How Hard Should a Good Anvil be?

[@skylerspear9044]

If the price was right, yep, I'd buy it.

[@SculptyWorks]

When are the livestreams? I have all notifications on but haven't seen one pop up yet. Can't trust KZbin to notify us of things these days! 😉

[@markfryer9880]

Buying an Anvil is like buying a welder, there is a whole lot of stuff to learn because one size does not fit all.

[@mylarhyrule3752]

Curious, could you do a video showing the advantages and disadvantages of London style vs German style anvils (I’m referring to your pro grade as London style and the accaio as German style in case I’m wrong with the nominclature.... shape not composition). Thank you very much!! Looking to upgrade my railroad track anvil and prevent anvil remorse. Also, would I buy that anvil? Depends on price... I wouldn’t pay over $75 for it I think... that face is just thrashed....

[@dwayneburbridge3283]

I have a colonial anvil just like yours. I refaced the top with hard facing rod to repair significant damage but it is a working anvil for me.

[@ka2pbo]

would absolutely buy that anvil! edges are in much better shape than mine. you could always make a pritchel plate and drift / punch over the hardy hole

[@dragonstonegemironworkscra4740]

I like the little feller. Looks serviceable enough to me. Obviously it's worked for you for some time and application. So given it was if a price point in my range. Yes I'd buy it for a traveling anvil. Thanks for sharing this with us. Anvil info is always useful. 🙏 God bless yall Roy Crawford out ⚒️🧙‍♂️

[@Bryzyk_Brooks]

I have heard that blacksmiths hammered there horns so when they ran their or their leg into it it did not hurt as bad.

[@donstephenson9474]

It was common to blunt the tip of the horn so as to not stab yourself in the leg when you ran into it. :)

[@viewsandreviews180]

Good video. I’d always heard the anvil table should be the hardest surface in a smithy. You’ve just caused me to wonder if that should be.

[@bettyjane6684]

I would be interested in knowing more about what the qualities of hardness, levelness, broken edges mean to iron work and in addition what are the benefits of different construction materials of an anvil. Thank you for your work.

[@grndragon2443]

What about reconditioning the top plate?

[@toniahampton207]

I love that anvil but I question it's hardness this is why I haven't bought an anvil yet and why I'm watching your program. T

[@BrianDaleNeeley]

I would have to say yes (assuming the price was within my budget), because it is better than what I have right now (my current options for an anvil consist of: a *tiny* anvil (it sits completely on top of a five pound sledge head I also found in the shed), a 5 - 6" piece of RR track, and a several foot length of 3 1/2" angle iron). If the surface is reasonably flat (the face of that particular anvil slopes, as opposed to say swaybacked), you could always shim one side until a spirit level shows the surface to be properly level. Another method would be to get rid of the big base on your tester and replace it with a magnet. You would still have to shim an uneven anvil, or just accept a bit of error due to the ball riding against the side of the tube.

[@glenndarilek520]

It needs to be hard enough to not dent if you miss with the hammer. No matter how good everything else is, if it dents, it is worthless. So at least some level of hardness is a buy/ don’t buy criteria.

[@tarvelsforge]

I’m semi new to blacksmithing and my anvil is literally just a giant flat rock I found up in the mountains. That being said, it’s served me well so far but I do hope to eventually get a new, metal anvil once I have the funds necessary. If the price was right, I honestly would buy that anvil, simply because it’s smaller and could work as a traveling anvil unlike my massive, primitive rock anvil..... heh.... I definetely like the look of it, but then again i literally use a rock as an anvil so maybe I just need to get myself an actual anvil and see how it works

[@mylarhyrule3752]

Crazy Tom I know I visit estate sales often and more often than you would believe I find chunks of railroad track for between $10 and $20 for a decent chunk, which should do better than a flat rock... I mounted mine to a sturdy base and have since added weight (big chains and other chunks of track) so it almost doesn’t walk on me with my 3 or 4 lb hammers (does walk a fair bit with my 8 lb sledge). It isn’t an anvil, and getting a hardy hole has been a heck of a chore, but it holds up nice!!

[@georgegriffiths2235]

Main question can you move “hot metal” 🤔on it without it chipping or denting

[@GWIRailroad]

Good advice Roy!! I would buy it, but I like old thing and display a lot of old tools. I would like two replace my Trenton anvil I work on. The surface is flat but lots of pits and pitted edges , but if I do, I am really leaning towards new. If I could buy an old one in great shape that would be my choice. A friend gave me a 227 pound Peter Wright but she has had a hard life. The surface is not flat and the edges are not in good shape. With that being said I am just happy to have the anvil I have. Wayne

As a general rule for daily measurements: 2 inches is ~5 cm (5.08) or maybe even easier to remember: 4 inches is ~10 cm (10.16)

[@matthewhathaway8622]

Does an anvil get softer over years?

[@matthewhathaway8622]

@Dhen Phu why thank you sir for the awnser id figure that, but what if it is not used? I just wonder... sorry if that kinda sounded rude because sometimes on the internet it can be read out of context

[@stanervin6108]

Yes Roy, I would buy it. Would broach the hardie hole to a more friendly 3/4" . Other than that, looks fairly good. Might dress one of the long sides with a surface grinder. You could always make a plate with d2 treated to a 50-55c Rockwell, with a suitable hardie shank welded to it.

[@richardstewart1955]

I would buy it if the funds were available. Looks to be in pretty good shape for the years of hammering it must have seen.

