The day my anvil flipped off the stump mid-strike

Last month I was forging a 3/8 inch leaf spring and got a bit too aggressive with a 4 pound hammer. One bad angle and the whole anvil tipped sideways off the oak stump, landed on my boot, and scared the daylights out of me. Turns out I had neglected to bolt the base down after moving it the week prior. Now I check that every single session before I start heating steel. Has anyone else had a close call with an unsecured anvil, or am I just the lucky one?

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the_jason1mo ago

That story about the anvil landing on your boot made me wince. I had a similar wake up call a few years back when my anvil shifted mid-strike and damn near took out my shin. The sound it made when it hit the concrete floor is something you don't forget. I get that whole "scared the daylights out of me" thing, because I felt the same exact way. It's funny how one careless moment teaches you a lesson faster than any book or video ever could. Now I do the same thing you do, I check the bolts before I even light the forge. You're not the lucky one, you're just the smart one now.

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