Anvils???

[jaxs]

An oxy-fuel torch and grinder can fashion a passable horn on railroad track. If confidence or equipment is lacking, take it to a metal fab shop.

 

[Mat4644]

Here's my two. Given to me and I clamp on a 18 inch I beam section to use. Look at the nice job he did on the horn.

Many of you have heard this common saying about railroad iron anvils.

Well.as they say, it's as good as a real anvil, if you haven't used a real anvil. But, truthfully, I have, and I can say that it is nearly as good.

 

[Big Barn]

Here's my two. Given to me and I clamp on a 18 inch I beam section to use. Look at the nice job he did on the horn.

Many of you have heard this common saying about railroad iron anvils.

Well.as they say, it's as good as a real anvil, if you haven't used a real anvil. But, truthfully, I have, and I can say that it is nearly as good.

View attachment 667399

I met an aerospace engineer just yesterday. He made an anvil out of RR track and was surprised the top surface had been work hardened to a depth of one inch!

He was able to cut most of the way through with an abrasive cut off wheel and then smacked it with a large sledge hammer. He says it broke clean.

 

[Big Barn]

Here are my anvils

A 295 pound Peter Wright




and a 200 pound John Brooks


A little made in England Record


And modern 65 pounder of unknown origin that was gifted to me from a couple of brothers who own a local scrap yard. Surprisingly good quality with 95 percent rebound.

 

[Mat4644]

Here's a 1,000 pound one on Ohio Craig's list.

 

[ArlyA]

Rails made into anvils. There must be more than 50 steel mills that have made rails over the past 150 years. With that variety of mills and age, we can't expect them to be the same in fact, steel making technology has really improved over those years. I'd suggest using the most modern rails you can find and the heaviest. Like 100lb rail as a minim but 140 would be my choice. Of course what you find in junk yards would be on the lighter and older side.

 

[m7040]

15 or more years ago I picked up a Hay budden 250 lbs anvil from a hardware /machine shop over the state line in PA that was going out of business. The shop had been in operation way back in time and was full of old tools and hardware. The anvil is in perfect shape with only a nick on the horn from a chisel. Based on the stamping it dates back to late 1800's. Also picked up a ring anvil and a large block with shapes in for forming.

 

[Big Barn]

Also picked up a ring anvil and a large block with shapes in for forming.

A swage (or swedge) block! Cool.

I have a couple 200 pounders.

 

[m7040]

I the 1950's I worked for a blacksmith shop in a rural area of Denmark partly in the blacksmith shop and partly repairing tractors and trucks. There were 3 of us kids learning the trade. Started at 15 and finished after 4 years. There was the old master blacksmith and a journeyman blacksmith working this full time. There were no forging machines back then but he lined up the kids around the heavy forgings with sledge hammers and he would set the tempo with his regular hammer and we had to keep up with the sledges in turn

 

[Big Barn]

I the 1950's I worked for a blacksmith shop in a rural area of Denmark partly in the blacksmith shop and partly repairing tractors and trucks. There were 3 of us kids learning the trade. Started at 15 and finished after 4 years. There was the old master blacksmith and a journeyman blacksmith working this full time. There were no forging machines back then but he lined up the kids around the heavy forgings with sledge hammers and he would set the tempo with his regular hammer and we had to keep up with the sledges in turn

What a great story!