TABLE OF CONTENTS The quality of an anvil can generally be judged by its ring, a good anvil giving out a clear, sharp sound when struck with a hammer. If soft or defective, the sound will be dull. A good anvil so mounted that it gives out a full volume of sound is easier to work upon than one having a dead ring. Anvils ordinarily vary in weight from 150 to 3 00 pounds. A mistake is often made in selecting anvils that are too light for the service required. A 300-pound anvil is suitable for almost any kind of machine blacksmithing, and, if of this weight or heavier, it will not move around while in use or need to be strapped to its block. The square hole in the face of an anvil for receiving the cutting and forming tools is called the "hardie hole," and the small round hole near it is called the "pritchel hole." Anvils are usually made with a wrought-iron body to which is welded a hardened steel face.
The height of an anvil should be such that when standing beside if the knuckles of the hands will just reach the top surface or face. A solid oak block set endwise in the ground is often used as a foundation, but a cast-iron mounting block is preferable as it can easily be moved. The casting should have a fairly broad base, and a pocket at the top...
