[TheForge] chinese ASOs

[Nancy & Jim Jordan]

How about brazing the plate on top without worrying about the heat
treating/hardening of the top plate until after the assembly cools down.
Then, do a flame hardening of the face and using the mass for cooling.
You should be able to get a hard face without disturbing too much of the
braze.
Though the expansion might be a problem.
Personally I'd just buy a Russian cast steel anvil from Harbor Freight for
not much more than the cast iron ASO.
Jim