my cheapo set up

[tomh]

here are a couple pics of my cheapo forging set up.
my forge is just a hollowed out firebrick with a propane torch stuck in the side, a la Wayne Goddard's book. It works fine with little blades but is not enough for anything over about 4 inches of blade length.

 

I am collecting all the parts to build a better venturi type forge with a pyrometer readout so I know how hot everything is.

Here is my 100 year old trenton anvil. which was not cheap. anvil collectors seem to have scarfed up all the good ones and I paid $250 for a 125# farriers anvil with no good edges. It is dead flat though with great rebound. It is cast iron with a hard steel face. If I get motivated enough I might look for a shop that can face it off for me and take it down to where I have good edges. Which would be almost a quarter inch, and that would probably cost a lot...

 

and finally here what I was banging away on today. which was way too big for my little forge but I am stubborn or dumb one, and I felt like doing it, so I did!

 

[Lin Rhea]

Tom,
     I hope I'm not out of line, but I would leave the anvil like it is. Here's why I say that. I bought a new anvil with sharp corners and ended up rounding some of it with a side grinder. Your anvil is in better shape than some of those at the bladesmithing school. It's the perfect size for bladesmithing. I have one very similar. Of course, you should do what you want to. It's just a suggestion.
     I noticed you had all the bases covered right down to the magnet. It looks like your setup works well. Keep it up. Lin

[tomh]

Lin you are never out of line, I am all ears on advice from experienced smiths! Thanks for letting me know about the edges

[theunluckyhunter]

looking good amigo. if i can ever find an anvil for a decent price im gonna have to give it a whirl

[beaver#1]

yah im still using the big ol' rail road iron.  work pretty good though so i cant complain

[Lin Rhea]

Tom,
      One more thing. If you need some sharp edges to work with, you can make or have made a hardy to use it's sharp edge. You can have it made to fit your hardy hole and "borrow" the mass from the main anvil.
                              Lin

[Jeremy]

I agree completely with Lin.  The edges on that anvil aren't bad at all.

The mini forges are a great (read: cheap and easy) way to get started in bladesmithing.  I still use mine.  I added a second torch and find that way I can work up to a 5" blade without a problem.

[tomh]

Lin, look on my anvil stump there is a little square hardy tool there, but I have found there is not enough mass in my anvil to utilize it much. Maybe once I have a permanent home for my set up and bolt the anvil down it will be better.

I am  wearing that little forge out!

Thanks for the comments guys.

[tippit]

Tom, Hope I not forging in on Lin     But a hardy is anything you put in the square hole on your anvil.  Here is a hardy that has four different radius edges from 90% to more rounded.  You can use this instead of your anvil edge that may be chewed up...tippit

 

 
 

[tomh]

thanks tippit. I never thought of radiusing the edges like that. cool!

[Lin Rhea]

That's a handy little tool tere Jeff. I have one exactly like it. That's the tool I was talking about earlier. Good deal.    Lin