I thought those cheap anvils from the hardware store were fine for a beginner

I bought a $90 cast iron anvil when I first started in my garage. After about six months, the face was dented and the horn chipped on simple projects. A guy at the local guild let me use his 150lb Peter Wright for an afternoon, and the difference in rebound and how the metal moved was night and day. I saved up and found a decent used one, and it made learning so much easier. Has anyone else made the switch from a cheap starter anvil and been shocked by the improvement?

3 comments

3 Comments

reese_singh872mo ago

Yeah, that "night and day" difference is real. My buddy had the same cheap anvil and his work got way better after he finally upgraded.

fisher.mason2mo ago

I get the idea but my old harbor freight anvil worked fine for years. People act like you need a $2000 tool to make a decent knife.

rileyjones1mo ago

Fair enough, but his technique might have improved at the same time he got the new anvil. A lot of people swear their cheap anvil was holding them back but really they just got more practice.