Anvil

An anvil (Pl. anvils, from Old High German anabōʒ: "What ( what ) you hit " ) is a block of steel for backing during forming, editing mostly " warm ", ie red-hot iron metals. An anvil is a basic fundamental tool to the present day and is an indispensable part of a forge. He is the pride of a blacksmith's art. Thereon the workpiece to be processed is formed with or without the aid of setting hammers and other auxiliary hammers. The surface of the anvil web is cured. Depending on the type anvils are between 5 kg and 550 kg available.

History

An anvil is the oldest basic tool of human history. Early people used already in the Paleolithic 200,000 years ago, at least one anvil from naturally formed stone with a flattened surface, usually to be machined by special discount techniques flint for the manufacture of bifaces, blades or tips for spears. The high level of craftsmanship clever use of impact stone (hammer), spacers (as early auxiliary hammers ), for example, made ​​of antler in the punch and anvil technique testifies vividly the shield core technology of the Neanderthals. Among the most impressive in sheet form on a beaten anvil early works include the approximately 20,000 years ago in Europe created and up to 40 cm tall, very thin ( in the core five to six millimeters ) peaks of flint during the Solutrean culture.

At the beginning of metalworking in the Chalcolithic period dignified metals such as gold and copper on a (stone) anvil were first processed. So far the oldest finds of copper plates for jewelry date from the 8th millennium BC in Anatolia.

In the aftermath of targeted reduction of copper and its smelting later than the 6th millennium BC in present-day Serbia ( Pločnik ) also known copper hatchets were forged on an anvil cold and thus solidified their cutting edge.

In the Bronze Age in addition to the anvils of stone also first made ​​of metal ( bronze ) were used. In addition to simple shapes, there were already those with a lateral circular horn - for example, for cold forging of rings or bracelets.

Detected since the Hallstatt period first anvils of iron were used and gradually prevailed. One can assume that by the early use and smelting of iron by the Hittites, there were also previously iron anvils. Since that time, the fire is indispensable for forging and continues to characterize the valid face a forge.

Installation and operation

In ancient Europe and was in Asia, such as India or Japan forging is still in a kneeling or squatting position on the floor usual. In Western culture, however, most anvils are now on a wooden block, a sand-filled box, metal legs or a similar substructure that provide a secure footing and will allow the smith to work in optimal height. Very heavy anvils resting on a heavy, sunken wooden block, the anvil Stock.

By proper installation of the anvil is achieved in that the anvil at each hammer blow from above and from below the same pulse is introduced into the workpiece, the blacksmith says, " the anvil moves ".

Production

Anvils are either completely executed as cast steel or cast and provided with a welded steel track and in general - rare - mostly historical, completely forged. Although an anvil cast by its high hardness very good " pulls" and is very resistant to wear and tear, so be very bright and penetrating sound is annoying and can cause considerable damage to the hearing, therefore, is highly advisable to work with hearing protection. A suitable underlay between the anvil and the subset dampens the sound a bit.

Forged anvils are presently take as rarity and rarity. They sound much less "drag" but comparable good as its cast counterparts. Traditionally anvils from individual soft iron pieces were (eg puddled iron ) assembled and welded piece by piece in the fire. The surface of the forging was either carburized or likewise provided with a welded- hard steel plate.

A good compromise set cast and provided with steel rail anvils; they do not sound as shrill as pure iron, but are much easier to obtain and cheaper than forged anvils. They are well recognized by the usual cast anvils for all voids and pores on the underside and the parallel weld below the welded steel sheet.

Structure, variants and applications

The basic form is known today was developed in the late Middle Ages. Deviating from regionally developed a variety of differentiated anvil forms that have been adapted to reflect the needs of the workpieces and their size.

Over the centuries, different variants have developed, such as: Bohemian form, North German form, Süddeutsche form Anglsächsische or English form. It is mainly used by blacksmiths, farriers and Schlosser ( metal worker ) are used. Just about all methods of construction used today have a base body with the straight or minimally curved path and, starting from one or two pointed horns (usually round and square horn), where bars can be rings or similar bent or welded.

In addition to the "typical" forms are, for example, for Wagner, nail makers, goldsmiths and silversmiths & w. common to specialized applications own designs. A new thought- form (not forged), the so-called Habermann anvil ( 225kg ) was created around 2005 by " forging Pope " Alfred Habermann.

Some, such as the Süddeutsche anvil or Habermann anvil a so-called Voramboss is on the railway side still welded, tapered curved downward and to better align on the web or serves to narrow bending or forging curved in itself workpieces. In addition, the deeply upsetting plates ( edger or upsetting ) may be present at the bottom of the anvil and are used to upsetting longer rods. For stability petite or most massive feet are either issued and securely connected as in the French anvil.

On top of the web, a square hole, and one or two round holes are usually embedded throughout. The square hole (also called die purchase acquisition ) is used to hold molding and cutting tools such as auxiliary anvil, Abschrot, Squirrel, gooseneck, anvil fork etc. In classical wrought language, these tools are also called heel. The / the round holes are used for punching ( method ) with the piercing mandrel for bending or even to accommodate auxiliary tools. Below the track some anvils have an arched chest for editing larger radii.

Anvil of 1736

Peening anvil and hammer gel

Forging on the anvil

Anvil ( English form) and sledgehammer ( English form)

Musical instrument

The anvil as a solo instrument, composers Auber ( " Le Macon ", 1825) used to Britten ( The burning fiery furnace, 1966). Well-known examples are found in Verdi ( Il trovatore (1853 ), Gypsy blacksmith in Act 2 ), Wagner (1853, "Das Rheingold " with the famous transformations of 2 / 3 and 3 / 4 image 18 anvils on F listed in three different octaves; " Siegfried", Act 1 ), Walton ( Belshazzar 's feast ). Albert Parlow also put him into the limelight and earned his Anvil Polka worldwide fame. Inspired by Wagner wrote the Berlin Military musicians a polka for " solo anvil " (1854 ), his Czech colleague Julius Fučík a concert march " The Merry village smithy " (1908 ).

For anvil sounds using some opera orchestra real anvils, while others use heavy steel plates with a thickness of more than 2.5 centimeters or sections of railroad tracks.

Proverbs and Quotations

• " Be anvil or hammer " from the poem " A andres " by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe from the cycle " Convivial Songs", which states that one must choose in life between " suffering or triumph " (quote from the poem ).
• " The anvil is not frightened by the hammer. " - Proverb
• " The anvil is used to noise. " - Proverb
• " If you stand in front of the anvil, the sparks fly in his eyes. " - Proverb
• "A good anvil does not fear any hammer. " - Italian Proverb
• " The anvil lasts longer than the hammer. " - Italian Proverb
• " An anvil would have much to do if he wanted to groan at every blow. " - Proverb
• "If you laugh at the anvil, the hammer travels alone. " - Proverb
• "Today, anvil, hammer tomorrow. " - Proverb
• "You do not always forge on an anvil. " - French proverb
• "Who is between the anvil and hammer, which is not lacking in misery. " - Proverb