Thanks for your comments. I don't have access to a harbor freight here in Australia but i will keep looking for a cheap anvil. I have taken your advice and have watched many you tube video's. I see you point on how so many people do thing differently Thanks Again
Do you have any ideas on alternatives to anvils for someone wanting to start out on a tight budget. i have seen forklift tongs used, railway line, steel hard faced, what can you recommend as a place to start.
@Hornbag73 ok anything large enough with a flat surface can be used as an anvil. in a pinc ive used larrg rocks hardwood stumps steel i beam whatever i could find. you will get better results from a real anvil with a hard flat face but use what ever you can get your hande on try looking in junkyards or metal scrap yards also harbor freight has a low cost 55 lb anvil not the best but i use 1 in my portable rig.
@patrinrom I wouldn't recommend habour freight. Their anvils are cast iron which means that they are soft and brittle and will break if used regularly. I think the best way for a started is a railroad track.
@Ginyru unless you get a written statment of sale from the railroad it is ilegal to have a piece of track. I am 3rd generation railroad family. Now I know lots of ppl have them and I dont ever call them on it, use what you can get, but still I do several public shows if all it takes is ! person to get a bug up thier b**t to ruin your day. also RR track is not hardned so u need to do that and grind the surface flat. Harbor freight used to sell a cast steel anvil out of russia just recently stoped
tongs are fun. I enjoy making them. But truth be told, vice grips have replaced 90% of them and do a better job. (unless you have to reach way back in the fire)
Other blacksmiths get indignant and scowl at me when I say this...lol
@ThePhantomBlacksmith ...hi, im a blacksmith in ireland, no disrespect meant, but vicegrips are not good, cause too many marks on your work and grip un-efficiently. tings can be made to hold all sections, the most basic tongs being, square hollow bit, wolf jaw and flat bit. you can hold all stock with variations of these tongs in size and shape. i know many blacksmiths personally around 80, none use vice grips for a good reason. anyways, sorry for sounding rude, but just thought id say :-)
@ThePhantomBlacksmith i mostly use em for plate and large odd items yes they do leave marks. this video was intended for the starting blacksmith with no skills or acess to good tools to get by with also i filed down the teeth on mine to cut down on the marks.
@patrinrom well vise grips were invented by blacksmiths. hand made locking tongs were the vice grips grand daddy. they've saved me in a jam more than once.
@ThePhantomBlacksmith i need to get some tongs made because of the type of forge i have my grandpa gave to me its basicly a steel box with a hole in the front and a hole for the fire box and i cant get into it with vicegrips or pliers
@purejpm go for it! Make a pair. They're a no-brainer. Just look at a pair you like and copy them. Something you can just wing without really knowing what you're doing. After about your second or third pair you'll be an expert.
@ThePhantomBlacksmith ya iv no made a pair and just used up the last of my coal after i just started my second pair need some more hard to find here in ontario
very good scentsable video about what you really need to start forging metal.
okieheadhunter 7 months ago
Thanks for your comments. I don't have access to a harbor freight here in Australia but i will keep looking for a cheap anvil. I have taken your advice and have watched many you tube video's. I see you point on how so many people do thing differently Thanks Again
Hornbag73 1 year ago
Do you have any ideas on alternatives to anvils for someone wanting to start out on a tight budget. i have seen forklift tongs used, railway line, steel hard faced, what can you recommend as a place to start.
Hornbag73 1 year ago
@Hornbag73 ok anything large enough with a flat surface can be used as an anvil. in a pinc ive used larrg rocks hardwood stumps steel i beam whatever i could find. you will get better results from a real anvil with a hard flat face but use what ever you can get your hande on try looking in junkyards or metal scrap yards also harbor freight has a low cost 55 lb anvil not the best but i use 1 in my portable rig.
patrinrom 1 year ago
@patrinrom I wouldn't recommend habour freight. Their anvils are cast iron which means that they are soft and brittle and will break if used regularly. I think the best way for a started is a railroad track.
Ginyru 6 months ago
@Ginyru unless you get a written statment of sale from the railroad it is ilegal to have a piece of track. I am 3rd generation railroad family. Now I know lots of ppl have them and I dont ever call them on it, use what you can get, but still I do several public shows if all it takes is ! person to get a bug up thier b**t to ruin your day. also RR track is not hardned so u need to do that and grind the surface flat. Harbor freight used to sell a cast steel anvil out of russia just recently stoped
patrinrom 6 months ago
Ya I learned lots especially the one about keeping your tools inside out of the rain.
johnnysgretsch 1 year ago
Are there girls who do blacksmithing?
duvexy 1 year ago
@duvexy yes quite a few
patrinrom 1 year ago
tongs are fun. I enjoy making them. But truth be told, vice grips have replaced 90% of them and do a better job. (unless you have to reach way back in the fire)
Other blacksmiths get indignant and scowl at me when I say this...lol
ThePhantomBlacksmith 1 year ago
@ThePhantomBlacksmith ...hi, im a blacksmith in ireland, no disrespect meant, but vicegrips are not good, cause too many marks on your work and grip un-efficiently. tings can be made to hold all sections, the most basic tongs being, square hollow bit, wolf jaw and flat bit. you can hold all stock with variations of these tongs in size and shape. i know many blacksmiths personally around 80, none use vice grips for a good reason. anyways, sorry for sounding rude, but just thought id say :-)
aobbuddy 1 year ago
@ThePhantomBlacksmith i mostly use em for plate and large odd items yes they do leave marks. this video was intended for the starting blacksmith with no skills or acess to good tools to get by with also i filed down the teeth on mine to cut down on the marks.
patrinrom 1 year ago
@patrinrom well vise grips were invented by blacksmiths. hand made locking tongs were the vice grips grand daddy. they've saved me in a jam more than once.
SsjSned 1 year ago
@ThePhantomBlacksmith like i always say its your fire do what works for you
patrinrom 1 year ago
@ThePhantomBlacksmith i need to get some tongs made because of the type of forge i have my grandpa gave to me its basicly a steel box with a hole in the front and a hole for the fire box and i cant get into it with vicegrips or pliers
purejpm 1 year ago
@purejpm go for it! Make a pair. They're a no-brainer. Just look at a pair you like and copy them. Something you can just wing without really knowing what you're doing. After about your second or third pair you'll be an expert.
ThePhantomBlacksmith 1 year ago
@ThePhantomBlacksmith ya iv no made a pair and just used up the last of my coal after i just started my second pair need some more hard to find here in ontario
purejpm 1 year ago
@purejpm try making charcoal purgatory ironworks has a great demo on how he also discuses the diff between using char and regular coal.
patrinrom 1 year ago
Great video...lost your audio to the wind on the last bit...could hardly hear you.
nightshadecross 2 years ago
thanks a milion
5/5 again man
GopanBushcraft 2 years ago