Just starting out, anvil questions

[leejohnd]

Hey guys,

My names John, just your average college student with a fascination with weapons of every nature. I'm finally out of my old apartment and into a normal house, with a big yard! I want to try my hand at forging. I have made a couple of knives out of files, but I wasn't able to get fancy with them because I didn't have a good way to heat them up. I am going to make a forge soon, but I was wondering how you guys got your anvils? I have been looking on **** and craigslist, but my choices are slim and crazy expensive. I'm on a college budget, so I can't afford to drop 400 on an anvil. I'm wondering if there are any true alternatives to anvils, or a way to make one at home?

Also, while I'm at it, my roommate Lauren had a steel drum that looks kinda old. Its not too rusted but they punched a few holes in the bottom and side at the base, to vent it for fires. I have a few random ideas on how to use it as a forge, but those are just guesses on what could work.   :D   I want to see what you guys have to say.  

Thanks in advance,

JL

[Lamey]

Go to your local scrap yard, look around, you would be surprised at what you may find.  In a pinch a piece of railroad track can work for a while.

[leejohnd]

Thanks! I didn't even consider that, although I'm not sure if there is one near me. I'd still love to hear what others think.

[gudspelr]

There's a scrap/recycling yard near me that has several old fork lift forks.  If you got a few sections of those and put them together, you have an anvil.  The first anvil I hammered on was a friend's and was I think around 5"x5" of mild steel.  It was a few feet long though and held upright.  If you can get something with mass under where you're hammering, life will be better.  There are a lot of things in this hobby that are ideal and may make things a bit easier, but equally as many or more things that will work.  A little creativity and you'll be able to find something to work for the time being.  Be careful, though-it's all kinds of addictive....   .


Jeremy

[leejohnd]

Thanks, I kinda figured I could use some random hunk of metal. Just wanted to hear it from someone else! haha. I'm sure I will get a real one later on, but I want to make sure I'm any good first    

[Bladepeek]

Get ahold of Wayne Goddard's book "The $50 Knife Shop" (or something very close to that) at a bookstore or library. He has some suggestions in there and shows a couple that he got on the cheap. I think one was a massive hunk of steel from a railroad coupling. A blacksmith kind of needs a real anvil to accommodate all the different shapes of metal work he does. I think knifemakers can get by, if they need to, with just a big block of steel. Needs and wants are sometimes different    

I got lucky and found a used anvil cheap that, while not a "big name", is decent for my purposes. Truth be told, though, I never really use anything but the flat top surface and edges.

[leejohnd]

Thanks for the referral. I'll take a look at it.