Well first I'd like to say that after over 2 months, I am back on. Now, to my question. I have found a rusted up, very old 40# stake anvil that I am hoping to buy. Now it is rough, but I think I could get it to be a decent bladesmith anvil. It was looking great until I touched the grinder to see what kind of steel it is. It sparked like old cast iron, but nothing else about it seemed cast. First, it actually rebounds quite well, even with just the bottom of the stake resting on the floor. Second, when hit on the side, it will ring. Third, it seems quite hard, and tough to dent. Finally, it has a saddle back, which seems odd, seeing as any cast anvil I have seen would crack before it took that kind of use. So, here sits an anvil that sparks like cast iron, but everything else seems like steel, not even any porosity. What I am wondering is could this be a good anvil, or would it be a door stop. It sure seems old enough to be something like hardened ductile iron, but I just don't know enough about anvils to tell. Knowing this, what do you think I should offer (if anything). If anyone wants, I can post pictures.
