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Pro tip: skip the fancy new anvil block and use a railroad tie
Last month I dropped $150 on a cast iron base for my post anvil and it cracked on the third heat, so I traded it for a old railroad tie from the scrap yard that's been solid for 40 strikes - has anyone else had better luck with wood than metal bases?
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harper_foster21d ago
Man alive, it's the same thing with guitar strings - people think stiffer is better but a little flex actually keeps the tone alive and your fingers from cramping up. Seems like the old-timers knew what they were doing with that wood.
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bettyroberts21d ago
Funny enough, that cast iron base might've been too rigid. Wood has that little bit of give that keeps the shock from bouncing back into your hammer hand. The railroad ties also have all that creosote soaked in which makes them real dense and heavy.
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