Knifemaking is one of the predominant creative pursuits one can have in their free time. Although, it may seem easy until you have the wrong equipment for the job.
Apart from the good base materials, the anvil size plays a huge role in knife making, which you shouldn’t neglect.
What size anvil for knife making? The rule of thumb is to use at least 100-200 pounds heavy anvil for knife making. It should have a flat face and sturdy enough to rebound the hammer’s pounding.
Honestly, compared to other types of metal forging work, making a knife requires a lot less effort. The same goes for the tool implementation. But people who are new to knife making don’t feel confident due to lack of information.
As I said earlier, 100-200 lb anvil is the bare minimum for bladesmithing. The main reason for going with this weight range is the resistance: the higher the weight, the better the resistance level.
Check the resistance level by dropping a steel ball on the anvil. If it bounces back as high as the starting point, it’s a good knife making anvil.
Anything near to the surface suggests the anvil has a quality issue. That’s what happens when you buy tempered steel or cast iron anvil.
Generally, a forged steel anvil will give you the best performance and will last for a lifetime. Even if you don’t find a solid steel anvil, buy an iron and steel composite anvil with steel on the face and iron in the bottom part. This offers similar rigidity at an affordable price.
That said, whether you are a part-time or full-time knifemaker, a great anvil will always give you an exhilarating sensation with every stump of a hammer.
What size anvil for blacksmithing?
Blacksmithing involves a lot of different metal forming work. The level of work you do and the tools you use can set a range of anvil for the particular task. But the general rule of selecting blacksmithing anvils apart from strength will always be the bigger, the better.
Unfortunately, not many of us have the proper real estate in the shop to place the hunk of steel in peace, nor is it cheap.
The good news is, getting into blacksmithing doesn’t require you to get the biggest anvil from the get-go. Instead, you could review the work you will do with the anvil and choose accordingly.
For example, a 3 by 10-inch face anvil should be sufficient for your most blacksmithing work, which would be around 100 to 200 pounds. But, if you want versatility, know that other blacksmithing anvils can exceed the 500 pounds mark with a hefty price tag.
What anvil is used on Forged in fire?
Forged in fire is a popular American TV show that showcases the bladesmithing skill of four contestants. At the end of the contest, one participant with the highest score walks away with $10,000 prize money.
If you have seen the competition, you might be wondering what type of anvil they have used in the show. For your information, they have used the London style Blacksmithing anvil and European style Farrier anvil from Emerson for most standpointing contests.
Can you make your own anvil?
Good anvils are hard to find due to their forged steel construction. Even if you found a cheap anvil out of Craigslist, chances are those cast iron anvils will chip-off easily with a few times of use.
That begs the question, can you make a decent Anvil for your work?
Technically you can. Though you have to have proper materials and the preconception of work you will do with it. A portion of the Railroad track, if you can find it diligently, can be an excellent substitute for the manufactured Anvil.
Similarly, A big block of steel from a metal factory or scrap yard can also quench your thirst for homemade Anvil. Just remember your steel bar should have a flat face and at least 40 to 50 times heavier than the tools you will be using.
For features like Hardie holes and pritchel holes, you can weld steel chuck and round bar so you can bend your workpiece.
How much does an anvil cost?
Depending on the construction material and the weight, the price of an anvil can vary from $100- $1500. Following that, most brand new Anvil prices are around $7-$10 per pound.
If you are looking for a more affordable used anvil option, that too can cost you from $3-$7.
Why are anvils so expensive?
The main reason anvils are so expensive is because they are rare. It’s easy to find cheap cast iron anvil, which may break under heavy beating.
But, good anvils you see professional use are of forged or cast steel. From an economic standpoint, that’s a costly manufacturing process, not to mention the material sourcing.