help finding an anvil

[MixonKnives]

Well I've been searcing for a piece of steel to use as a Lively style anvil. I've searched in my local steel yard 3 or 4 times and haven't been able to find anything useable.

I was wondering if any here would know where to find them?

Let me know,
and thanx,
Michael

[AwP]

Look for large axle shafts. They are usually good steel, and if it's big enough around then it'll make a great anvil. It wouldn't be the same as Tim Livelys though, he uses mild steel, but it'd work at least just as well if not better. Honestly I think mild steel anvils are inferior to a higher carbon hardened steel, though when you're Tim Lively you can use a rubber mallet and a wooden anvil and still make great stuff. It's the skill, not the equipment, that makes quality blades.

[Sweany]

Where are you and how big a piece do you want?

[Dana Acker]

Personally, I prefer a piece of Rail Road rail, as opposed to a cylinder type. Sometimes there's an advantage to having a long, flat, surface on which to hammer, also you can round one edge to use as a fuller and grind the other to a sharp right angle for cutting purposes. And, it's a whole lot easier to find. Of course while just about anything can serve as an anvil, there's just nothing like using a real, well made anvil. But if you don't have one, my vote would be RR rail as the closest substitute. Just my opinion.

[MixonKnives]

Originally Posted by Sweany

Where are you and how big a piece do you want?

Im in North Texas Sweany. And I think I'd be realy happy with like a 4x4 or 4x5 piece. And long enough to make it heavy enough for forging.

If i can't find one I'll use some Rail Road Rail. I have a piece about 8-10 inches in length, but its gonna take alot of grinding. I need to figure out if its mild, or high carbon. And if its high carbon, is it currently hardened. If so i'll have to anneal it before I can start grinding on it. I was looking at it the other day and in order to get a flat forging surface I'll have to grind off at least 3/8" off the surface.

Well I may just start with the RR and see how it goes, but I'll always be on the lookout for a square type like used in his video.

Thanx for your help guys,

Michael

[Sweany]

Michael , to identify the piece you have scoot a file across it and compare the cut to one on mild steel. if it doesn't cut much it may be hardened.

To check for hardenability, heat and quench a small corner, see if the file will bite, if the file won't bite it's hardenable.

I have a 6" round 11" long that came out of a hydraluic cylinder, one end about 3-1/2" long. It is case hardened but not on the ends. weighs about 60- lbs.

Then I have a 4" square 11" long. I suspect it is mild steel.

Wanna Swap

Oh yeah I got a line on some RR car axles, but haven't been to the place yet. They would require takeing to a machine shop and getting them square cut.

[mstu]

From what I have heard the RR rails are usually close to 1080 and the tops are often work hardened quite a bit by the trains but an angle grinder won't mind even if it is hardened. If you have a square end, hammer on it. It's small but track seems to give a better hammer rebound that way than on the long side. I have two pieces of track that I have used over the years and I find they are hard to go back to after using a real anvil, I really notice the difference now. Must be that Newton's third law in action. Larry Harley was selling some large blocks of steel at the hammerin this past spring, they looked good to me, does anyone who took one home have a comment?

[Sweany]

RR ANVIL
scroll down to #45 pretty nifty RR anvil

[MixonKnives]

sweany, the 4x4x11 sounds awsome. how you wanna go about it?

email me
mixonknives@yahoo.com