Old timer told me to heat my anvil face with a torch before heavy work

I thought he was crazy but tried it last week on a 2 inch diameter bar. The metal moved so much easier and my hammer rebounds felt totally different. Anybody else do this or is it just an old wives tale?

3 comments

3 Comments

brianreed1mo ago

Heating the anvil face is missing the point. The old timer probably meant heat the anvil block or stand, not the actual face. You heat the mass underneath so it doesn't suck all the heat out of your workpiece. I've seen guys put a torch to the anvil body near the horn, let it soak for five minutes. That's the trick. A cold anvil will pull heat right out of a 2 inch bar before you even get a good swing in. Try it on the body next time, not the face itself.

vera1951mo ago

Yeah but you gotta watch it or you'll mess up the temper on the whole anvil.

alicecraig1mo ago

Huh, so just heat the body near the horn? Gonna try that this weekend for sure.