Sources of big thick hardened steel for making anvils

[My_Teenage_Self]

I've never understood why people especially in the USA wrap chain s round their anvils to deaden the noise & response .
It means there is no resonance so the hammer blow is a dead weight smash rather than a number of micro vibrations which kind of shot pene the steel or iron being forged & makes it stronger IMO.

If it's being hot forged, it really won't have any effect on the steel being worked.

My Anvil is set on a steel legged (sand filled) tripod and set on a bed of caulk. If you actually use an anvil (as Hotponyshoes obviously does) getting rid of the ring is priority number 1. Mine doesn't ring any more, it 'thunks', and peter wrights are pretty 'loud' anvils.

 

[Morrisman]

I remember the very first time I saw an anvil, in the hot work bay at college. I had a 1lb ball pein hammer in my hand, so I thought the obvious thing to do is give this anvil a clout. No problem there, I can’t break anything, can I…..

A reasonable whack with the hammer, and it rebounded like some steel power ball, flinging the hammer, and my arm, over backwards, and the hammer just tapping the top of a guy’s head who was stood behind me…..

Luckily it had all but stopped moving when it reached his skull or it could have been nasty.

It scared the living bejesus out of me though, totally unexpected reaction from the hammer, and the anvil.