I wouldn't buy a cast iron anvil personally. They tend to be junk. They are brittle and chip very easily and definitely aren't suitable for normal use.
China has really flooded the North American market with junk anvils. Think about it, an anvil is something you use to hammer metal against, to bend or flatten. There are two basic ways to form an anvil; casting or forging. Casting involves pouring melted liquid metal into a mold while forging involves hammering hot steel into shape. It seems obvious a forged anvil would be more durable to being hammered. A more detailed comparison between cast and forged can be found here.
Benefits of Forging vs Casting of Blacksmiths Anvils and Tools...
I would suggest looking for an used anvil (look for anvils made in England) or even a short length of railway track (always forged). Here's a good guide to buying an used anvil
Anvils 2 Advise on buying used blacksmith anvils anvilfire com FAQ
Note: when shopping for an anvil always take a small hammer, a quick test for the quality of a used anvil is to tap the anvil with the hammer, the hammer should spring back and produce a clear bell-like ring. A cracked, defective anvil will not produce a clear tone. One of the best blacksmith websites is Anvilfire
What is Blacksmithing
165 views
Usually answered in minutes!
×