Overheard a guy say his anvil was 'flat enough' for fine work

Checked it with a straight edge and there was a 1/8 inch gap near the heel. If you're doing bladesmithing or scrollwork, a warped face kills precision every time - have you actually leveled yours lately?

2 comments

2 Comments

henderson.hugo10d ago

1/8 inch gap near the heel is way more than just "flat enough" for anything. Even a cheap straight edge can catch that. You gotta resurface that thing if you want any kind of accuracy on scrolls or blades.

eric_morgan5910d ago

Hold on a second. I've seen plenty of anvils with a bit of wear near the heel that still work great for fine stuff. That 1/8 gap might be right where you're not working anyway. I do most of my bladesmithing right over the center of the face, and I've never noticed a problem there. Plus, resurfacing an anvil is a huge job and you can mess up the hardness if you're not careful. Sometimes a little character in the face is better than chasing perfect flatness and ending up with a soft top.