does---have you looked for a large chunk of steel with at least one flat surface?

[Irondragon Forge ClayWorks]

On 10/26/2022 at 7:26 AM, Yamo_Cruz said:

I could make something flat

Do you have any heavy equipment repair shops near you? Bulldozers, tractors, graders etc. are made from anvils. This one a counter weight came from a dozer, weighs 110 pounds and cost me $35 U.S.

[Yamo_Cruz]

58 minutes ago, ThomasPowers said:

Most bladesmithing does not need a flat face on the anvil.  For that which does---have you looked for a large chunk of steel with at least one flat surface?

Not yet

[anvil]

Something to consider when forging knives,,, especially knives,,, is that every blemish on your anvil face will be forged into your knife that will have to be removed by filing or sanding.

[eseemann]

On 10/28/2022 at 12:36 PM, Irondragon ForgeClay Works said:

counter weight came from a dozer

I had worried that the counter weights would be cast iron. Is that cast iron or steel?

[Irondragon Forge ClayWorks]

It is steel.