[@stageforgejon905]

Really depends on the price but I'm a sucker for the older blacksmithing tools. I got one similar to that one and it weighed 127 lbs for $200! The face had a really bad spot by the Hardy hole and the prichet hole! ( I know I spelled that wrong! Lol! But yeah I would buy it! But would like to have the one you are giving away this month! Keep on ⚒️ ing my friend!! God bless!!

[@rodneyhendrickson5094]

How would you anchor that one down? I like the looks of it and the sound it's not to lowed like some of them are And for what i'm wanting to do That would work great At the time Any thing would work Thank's bud

[@rodneyhendrickson5094]

Yes i would if the price was right

[@jtjones73]

I'm loving the look at and into anvils you have got going this year! As far as the old anvil in front of you, no, I wouldn't buy it.

[@mage8838]

On that size could you take it to a machine shop and have the top milled to level the top or would you lose to much metal I. The process? Or be cost prohibited?

[@KevinSmith-gh5ze]

I wouldn't. On old wrought anvils like that, the steel is usually pretty thin to start with, and, yes, cost of the anvil + machining would probably be much higher than buying a brand new anvil.

[@NjalLaing]

I would if the price was right and it was local😁 I especially like the depth of it for a small anvil. Must work well.

[@chargerdemon]

thank you for another great video. I have been looking around and found AB Legend 120lb at anvilbrand.com have you heard or used 1 and have an opinion of them ?

[@jamesbrandon8520]

Depends on price per pound

[@shadetreeforge]

Hardness does matter some, to me I would have to the ball bearing test, or at least just letting a hammer lightly bounce on it to get a "feel" for it to decide if it's a good one... As long as it's harder than a cast iron anvil, as some of us use ASO's as well as an anvil as well

[@cabandit1]

I would buy it as long as the seller did not have an inflated sense of its actual value.

[@NjalLaing]

Rebound by eyeometer is about 70%

[@richardstewart1955]

What does working HOT metal on the Anvil do to the hardness?

[@barz51]

For a decent price ($250'ish USD maximum) I would certainly pick up that anvil. A bit of wear but lots of life left. Plus it's really old and the history of old tools appeals to me sometimes beyond the actual usefulness.

[@danielcrawford7315]

Right! Great content...best reason to sub. Got so many videos in his reportua....you can find one on might near anything

[@tobystout7363]

Other than knives, lol.

[@danielcrawford7315]

@@tobystout7363 lol yup I reckon that is perzactly right. He dont do sharp pointy flat things

[@Redtailedhawk99]

Can you bake that Amazon 66 lb anvil and harden it any better?

[@lmt200ish]

Wasn't it already between 50 and 55 rockwell?

[@Redtailedhawk99]

lmt200 I don’t know is that the best we can make it though? I mean usually you can heat treat things like that and at least harden them a little more?

[@lmt200ish]

@@Redtailedhawk99 Yes you could make it harder but it sounded like if you go to high it, could chip from being to brittle. I have just started watching videos 4 or 5 days to purchase my first anvil so don't go by anything I say.

[@stoneinthefield1]

If you are just starting use anything...fork lift fork, sledgehammer head etc. as an anvil. Start somewhere and learn. Our ancestors used inferior anvils like rocks and stump anvils to make amazing tools. Work up to that Ferrari anvil. In due time.

[@masonmp1889]

its a good anvil but im buying a new TFS 70 pounder

[@jamysmith7891]

The Hammer should be softer than the Anvil is my theory

[@NeilGraham.I.M.F]

Keep em comen

[@bentoombs]

Oh yeah!! I beat Jared. First

[@dragonstonegemironworkscra4740]

Mee too cuz it wouldn't load fast enough. LMBO. Ben's no1

[@bentoombs]

@@dragonstonegemironworkscra4740 lol wait Moss said I was a number 2... Sorry I jumped the gun. I'll trade tickets with you sir

[@dragonstonegemironworkscra4740]

@@bentoombs lol he's just jelly cuz the girls like you better. Bwahahaha bwahahaha

[@bentoombs]

@@dragonstonegemironworkscra4740 Dan is the girl. Lol My wife said so, and both daughters. Lol

[@NickVanLeuven]

I'd buy that anvil for the right price. I would not buy it for the ridiculous prices I see at my local antique stores. People are charging $1500-$2000 for a small anvil like the one shown in this video. Must have a gold nugget hidden somewhere in there. I don't get it.

[@putteslaintxtbks5166]

If one wanted to and has the skill, could weld on a new face on an old anvil with new steel plate.

[@brysonalden5414]

Based on what I'm seeing so far in the video, no, I wouldn't buy it. I made my first anvil out of A36 plate, and while it would dent if I missed (which of course I NEVER do!) I can resurface it easily with a flap disk. Not so with this one in the video.

[@bryanduke1973]

Continental United States when you said 48 states i had a flashback to Obama visiting 57 states

[@willlothridge3197]

Looks sway backed, so no I wouldn’t

[@jdgower1]

If you want a really hard anvil, get one made of diamond or glass. Those are really hard, but pretty much useless... If you want a really resilient anvil, get one made of copper or brass or aluminum. They won't usually chip, but they are still just as useless. When you are banging a heat-softened metal against another metal surface, what you want is toughness WAY more than hardness. I'm surprised that this is even a question for people who actually know what forging is.

[@Jbrimbelibap]

Christ à centré ferronerie forge pour le forgeage des métaux, this is your youtube name in French, it makes my eyes bleed, please, don't let youtube traduct your name.