Cast steel anvil?

[woodchucker]

OK, Watched the video (also the previous videos). They definitely left some dents in the anvil face and chipped edge as well. I'm afaraid I like my anvil too much to try this experiment on mine and it is definitely over the top regarding abuse. A Rockwell hardness test would be enlightening. If don, it should also be done on competitive anvils to mean anything though. Some of the marketing literature for anvils claim an Rc of up to 62 on medium carbon steel anvils. From what I have seen, medium carbon steel like 4140 tops out at around 38 Rc.

if you watched the first videos that I and jwmay referenced from Christ centered iron works he does a hardness test.

Cast steel anvil?

I'd like to have a smallish anvil. I've been looking for a decent used one for a long time. I've been using a piece of RR track, even considered modifying the RR tack. That doesn't look like a winner. Got better things to do at this age (nap?) I've seen this one, Vevor cast steel 88#s. "Premium...

www.hobby-machinist.com

 

[G-ManBart]

Almost all the videos I watched used hardness files.

We finally found my limit though. I don’t care if there’s a dead cat in the middle of my anvil. I don’t have any interest in testing hardness, or x rays, or core samples. Lol

Everyone who made a video sort of reluctantly admits the Vevor, and the Doyle are as good as any other according to their experience, which you can watch. Hard to fake intentionally striking the edge of the anvil with a 5 pound sledge.
Is anybody even watching these videos I keep linking? The responses seem to say no. Lol

I've watched a couple of the videos. From the file tests I've seen it's been something like "it's somewhere between 55 and 58 Rockwell" which isn't really an answer as the scale isn't linear. I would actually be a bit surprised if they were 55 or harder considering many quality anvils aren't that high. For example, Holland anvils claim 53-55 and they're a U.S. manufacturer with a lot of experience casting steel. It's certainly possible they're 55+ but I doubt it.

Having used soft anvils up to the probably the hardest anvils of all time I definitely feel a difference, although that is most obvious on bigger work and/or tool steel and alloy steel. Start hammering on something like 52100 (ball bearing steel) and the difference becomes obvious. I'll take the harder anvil every day. I've actually had friends try the Refflinghaus pictured above and they will literally hit the work a couple of times, stop and look at me....then usually say "wow" or something not family-friendly.

Hitting the edge of an anvil with a sledge and having it dent, rather than chip, suggest it's not terribly hard.

Again, I'm not bashing the HF anvil and really might buy one, but it would still be interesting to know what steel they use and have have someone do a proper Rockwell test on one.

 

[G-ManBart]

I actually have a very old, portable forge that used coal and a hand cranked blower. I've never used it, and forging quality coal is expensive to buy and even more expensive to ship. But it might be fun to try. Maybe with BBQ briquets?

You could do that, but you can also get anthracite coal from Tractor Supply....$13 for a 40lb bag. It's not as nice as bituminous coal, but it gets the job done.

 

[RJSakowski]

I actually have a very old, portable forge that used coal and a hand cranked blower. I've never used it, and forging quality coal is expensive to buy and even more expensive to ship. But it might be fun to try. Maybe with BBQ briquets?

I tried charcoal briquets. I didn't like them they a re made from compressed sawdust and when you blow air over them, they shoot out lots of little sparklers. Charcoal is an excellent fuel though if you can find any made from wood chunks. In absence of a source of coal, it wouldn't be too difficult to set up a production process. I heat with a wood furnace and if I fill 5he furnace with hardwood, I will often have a bed of charcoal in the morning. If I were the repeat this process every day, I could conceivably make several hundred lbs. of charcoal in a week.

I can be picky because I still have over a ton of low sulfur bituminous coal. My ex was a blacksmith and farrier and over a period of fifteen years was having semi loads of coal brought in which she bagged up in 100 lb. lots and sold to regional blacksmiths and farriers. The ton of coal was left behind when she moved.

Anthracite is actually not the preferred coal for smithing. Low sulfur bituminous coal is the fuel of choice. She had coal shipped in from Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, and South Dakota, always getting a 100 lb bag as a sample first. I also have about 100 lbs of coked coal which burns clean as all the volatiles are gone.

 

[Larry$]

Tractor Supply....$13 for a 40lb bag. It's not as nice as bituminous coal, but it gets the job

Thanks, I'll give that a try. I've got no clue what I'm doing, YouTube U!